Vinyl sealer drips

The Achilles' Heel of Luthiery
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Stray Feathers
Posts: 677
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:39 pm
Location: Ladysmith, BC

Vinyl sealer drips

Post by Stray Feathers »

Yesterday I set up my new/used Fuji spray unit. I replaced the 1.4 needle with a 1.0 needle. Fuji explained that I might need to adjust the packing nut, which I did, but in spraying vinyl sealer, I found it starting to squirt little streams after I released the trigger. I finished the first coat anyway, and then looked into it and realized that, despite my adjustment, the new needle was not returning freely - maybe because it behaves differently with finish in the gun? It worked okay on the second coat, after another adjustment. Now my problem is rows of dribble on the guitar. I have levelled everything, but some of these drips seem very dark even on the walnut, and I have sanded through the sealer to the bare wood to eliminate them. My question is, can I put on another two coats of sealer over the mix of bare wood and sealed wood? Should I try to get some finish on the bare wood first? Or should I sand all the sealer off? Thanks - Bruce W.
tippie53
Posts: 7011
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
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Re: Vinyl sealer drips

Post by tippie53 »

yes you can
a few questions
A what finish you using?

I add about a 10% dah of retarder in my sealer
sand with 220 then another coat 320
fill and seal on top of that
feel free to call me
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
Stray Feathers
Posts: 677
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 11:39 pm
Location: Ladysmith, BC

Re: Vinyl sealer drips

Post by Stray Feathers »

John, thanks. I was a little concerned about messing this up - first time with lacquer and with this sprayer - but then realized the worst thing to happen would be sanding it all off if it didn't work, so I went ahead and put two more coats of sealer on and it went fine. I'm following your recent finishing guidelines which are a great help, but I did not use retarder in the sealer, just 20% thinner. I'm using all Mohawk lacquer, vinyl sealer and retarder. Thinner is another brand supplied by the Mohawk distributor. I've just now mixed the Mohawk pore filler (took a LONG time - must have been sitting for a while). I'll do that and then two more coats of sealer as you suggest. I'm very happy with the Fuji sprayer. Bruce.
tippie53
Posts: 7011
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Hegins, Pa
Contact:

Re: Vinyl sealer drips

Post by tippie53 »

love mine the sprayer does a great job. Takes a little adjusting. All the knobs LOL
John Hall
Blues Creek Guitars Inc
Authorized CF Martin Repair Center
president of Association of Stringed Instrument Artisans
http://www.bluescreekguitars.com
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