What finish would you use?

[john whittaker]

I have a 36" x 42" x 2" piece of unfinished maple butcher block that will be used as the top for a roll-around shop cart. I will be storing some portable tools in it and some bench top tools on top. I would normally finish this by brushing on some type of urethane...But since I will be receiving my first HVLP gun later this week, I thought it would be good practice to spray a finish on the maple top. From what I've read, I don't think poly would be a good spraying choice so what would you use to spray finish this top?

[Phil Phelps]

I have a 36" x 42" x 2" piece of unfinished maple butcher block that will be used as the top for a roll-around shop cart. I will be storing some portable tools in it and some bench top tools on top. I would normally finish this by brushing on some type of urethane...But since I will be receiving my first HVLP gun later this week, I thought it would be good practice to spray a finish on the maple top. From what I've read, I don't think poly would be a good spraying choice so what would you use to spray finish this top?

....you have read about poly that would not work on the top?

[Howard Acheson]

Spraying any oil based finish is problematic unless you can do it outside or have a spray booth. It's a slow drying finish so that the overspray will float in the air and will encrust anything it lands on--including the item you are spraying.

[tod evans]

john, poly sprays fine but like howard says, dries slow. do you plan on spraying water or solvent based finishes? being as you`re playing around with a shop fixture i`d suggest experimenting....what the heck if it doesn`t turn out well with one finish try another. better than taking chances with a piece you have a ton of hours in.....02 tod

[john whittaker]

Tod, good point about experimenting...Since the main reason I bought the gun was for finishing guitars this would be a good chance to experiment & practice with the finish I chose for it.

For the guitar I plan on using a newer version of a water based "lacquer like" finish called KTM-9. (Grafted Coatings Inc) It is actually a urethane/acrylic formulation and has mostly good reviews on the luthiers forums. If anyone has any experience with KTM-9... I would like to know what you think.

A big advantage in using the water based product to me is it can be sprayed without most of the expensive safety equipment and spray booth items needed for volatiles & highly flammable finishes. It sure sounds good going by the advertisements so this would be a good chance to check it out and see how well it works. Nitrocellulose lacquer is the top coat of choice form many guitar builders but I just don't have the $$ for all the safety equipment.

Phil, I didn't mean poly wouldn't be good for a top coat...just that I had read it was a bit of a pain to spray without good ventilation to keep the overspray off of everything. I've used it more than any other top coat on indoor furniture and got pretty good at applying it by hand without noticeable brush marks etc.

Thanks for your help.

[John Kain]

Visit Target Coatings (or Homestead Finishing) and get a gallon of USL.

Water based Lacquer. You (technically) can spray it in more confined spaces (with a respirator) and it dries fast with 100% burn in between coats. Jim Becker first told me about this product and I use it on EVERYTHING. I'm a total novice at finishing, but even I can put this stuff on and make my projects look professional.

[Jim Becker]

BLO....cheap, renewable, looks nice.