Lee Schierer and others - Deft help?

[Tim]

Lee - I know from your posts that you use Deft CWF brushing lacquer quite a bit and I'm sure others do as well. I need brushing help. I've recently been practicing with brushing it on some test pieces of curly maple and I like the finish. But I'm having trouble applying a level coat. I've used 2 different good brushes (one Purdy white china bristle and one badger hair). I seem to always get either a lot of "too thick" spots or (when I try to lighten up) spots with no coverage at all. Do I just put it on thick and then level the thick spots with sandpaper? I'm trying to avoid rebrushing the thick or thins spots when I apply them. Maybe I shouldn't be so afraid of rebrushing? I don't have spray capability.

Two other thoughts I've had so far: the test pieces are only about 4"x4" so there is a lot of edge compared to surface area and this could be causing technique issues. Maybe I should try a larger piece of cheap wood and see how it goes? Also, the Deft seems pretty thick and maybe thinning would help?

Thanks in advance!

[Jason Roehl]

It's been a while since I've used that product, Tim, but I do remember that I used a synthetic bristle (nylon/polyester) brush with it and had no problems. The key is to work quickly, brush in one direction, and cooler temps will help. You can also brush on a slightly thicker film than you might ordinarily with a varnish or poly as lacquer sets up much more quickly--even a heavily retarded brushing lacquer.

Jason

[Stan Smith]

My decision to use Deft came from Lee. At that time I was looking for a finish that would be safe for a cradle. It worked great! I did use the very fine white synthetic wool to knock down some "tics" between coats. I applied it with a purdy brush, but I use the combo brush with a beveled design. Get the product on and then brush only in one direction with the brush tilted in the direction of the stroke for the final strokes. Try to go from one end to the other in a single pass and don't press down. That being said, I'm refinishing my kitchen cabinets and I'm using Benjamin Moore stay-clear acrylic. It is water based, but there 's isn't very much sanding between coats and it also drys fast. Actually it is for floors, but since it doesn't yellow it looks great on the cabinets. I'm using low lustre but it comes in gloss, too.