Acoustic finish lacquer

[Zen]

Would this be suitable---link below-- as a finish on back and sides on Rosewood ?
Cheers
Rusty


http://www.woodiesdiy.com/Product/rusto ... L5QP0esV8E

[phavriluk]

I am not familiar with Irish descriptive terms. But I see no mention of 'lacquer', but 'polyurethane', and in the US, I think that term applies to varnish. Varnish is by no means lacquer. I hope someone who can definitively respond does so. Meanwhile, for me, I think this is not lacquer.

I don't think this product is available in the US, as shown in your link. Have you contacted the manufacturer and asked your question?

[Zen]

I don't think this product is available in the US, as shown in your link. Have you contacted the manufacturer and asked your question?

No I have not been in touch with them as yet tommyboy but I'm guessing that its unlikely they would have someone who could talk guitar talk unless I got lucky.And, some of the sales people here in shops will only try to sell it regardless so I wont be asking any of them. But maybe its worth a shot anyway.
On a different note I did order some of this yesterday in the hope that it might work--see link
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wipe-On-Poly-16 ... pe+on+poly

I didn't know until yesterday that Minwax was available over here and I've often seen it mentioned frequently in your forums in Usa.

If you are are getting a sense of desperation from me then you would not be far off the mark lol but I need to make a decision once and for all as to what I am going to be using as a finish on all future instruments.

So far I've used Shellac and Tru oil on 3 guitars, ie. french polish on top and tru oil back /sides. Works well but not 100% on the tru oil even though I see great reviews on it from Luthiers who would know. So I thought I would experiment with this one and try something different.

Thanks for all the support so far
Rusty

[MaineGeezer]

Personally, I would avoid poly-anything. I have no particular evidence to support my view, but it seems to me that poly-whatever is going to be some kind of plastic coating that will tend to deaden the vibration of the wood. I may just be making that up, but with other "known good" instrument finishes available, I see no reason to use something unproven.

[JLT]

Personally, I would avoid poly-anything. I have no particular evidence to support my view, but it seems to me that poly-whatever is going to be some kind of plastic coating that will tend to deaden the vibration of the wood. I may just be making that up, but with other "known good" instrument finishes available, I see no reason to use something unproven.

I've used wipe-on polyurethane on some of my instruments with some success, and used very sparingly it doesn't seem to hurt the sound. However, it has issues with repair; if you need to re-apply the finish at some future point, you might have trouble with the new finish adhering to the old finish. With lacquers, one layer will melt into the next with no adhesion problems, which is why (I think) it's a better choice for musical instruments.

[Zen]

Personally, I would avoid poly-anything. I have no particular evidence to support my view, but it seems to me that poly-whatever is going to be some kind of plastic coating that will tend to deaden the vibration of the wood. I may just be making that up, but with other "known good" instrument finishes available, I see no reason to use something unproven.

I've used wipe-on polyurethane on some of my instruments with some success, and used very sparingly it doesn't seem to hurt the sound. However, it has issues with repair; if you need to re-apply the finish at some future point, you might have trouble with the new finish adhering to the old finish. With lacquers, one layer will melt into the next with no adhesion problems, which is why (I think) it's a better choice for musical instruments.

Thanks for the advise on the Poly. I was hoping it wouldnt need much repair and was a harder finish than tru oil for example ?
What would your alternative be in the form of something thats easy to apply by brush or wipe on?
I have used tru oil in the past and while I have no complaints about it I was hoping to find something different to experiment with this time but without spray gear as its cold in this country right now.

Thanks again
Rusty

[MaineGeezer]

There is such a thing as brushing lacquer, vs. spray lacquer. It doesn't dry quite as fast so one can brush it on.

There is shellac, of course.

I suspect though that there is no truly easy finish that is also good for an instrument. Anything that looks really good is going to take work.

[Zen]

Just some info for anyone thinking of Tru oil as a finish. This is from the Birchwood Casey website. I have used it on back and sides and it works well.

Birchwood Casey website:
Q: How can I increase the shelf life of Tru-Oil?
A: To increase the shelf life of Tru-Oil poke a small hole in the foil instead of pulling it all the way off and store the bottle upside down after opening.
Q: Can Tru-Oil be thinned out?
A: Tru-Oil can be thinned out using mineral spirits. NOTE: Adding mineral spirits will increase drying time.
Q: Will Tru-Oil change the color of the wood?
A: NO. Tru-Oil will not change the color, however it does have a golden hue amber tint.
Q: Are Tru-Oil and lacquer compatible?
A: NO.
Q: Will Tru-Oil work on laminate?
A: YES.
Q: Before using Tru-Oil should I use a water based stain or an oil based stain?
A: Use a water based stain.
Q: How do I apply Tru-Oil?
A: Apply Tru-Oil using your finger or a lint free cloth.
Q: How long until Tru-Oil is dry to the touch?
A: Tru-Oil dry time is approximately 1-3 hours.
Q: How long is recommended between coats of Tru-Oil?
A: 12 hours.
Q: What temperature works best for applying Tru-Oil?
A: Room temperature is ideal for applying Tru-Oil. Tru-Oil will dry faster in low humidity as well.
Q: Can I add linseed to increase dry time?
A: Not recommended.
Q: Will Tru-Oil penetrate oily wood?
A: Some oily woods (i.e. ebony rosewood and cocobolo) can be tough to penetrate. When apply to these types of woods try using mineral spirits.
Q: How long do I need to wait until rubbing out with abrasive agent?
A: Rub out Tru-Oil with abrasive agent (Rotten stone) ONE MONTH after Tru-Oil application.