How to apply brushing lacquer

[Dan Trachtman]

I usually use spray lacquer, but the shape of this piece has proved tricky to spray evenly and I want to try brushing lacquer. I have never used brushing lacquer and I have not found many tutorials online about using it in wood turning. I will be using Deft Gloss Brushing lacquer. I am wondering things like should I dilute it to 50/50 or use it straight from the container? Should the lathe be moving fast or slow? Use a brush or a rag? How long should I let it dry in between coats. Any other tips?
thanks,
Dan

 

[Richard Coers]

If you apply lacquer to that with anything but a spray, it will lift the dye off the piece and make a mess.

 

[Bill Blasic]

One caveat, it depends on the dye. I have used TransTint with brushing lacquer successfully without the dye running.

 

[Dan Trachtman]

After using a sealer, I have brushed on finishes before w/o the dye running. I will try and see, but any tips on how to use brushing lacquer?

 

[Dean Center]

I'm no expert, but in my experience, it's much harder to get drip-free finish outcomes with brushing lacquer on complex pieces.

 

[Dan Trachtman]

I tried it today. First I tried using a rag and I got streaks so I tried a brush at 150rpm. It came out pretty good actually. A tiny bit streaky if you look very close but not bad for a first attempt. I imagine if I buff/polish it, it will look even better.

 

[Michael Anderson]

If your lathe runs SUPER slow (as in ~15ish rpm) you can just flood on heavy, diluted coats, and leave the lathe running until dry. Of course, cover to shield from dust, etc… But doing this is a good way to reduced the amounts of drips or streaks. (Though it does take a while)

 

[Dan Trachtman]

If your lathe runs SUPER slow (as in ~15ish rpm) you can just flood on heavy, diluted coats, and leave the lathe running until dry. Of course, cover to shield from dust, etc… But doing this is a good way to reduced the amounts of drips or streaks. (Though it does take a while)

Yup. I think the 150rpm had a similar result but I prob should have done it even slower. My lathe goes down to about 60RPM. Which reminds me, if I want to dry it faster so I can recoat faster, I assumed that turning the lathe speed up would speed drying time, but I wonder if there is any study on that. Does it really make a difference, and if so, how much?

 

[Michael Anderson]

You might run the risk of streaking if the speed is too high, but I imagine that the faster the speed, the quicker the drying time—more air moves past the surface within a given time interval. BUT, I’m sure there’s an rpm where the difference becomes negligible. I don’t know if any studies specifically, but that would be pretty interesting!

 

[Brian Gustin]

Yup. I think the 150rpm had a similar result but I prob should have done it even slower. My lathe goes down to about 60RPM. Which reminds me, if I want to dry it faster so I can recoat faster, I assumed that turning the lathe speed up would speed drying time, but I wonder if there is any study on that. Does it really make a difference, and if so, how much?

it won't speed drying time, thinner coats will dry faster, but thicker coats can result in beading even at minimal RPM as centrifugal force would push any runs out to the outer edges where they'd start to bead as a precursor to drips. Tried it with fast dry poly among other finishes, and heavier coats just don't do the trick. dry time might be faster if you can set up a fan to blow dry, warm air over the piece, but simply spinning it in the lathe won't do it.

 

[Bill Blasic]

Here is a video of Steve Sinner finishing, now it isn't brushing lacquer but I can see using the same process with brushing lacquer. I am currently setting up a real slow speed motor to do his finish off of the lathe. One other thing in the video Steve moves the finish product he uses to smaller cans but he still lost a good bit of the finish. He has moved to Stop-loss Bags and since then has not lost any of his product.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVQEJf7KkoQ&t=914s

 

[Dan Trachtman]

Here is a video of Steve Sinner finishing, now it isn't brushing lacquer but I can see using the same process with brushing lacquer. I am currently setting up a real slow speed motor to do his finish off of the lathe. One other thing in the video Steve moves the finish product he uses to smaller cans but he still lost a good bit of the finish. He has moved to Stop-loss Bags and since then has not lost any of his product.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVQEJf7KkoQ&t=914s

Bill, that video is perfect! I wish I had found that before. It's interesting also that he uses a foam brush b/c everything I have read about applying lacquer says you must use a high quality bristle brush. I will watch that video carefully again before the next one. thanks

 

[Michael Nathal]

Captain Eddie had a couple videos on wiping on lacquer. They are at least 5 years old, maybe more. I think I remember that he diluted it 50/50, and used small cloth squares. .

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

The only difference between brushing lacquer and rattle can lacquer appears to be the word "brushing" and it is thicker.
I have been spraying BL for over 20 years starting out with an air brush then moving to a gravity feed cheapo spray gun and when doing round pieces that don't lend themselves to the systematic spray pattern that you would use say when painting a car, I use an off lathe rotator and spray on an extra heave coat of BL that of course would run if it was not rotating.
This rotator is made using a rotisserie drive mounted to a stand with an adaptor that will accept a 1/2" dowel. The fixture on there is a male thread that is used to screw on a threaded hollow vessel and the piece that is screwed on is the female thread to accept the lid. This method allows a much faster build up and is easier to avoid orange peal and runs.

 

[Michael Anderson]

Oh that’s a nice setup Don! I like the idea of having an off-lathe apparatus for that. Frees up the lathe. I hadn’t thought of a rotisserie motor, but it seems like the perfect speed.

 

[Jay Simmons]

Bill, that video is perfect! I wish I had found that before. It's interesting also that he uses a foam brush b/c everything I have read about applying lacquer says you must use a high quality bristle brush. I will watch that video carefully again before the next one. thanks

Note he is applying Spar varnish not lacquer. Most foam brushes will dissolve in lacquer.

 

[Richard Coers]

The only difference between brushing lacquer and rattle can lacquer appears to be the word "brushing" and it is thicker.
I have been spraying BL for over 20 years starting out with an air brush then moving to a gravity feed cheapo spray gun and when doing round pieces that don't lend themselves to the systematic spray pattern that you would use say when painting a car, I use an off lathe rotator and spray on an extra heave coat of BL that of course would run if it was not rotating.View attachment 47530
This rotator is made using a rotisserie drive mounted to a stand with an adaptor that will accept a 1/2" dowel. The fixture on there is a male thread that is used to screw on a threaded hollow vessel and the piece that is screwed on is the female thread to accept the lid. This method allows a much faster build up and is easier to avoid orange peal and runs.

Have you compared the SDS. Brushing lacquer has a retarder added, rattle can lacquer should not

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

Have you compared the SDS. Brushing lacquer has a retarder added, rattle can lacquer should not

Not sure what SDS means and I have heard that BL has a retarder in it but I have not had a drying problem with the Watco lacquer that I use. Most of the time by the time I clean the spray gun I can turn off the rotator.

 

[Michael Anderson]

SDS = Safety Data Sheet

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

I hadn’t thought of a rotisserie motor, but it seems like the perfect speed.

It is almost too slow but one advantage is that you can start it then spray an even coat without stopping for each pass with the spray gun. I have some others with faster motors ( not rotisserie) that I have to stop for each pass of the spray gun.

 

[Richard Coers]

Not sure what SDS means and I have heard that BL has a retarder in it but I have not had a drying problem with the Watco lacquer that I use. Most of the time by the time I clean the spray gun I can turn off the rotator.

Retarder only slows the drying a little. But it gives it time to flow out when using a brush. Or at least prevent the brush from sticking the lacquer where you started applying it