I've copied/pasted message verbatim as uploaded to Target Coatings. As they've not responded to me in the recent past with questions, I'll see if anyone here has any enlightenment to offer, as I wait, wondering if they'll respond. Since it's not a glowing review of their product, I'm not holding my breath.
message to Target Coatings:
"EM7000 HBL Satin. Alder wood. Pre-stain conditioner, General Finishes gel stain. Dried 18 hours, per label. First coat: USH3132 (Emtech's water based shellac). 2 hour dry time. EM7000, 4 coats, approximately 2 hour dry time first two coats, overnight cure, sand, two more coats. Fisheye problem grows worse with each coat. Took blog advice, and started over.
Second attempt: Wide belt sand to bare wood, 180 grit. R/O to 220. NO conditioner this time - straight to General Finishes Antique Walnut Gel stain. Cure 48 hours. No oily smell, no oily residue on hands/paper wiped over cured stain. Wash with alcohol anyway. Apply USH3132 shellac as sealer/barrier coat. Wait 2 hours, apply 4 coats EM7000 HBL with 1 hour dry in between. As I approach 3rd/4th coat, again, fisheyes, worsening with each coat. Not as bad, but becoming more pronounced with each subsequent coat.
Advice?"
20 years professionally building/finishing furniture and cabinetry - never been instructed to go through such anal prep work before, yet the worst performance of any topcoat I've ever used. I haven't touched a solvent based topcoat in 2 years, tried close to a dozen brands of water-based intermittently over the last 10 years, and never experienced this much frustration with the results. = Ready to pour remainder into the next barrel of sawdust and put this miserable scenario behind me.
Anyone have the solution to EmTech's fish eye problem?