Nitrocellulose Laquer Question

Hey everyone!

I repainted my Tele and am now in the clear coat stage. I'm about to use the last coats' worth from my spray can of Nitro Clear from ReRanch. I don't think this is going to be enough for the job and I don't want to wait a week or more for ReRanch to ship me another bottle because I want to avoid applying more coats over a cured base.

Q: Could I get some brush-on Nitro Lacquer and brush several coats over the ReRanch Nitro Clear? Also, throughout my coats the clear coat has developed sags. Can I eliminate all imperfections at the end when everything is dry or should I get rid of them as they appear?

Thanks!

1) Yes you can, no, you shouldn't

2) Get rid of them now, while you wait for your next can of ReRanch

Nitro finishing is a LONG process. Another week is nothing for a good job that can last the rest of your life.

You can use Watco or Minwax nitro which come in a spray can and are available at most hardware stores.

So the consensus is that I'd be alright if I waited for a second bottle of ReRanch. In the meantime letting what clear I do have on there dry, and sand down sags. I guess it makes sense..

It would seem to me that sanding clear and applying more clear over it would leave visual blemishes.

You can spray another coat a year later if you want. Each coat burns into the previous one, there wont be any blemishes.

Hey everyone!

I repainted my Tele and am now in the clear coat stage. I'm about to use the last coats' worth from my spray can of Nitro Clear from ReRanch. I don't think this is going to be enough for the job and I don't want to wait a week or more for ReRanch to ship me another bottle because I want to avoid applying more coats over a cured base.

Q: Could I get some brush-on Nitro Lacquer and brush several coats over the ReRanch Nitro Clear? Also, throughout my coats the clear coat has developed sags. Can I eliminate all imperfections at the end when everything is dry or should I get rid of them as they appear?

Thanks!

You can also spray brushing lacquer. The EPA doesn't want you to know that though. Most of what is now brushing lacquer, was once spray lacquer. The companies call it brushing lacquer to comply with EPA rules. There is no magic in ReRanch clear Nitro. I would not pay the extra for it, and then pay shipping on top of it. Go to Lowes or Home depot and get some Minwax lacquer. I just bought a gallon of Sherwin Williams Nitro lacquer for $34. What is ReRanch charging per can these days? If you have a compressor and a sprayer or know someone with one, this is a good alternative.

I discovered a while back that what CapnCrunch said is the gospel truth. Looking to see if I could stretch my rattle can budget by using Minwax "brushing lacquer" over the spray lacquer I'd already started with, I looked on the Minwax website to see if there would be any compatibality issues, and low and behold, check out the photo::lol:

http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/preparation/minwax-clear-brushing-lacquer

Note the little blurb next to the photo that says the same stuff is available in an aerosol can.

Now, as CnC says, they try to discourage you by warning of "special formulation", but in my experience, that worked out to a little bit of thinning (about 20% thinner as I recall), and it worked great.

I like Minwax spray and "brushing" lacquers, both sprayed, of course. :cool:

ReRanch stuff is really expensive. With shipping costs, I believe it's somewhere around $25 for a can of lacquer. What is Watco per can, maybe $4? I use Watco or Minwax brushing lacquer in a Preval sprayer. The way you have to sand off so much of the clear coat as you go, it's just not cost effective to use ReRanch cans.

I discovered a while back that what CapnCrunch said is the gospel truth. Looking to see if I could stretch my rattle can budget by using Minwax "brushing lacquer" over the spray lacquer I'd already started with, I looked on the Minwax website to see if there would be any compatibality issues, and low and behold, check out the photo::lol:

http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/preparation/minwax-clear-brushing-lacquer

Note the little blurb next to the photo that says the same stuff is available in an aerosol can.

Now, as CnC says, they try to discourage you by warning of "special formulation", but in my experience, that worked out to a little bit of thinning (about 20% thinner as I recall), and it worked great.

I like Minwax spray and "brushing" lacquers, both sprayed, of course. :cool:

from the Minwax FAQ...

