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Thom Bliss Loyal user Southern California 271 Posts |
I have some wooden boxes that need to be touched-up. Is there any way, other than trial (and error), to know whether I should use enamel or lacquer over the existing paint?
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mcharisse Inner circle York. PA 1226 Posts |
Do you know anything about the paint you want to touch up? Both are nice and hard, the difference is that real lacquer has very powerful solvents and will dissolve lesser paints beneath if not careful. That could be a good thing or bad, depending.
Can you post a picture? Marc |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
As a rule, enamel is your best choice, although it will somewhat depend on what the current surface is. Lacquer risks too many problems.
There are many good color choices from Testors and Model Master in small bottles. You can use these to touch up minor dings and such. Usually, the work will show at close range, but it's fine for stage/platform props. You can also spray from a can onto a piece of scrap wood and let much of the solvent evaporate until the paint thickens a bit. Then use it like any brush-on paint. Then again, if you can find paint pens, these can do a nice job for small dabs, too.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
Pasquale New user 65 Posts |
You can spray enamel over lacquer (or anything..) but never spray lacquer over enamel - it will bubble and lift....
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mcharisse Inner circle York. PA 1226 Posts |
For light touch up, I might try acrylic first, with a real light touch. Sometimes the object is to camouflage the damage rather than re finish the piece, and water based paint can be handy for that. And if you don't like the result,wipe or paint over later.
A lot depends on the color, size of the area, it's visibility in the great scheme of things, etc. Marc |
Ray Tupper. Special user NG16. 749 Posts |
I've wrote about this here before.
When applying a different finish to the existing one, it has to be a softer, more malleable coating than the one you're covering. To apply a harder finish than the one you're covering, will eventually lead to crazing.(Something akin to a crackle glaze appearance.) As a rule, mixing systems is never a good idea. Though if you have to, always follow the softer finish route, to avoid any dropped ******** down the road. Ray.
What do we want?
A cure for tourettes! When do we want it? C*nt! |
Ray Tupper. Special user NG16. 749 Posts |
Man, that was my 666th post, and it deleted the word B-ll-cks... Where a - equals an o.
What do we want?
A cure for tourettes! When do we want it? C*nt! |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
As all instructions say, you have to test the current paint on the product. Lacquer is tested with lacquer thinner. Do a little searching on the Internet, and you should find how to test for each.
Lacquer dries faster and will become brittle over time. As an old guy once told me, enamel really never truly dries, it stays flexible. It all depends on what you want to do. You have to test if doing touch up. Otherwise, you have to strip all the paint off and start from scratch. In some cases, you can use a product like "BIN" undercoating, it is suppose to cover the previous layer separate mixed coatings. In all cases you have to sand with 600 grit wet and dry sandpaper, and between coats. |
mcharisse Inner circle York. PA 1226 Posts |
Real laquer, as opposed to the environmentally friendly stuff, does not require sanding between coats because it bonds to itself. That's why it is still used by most professional furnisher re finishers. Also because it dries very fast due to the volitility of the solvents in it. Laquer is also easier to repair because of this chemical property and I think it gives things an old world glow. Here's a box finished in lacquer, about 10 thin coats. The feel is very smooth and the card has become part of the surface of the box.
Marc Click here to view attached image. |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
I would agree if your base is perfectly flat and level, and the spray paint is perfectly a level coat. Shine and smoothness comes from the surface being perfectly level both in the base material, undercoating or stain and the paint. If the surface is dimpled for any reason the shine is lost and impressions or flat spots will show. Sanding is just not for a good bond between coats. If a person is not looking for a piano finish, then of course any fast paint job will do. Even dust sticking to the painted surface or lacquer will show and destroy the beauty of a perfectly smooth and flat and level surface. Just depends on the desired finish the person wants.
I would guess that the reason why U.F. Grant and Mak Magic used tempered Masonite was because of the flat level surface, which will take the spray paint process with as little between coat work as necessary. Anyone knows there are much better base materials to assemble then tempered Masonite. |
mcharisse Inner circle York. PA 1226 Posts |
Good point, Bill. Real laquer requires considerable dexterity to do perfectly and I'm far from that. Just adding the point that many things are labelled something they may or may not be, like I say acrylic enamel in the store the other day. Isn't that a contradiction in terms?
Marc |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Quote:
On Dec 18, 2014, mcharisse wrote: Not necessarily any more than latex enamel... but there is also acrylic latex enamel... this is probably a good argument in favor of capital punishment.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
Bill Hegbli Eternal Order Fort Wayne, Indiana 22797 Posts |
Quote:
On Dec 18, 2014, mcharisse wrote: Depends on the surface to be painted. As products improve, there are many reason why some paints have advanced. Latex enamel is made to be a little flexible, so stage prop artist can paint backdrops on canvas, and not have to use plywood. At the factory I worked at, they had latex enamel paint specially made for them so we could paint over slightly flawed vinyl and foam steering wheels. This made it, so when someone squeezed the steering wheel it did not crack. When I remodeled the bathroom, I used a latex that was moisture resistant. None of these are necessary for wooden magic props. So I used the plain old regular enamel or lacquer spray paints. |
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