Spraying finish in a tropical climate?

[erik.tosten]

Hi all,

I'm working on spraying lacquer on an acoustic guitar but i live in Dallas Texas. For spraying I don't have any climate control. This has also been the wettest year on record for us. There is really not a time in the day with a humidity level low enough to spray lacquer (or really anytime of the year)

I have French polished guitars before but need a harder finish than shellac.

Thanks Erik

[C Green]

Are you using rattle cans or a spray gun.  If a spray gun add retarder to slow drying to allow the moisture to escape and use light coats.  This will help with the blushing.  

Chris Green. 

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 17, 2024, at 1:01 PM, erik.tosten <erik....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all,

I'm working on spraying lacquer on an acoustic guitar but i live in Dallas Texas. For spraying I don't have any climate control. This has also been the wettest year on record for us. There is really not a time in the day with a humidity level low enough to spray lacquer (or really anytime of the year)

I have French polished guitars before but need a harder finish than shellac.

Thanks Erik

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[C Green]

Almost forgot if using rattle cans and even with a spray gun Behlen makes what they call brush eraser.  Pretty sure it’s straight retarder in a can you spray direct on the finish.  I used to paint cars with lacquer years ago.  Spraying straight retarder would sometimes help if I got blushing.  

Worth a shot.  

Chris Green. 

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 17, 2024, at 1:01 PM, erik.tosten <erik....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all,

I'm working on spraying lacquer on an acoustic guitar but i live in Dallas Texas. For spraying I don't have any climate control. This has also been the wettest year on record for us. There is really not a time in the day with a humidity level low enough to spray lacquer (or really anytime of the year)

I have French polished guitars before but need a harder finish than shellac.

Thanks Erik

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[Paul McEvoy]

I just did a guitar in Epifanes rubbed effect varnish and one with the Ken Parker epoxy finish.  I really liked both of them, they look great.  No spraying involved. 

Epifanes I thinned 50/50 for the first coat and like 25% each one after and then added a fair amount of Japanese drier.  Very careful foam brushing.  I did 3 coats.  More would have been better maybe but it was nice and thin. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/obrien-forum/482C87B7-D78B-4BD5-B37A-41A40A005358%40yahoo.com.

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Paul McEvoy
207-699-9526

[erik.tosten]

Paul I have not heard of Epifanes I will look into it. I have looked into the Ken Parker process.

Chris, I am using a spray gun, and I add 15% retarder to my lacquer mix. It is so humid here, though I have had points where I'm spraying, and thick beads of water just form on the surface. I am also afraid of adding too much retarder. I spray the entire guitar with a straight retarder after three coats of lacquer, which helps with blushing.