Q. Does Minwax® Clear Brushing Lacquer change the color of the wood?

No. Unlike polyurethanes, which can amber over time, Brushing Lacquer remains clear.
:confused:

from the Minwax FAQ...

Q. Does Minwax® Clear Brushing Lacquer change the color of the wood?

No. Unlike polyurethanes, which can amber over time, Brushing Lacquer remains clear.
:confused:

Hehe, I think they got that backwards:roll:

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I'm totally walkin' with my tail between my legs right now because I just ordered a second can from ReRanch... $25. OUCH! (before I read all the posts)

This is the last time I'll be ordering from this company. With enough research and helpful advice from all of you kind folks it's obvious that comparable if not equal results are very possible at a fraction of the cost. There's absolutely nothing special about ReRanch products. Shipping cost is completely outrageous. This is the beginning of my customizing journey, as the only way I'm satisfied with a guitar is if I make it. Otherwise it's just another boxed production.. nothin' special there.

I'm definitely looking forward to the final results, despite getting screwed on price. Oh well, learned my lesson. I'll update in about 37 days I guess... which totally sucks because this is my first Telecaster and I have new pickups and switch mod to install and hear!

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I'm totally walkin' with my tail between my legs right now because I just ordered a second can from ReRanch... $25. OUCH! (before I read all the posts)

This is the last time I'll be ordering from this company. With enough research and helpful advice from all of you kind folks it's obvious that comparable if not equal results are very possible at a fraction of the cost. There's absolutely nothing special about ReRanch products. Shipping cost is completely outrageous. This is the beginning of my customizing journey, as the only way I'm satisfied with a guitar is if I make it. Otherwise it's just another boxed production.. nothin' special there.

I'm definitely looking forward to the final results, despite getting screwed on price. Oh well, learned my lesson. I'll update in about 37 days I guess... which totally sucks because this is my first Telecaster and I have new pickups and switch mod to install and hear!

You can't rush art, just like you can't rush wine. I don't know the significance of your name here, but good wine is worth waiting for. It'll be that much sweeter when you plug in and hit that first chord:smile: I know what you mean tho. I have a couple that are waiting parts, and wet sanding and etc. etc.

Good to know about spraying the brushing lacquer. I saw a can of Minwax brushing lacquer last night in Home Depot. Stay away from the Rustoleum spray lacquer. I didn't harden sufficiently after three months!

I've got a project going using Minwax wipe on gloss poly. So far so good, but that finish has it's own issues too. It does get harder much, much quicker than NC lacquer.

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

I'm totally walkin' with my tail between my legs right now because I just ordered a second can from ReRanch... $25. OUCH! (before I read all the posts)

This is the last time I'll be ordering from this company.

Hold on a second. I too buy Minwax or Watco clear locally to save a couple bucks, but you won't find a better selection of colored lacquers and primer than at ReRanch. If you buy several cans, the shipping isn't bad. BTW, their primer is THE BEST.

You can spray another coat a year later if you want. Each coat burns into the previous one, there wont be any blemishes.

Agreed. Needs to be said again. The OP was concerned about spraying over a "cured" finish, but nitro doesn't really cure chemically by reacting with oxygen the way other finishes do, it's more of a drying where the solvents evaporate. Fresh nitro will "burn in" or melt into the last coat imperceptibly with no witness lines, which is why it's so friendly for spot repairs. The only way you'll see where it was resprayed (assuming there aren't any color match issues) is if the touched up area shrinks back over time at a different rate than the original finish, and you can minimize that by waiting a long time before buffing out the patch.

Hehe, I think they got that backwards:roll:

I don't know, woodworking polyurethane yellows a lot! Their lacquers yellow over time as well, but not nearly as much as polyurethane in my experience.

I don't know, woodworking polyurethane yellows a lot! Their lacquers yellow over time as well, but not nearly as much as polyurethane in my experience.

I have to admit that I don't have any experience with that particular polyurethane. The Poly that I have used started water clear, and has stayed pretty darn clear for quite a few years.

The oil based yellows, the water-based doesn't.