[EProvenzano]

Hi Dave,

I know you have experience with both these products.
Do you know if these are compatible as a base stain / top coat?

I've found a fantastic blend of Watco that I truly find remarkable for it's color and what it does for the wood grain.
However, I want to delve into Lacquer top coats by spraying and hand rubbing a new dining room table; then later finishing off a new pair of subwoofer cabinets.

Will lacquer products like this one:
Sher-Wood® CAB-Acrylic Lacquer  
5th product down on this page:
http://www.sherwin.com/pro/sherwin_williams_paint/sherwin_williams_paints/interior_paint/stains2.jsp
bond to oil based stains/finish like Watco Danish Oil?

Your thoughts appreciated.
EP

[Charles Calkins]

From my long and familiar experience with woodworking and finishing I suggest you stay away from lacquer topcoats. Try a wipe on topcot. Lacquer is the choice if fine furniture makers but can be a real big problem for the amatuer.

                                     Cheers
                                     Charlie

[EProvenzano]

Hi Charles.

Why should I stay away?

The tools at my disposal will be:
Many scrap peices of wood and a fine HVLP gravity fed gun in an automotive down draft paint booth  

It's nice to have family in the auto repair business.

Nonetheless, I'd like to heed your warnings.
Let me learn from your experiences!

Cheers.

[bubba966]

Hi Charles.

Why should I stay away?

The tools at my disposal will be:
Many scrap peices of wood and a fine HVLP gravity fed gun in an automotive down draft paint booth  

I'm not Charles, but I'd say his warning probably doesn't apply to you if you've got that at your disposal & can use it fairly well.

Lacquer is a bitch if you don't have the right tools or don't know how to use them should you have the right tools.

Having done a bit of lacquer work I'd not use the Sherwin Williams Acrylic Lacquer that you linked to.

I'd use one of Rodda's Lacquers http://www.roddapaint.com/ps_msds_pds.asp?wood

Probably the Mar-Resist for the table, and the Cyrstal-Clear for the subs. You will need to use the appropriate sanding sealer for those as well.

Rodda Lacquers with a well prepped surface and a good spayer with someone that knows how to use one will give you an amazing finish. Having been a high end painter/finisher for nearly a decade when I went to Sherwin Williams it was for exterior latex paint, not lacquer. Trips to Rodda were for the best lacquers available, and never for much else.

Not sure how the lacquer will react with the varnish in the Watco Danish Oil though. But you do say that you have scrap stuff to test it out with. Personally I was always annoyed with the Watco Danish Oil because of the varnish in it. So when I had it available to me I preferred Dally's Danish Oil as it was just oil & no varnish.

[EProvenzano]

Thanks Bubba,

I have a Sherwin dealer in town and I'm looking for their support as I learn this product.

Do you have any specific concerns with the SW product? I appreciate that the Rodda product may be superior but I might miss the local support.

My plan is to shoot the table with 3-4 light coats then sand flat with 600.
Then shoot another 3-4 light coats and rub flat with 1500.  Then I'll polish to taste. The wife prefers a semi sheen. I understand that different cut compounds will leave a medium-rubbed look.

Funny thing about Lacquer, I was drawn to it by some of the qualities I like most about oil finishes.
I love the look of eye popping wood grain. Oil does a great job with grain. Lacquer, in theory is among the best top coat finishes in this regard.  Another reason I chose lacquer is because it is somewhat repairable if you happen to have a flaw or slight damage. Not as easy as adding a wipe of oil to an oiled finish, but easier to repair than a scratch on a Varnish or Urethane finish.  I like that I can rub out a surface scratch or touch-up a chip with additional lacquer since subsequent coats will bond to the original layers because lacquer will always react in its own solvent.

Not to mention that lacquer will certainly add a protective layer that oils cannot achieve.  IMO, I'm getting the best of both worlds, the durability of a solid top coat, and the eye popping beauty and functionality (somewhat) of oil.

All this theory is good but the rumours can't all be false.  I know I'll need to be careful.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far!

EP

[bubba966]

I don't really have any specific problems with the SW lacquer. We just always liked going to the paint store that offered the best coating for the application that was needed. Would go to Rodda for lacquer, SW for exterior latex, Benjamin Moore for oil enamel, Miller for interior latex and so on.

I've honestly been rather pleased with SW service & most of their products. They just weren't big into lacquers where as Rodda is.

But if you've got a SW guy at your local store that really knows his stuff and thinks that the Cab Acrylic Lacquer is the best stuff for the application that you're needing it for, then by all means go ahead with it.

And do ask them about exactly how it should be used. As in using the right sealer, what it should be sanded with between coats, etc. Because when you get into the more professional/industrial type coatings (lacquers, 2 part epoxy coatings, industrial paints, etc.) they frequently have very specific time frames & steps. And when those specific time frames/steps aren't followed it won't turn out right at all.

It's usually rather easy to follow such steps. I'm just warning you that corners shouldn't be cut or time frames ignored as it does matter how things are done even if it doesn't seem like it should matter.