Q: Is there any barrier coat that will allow me to seal waterbased finish on a guitar that has been plagued with fisheye problems, then spray with waterbased over it? A: I won’t say it is guaranteed, but spraying coat of Zinsser SealCoat usually does an excellent job of creating a waterbased friendly barrier coat. [...]
Q: How can I know the lacquer thinner I use is good or bad, weak or strong? A: First, remember that thinner is tagged to the specific lacquer for which it is formulated. Thus, good thinner for one lacquer may be bad thinner for another. Start by listening to the recommendation of the company that [...]
Q: I need to put a brand name on my guitars. I’d like to use a stencil or ink stamp under the clear coat. What do you think? A: Either will work, provided you choose the right medium for your stencil or ink stamp. What’s important is to use a paint or ink that is [...]
Q: I’m finishing a guitar in Krylon Special Purpose clear Lacquer over Satin Nickel Metallic over gray primer. The clear coat has some orange peel. I’m afraid to wet sand and buff it because I previously sanded through the finish at the edges and had to start over with bare wood. Since the finish looks [...]
Q: Can I put one coat of oil based polyurethane on some drawers, wait eight hours or so, and then overcoat the oil based polyurethane with several topcoats of waterbased polyurethane? A: Sometimes. That is to say, some waterbased polyurethanes will adhere to some oil based polyurethanes, but not all will do so. I’d let [...]
Q: There’s a method I want to try; waterbased dye, seal, gel stain left dark in corners and wiped to simulate wear, top coat. How can I brush top coat using varnish without screwing up the gel, since varnish needs scratches to hold to? A: No it doesn’t. Just let the gel dry thoroughly so [...]
Q: Can I add dry pigment to lacquer to color it? A: In theory, yes. In practice, it is almost impossible to get pigment powders to disperse uniformly in liquids. When we add them in the industry we use tools specifically designed for forcing pigments to combine with liquids, such as ball mills and high [...]
Q: Where can I get information on custom color stain? We can’t find the color we want for an entertainment center. Can you teach us how to mix our own? A: I can indeed, and in fact, have done so in all four of my books on finishing and many times in magazine articles. However, [...]
Q: I’ve been using cellulose sanding sealer on my woodturnings. What’s the difference between it and Zinsser SealCoat, and which is better? I normally use wipe on polyurethane as my finish. A: Better is a personal judgment you must make, but I can certainly tell you the differences. Cellulose sanding sealer is lacquer laced with [...]
Q: Can I put an oil based urethane on top of waterbased Varathane? A: Yes. Varathane is polyurethane, and oil based urethane can go over waterbased, provided the waterbased is fully cured and all the water is out of it. Do bear in mind that one of the reasons for using waterbased polyurethane is that [...]
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