Watco Lacquer

[gottliver]

Would anybody here know what type of lacquer this is? It doesn't state wheather its poly, nitro, etc.. The salesman said it was a "real lacquer"!!

I'm spraying a Kevincaster body thats been sitting around for awhile now. Its a beautiful grained ash body with rear routed controls and a strat edge radius!

I'm going to spray it clear because I can't decide on a color and when I do I change my mind the next day!!!

[Silverface]

As I recall it's an acrylic lacquer. Probably not your first choice.

I'd try Reranch.

[gottliver]

'cause i'm in canada and flammable stuff can't be shipped cross the border!

Well, I just sprayed the first coat, maybe I should a waited!? Hopefully your wrong! :)

Either way, the lacquer brought out some sanding scratches that I need to sand out before continuing, If it indded proves to be acrylic I'll find something else.

Why would acrylic be bad?

[Kingpin]

I've tried an Acrylic lacquer and it doesn't cure to as hard of a finish, or buff out as glossy as nitrocellulose lacquer will.

[Ringo]

I'm thinking if you have the equipment, spray gun , air compressor etc.. you can most likely get some clear laquer at a local auto paint supply store that would work.
Even if you don't have a spray gun, they sell some aerosol type units called Preval, you put the paint in a jar, screw a Preval unit on top and spray away.
Automotive clear laquer ought to work just fine, if it dries hard enough to be sanded and buffed on a care, it would have to work on a guitar.
Fender used some acrylic laquer colors back in the day too, they used std auto colors and just renamed them.

[jwells393]

Look for Deft brand. It's nitro. They make a sanding sealer lacquer as well as clear finish lacquer in semi-gloss as well as gloss.

[gottliver]

and poly seems to be the choice of the Canadian retailer!

I've found shellac, oils (tung, teak, danish), lots of wipe on varnishes and polys. Deft doesn't seem to be around these parts, Montreal.

So when I saw this product I figured it was the real deal. All the other water based lacquers stated they were acrylic/water based. The instructions say it contains the following; ethyl acetate,propane, n-butylacetate, n-butane, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, toluene, and Isopropyl alcohol.

Does this shed any light?

[jwells393]

With all those nasty ingredients, I'd say you've got yourself some nitrocellulose lacquer. Nitro lacquer has a distinct smell. Once you become familiar with the smell you can identify it by smell. It's a much stronger smell that ordinary spray paint.

[Nathan]

OK Buddy -I'm in Montreal. Go to Langevin & Foret for Deft. They are way up on Pie IX boulevard. See them in the yellow pages too. The Deft is fine Nitro lacquer. Does a good job. ALSO, I have a way of getting Reranch. You can use the address of a mail holding company in Champlain, NY, and then drive down and pick it up youself. The border guards allow ytou to bring in flammables if & only if they are for personal use. So if you try to bring in a skid full of Reranch, they stop you, a few cans, and they just charge you the tax on it.

The place is called Freeport Forwarding and is litterally just inside the US border, Route 9. I can get the phone # if you like, and they just charge you $2 per small box, $5 for bigger boxes. It only takes 45 minutes to drive there. I'm your guy -been there, done that. Your Watco may be a perfectly good product, but in most cases, nitro wins out for musical instruments.

[gottliver]

I.ve been to langevin and forest, its a great store! I guess I missed the Deft when I was there Last. I really like the way its coming out w/the watco. I'm going for a satin finish w/out filling the grain, kinda like a fake oil finish. So far the results are awesome.

I'll let y'all know how it works out.

Nathan,
thanks for the border tip, that'll work out for other stuff as well!

[gottliver]

It does smell alot like spary paint but more acrid and stronger. I'm wearing a mask while I spray.

Everybody else,
I've gone through the can and am very pleased w/the results. I'll really see how it turned out tonight when I get home from work. I soprayed my last coats this morning before leaving.

I sprayed as follows; a very light mist pass once down the body then back up, then I waited 1.5 minutes and repeated 4 times. I let it sit over nite (14 hours - package says it dryes in 30 minutes) and gave it a very, very light sanding w/220grit to take off any rough spots. Then I repeated the spray process as above and that emptied the can. Now I'll let it cure for a week (while I wait for my warmoth neck) and then I'll go over it lightly w/0000 steel wool to take off any dust or particles that may have landed on it while it was drying.

Thanks for all your help guys.

[Jimi_is_God]

Bumping this thread cause those interested in a positive experience with Watco Danish oil might also want to read this:

http://www.tdpri.com/viewtopic.php?t=43563

[nault2shabby]

Watco lacquer is nitrocellulose. I went to a local hardwear store looking for lacquer to clearcoat my strat with and when I asked the girl working there if it was nitro or acrylic, she said she didnt know but she knew how to find out. So she called the company and got a quick response of it being nitro. I finished my strat in the semi gloss and it looks amazing!