Deft lacquer question

[Ryan Michka]

I finally decided to go with Deft (nitro?) lacquer spray to finish my guitar. I believe its nitro at least because the other deft wood finish spray lacquer cans said acrylic on the front.

Anyway...

I finished off a whole can and am going to need another to build up a smooth finish. After getting some advice I am going to wait a week or so before I empty another can on the thing. Should I wet-sand the body after letting it cure some but before applying more lacquer, or should i just wait until I am completely done spraying and letting it cure for a few weeks before wet-sanding?

Also, how does Deft stand up to buffing/polishing? I was planning on just hand polishing it as Ive seen good results that way and I dont want to risk ruining the finish with a power buffer.

Thanks!

[Peter Wilcox]

I finished a guitar with this about a year and a half ago. It took a couple of months to harden to the point that I could do the final sanding and buffing. I thought it might be because of the cool spring weather and it was hanging in the garage, but even now after 1 1/2 years I can still mark it with heavy thumbnail pressure (which I can't do to finishes with gun sprayed Watco.) Of course, this is just an anecdotal report, but a google search shows I am not the only one. I would avoid it if possible.

That said, I would let it harden hanging up as-is for a couple of weeks, then lay it down on a towel overnight. If there are no towel marks on the finish, then go ahead and sand and apply the other can no more than two coats a day. If there are towel marks, you can probably sand but I'd wait a few more weeks before applying more lacquer, and then in thin coats.

Others with more experience may have better advice. You can get clear rattle can lacquer from http://reranchstore.stores.yahoo.net/nitclearcoat.html but I don't know the result of applying it over a soft base, if that turns out to be a problem.

[Ryan Michka]

Ive heard some similar stories with deft but for me at least its been hard to find a spray lacquer that hardens like the stuff sprayed out of a gun. Im really not in the market to go out and get a bunch of spray equipment so Ive sort of accepted the fact that maybe the finish wont be a professional one. With the finish never truly hardening, Ive sort of accepted that as well. I baby my guitars and any small amount of damage they take I see as a mark of character.

Thanks for the advice!

[Bob Gramann]

For my first few guitars, I strongly resisted spray equipment. Once I finally went over the edge, I wondered why I out it off so long. The learning curve isn't all that steep and spraying sure improves the results. I did one repair with rattle can nitro. I will never do that again.

[Ryan Michka]

As a college student I dont really have the funds or room for spray equipment but one day I could see it being worth the investment, especially if guitar building becomes a more frequent pastime.
If the Deft turns disastrous Ill just sand it down and use something else I suppose. Its still pretty thin. If I have to go that route, would a poly finish work? Ive heard mixed opinions. Some swear by lacquer and others seem to find poly alright. Ive got a ton of wipe on poly left over from a furniture project. What about miniwax spray poly? Am I crazy and should I go with Reranch sprays?

By the way under the finish I stained the body with stewmac colortone stain.

[Michael Lewis]

If you don't want to spray you can brush finish. Oil varnish is a great and time tested finish, and now there are many choices and all price ranges too. Thin with some naphtha or other appropriate good quality thinner, and use foam brushes. You can get very good results and have virtually nothing wrapped up in equipment. I would look for a varnish with phenolic resin, as it usually gets pretty hard.

With foam brushes (very inexpensive) you don't clean them, but throw them away after each use. If you want you can try to clean a foam brush and try it but for less than the cost of thinner to clean the brush you can buy another foam brush.

Deft is a brand, not a finish. I have used Deft lacquers years ago and found them to be too soft for instruments.

[Ryan Michka]

I know Deft is a brand, I was just stating that I was using deft brand because different brands seem to work very differently than others. I might have to look into oil varnish. I used tru oil on my last build and that was extremely easy to apply and hardened quickly. I avoided it this time around because, since it's an oil, it soaks into the wood and darkens it, which I wanted to avoid since I have a transparent orange finish. Is there such a thing as an oil varnish that won't significantly darken the appearance of the wood?

This whole finish business is such a pain. It seems to be such a complex science and having a limited knowledge of the subject really makes it tough for me. I have years to figure these things out though I suppose. I'm pretty new to the game.

[Clay Schaeffer]

The Deft brushing lacquer MSDS seems to indicate that it is a fairly low solids nitrocellulose lacquer with additives to make it brushable. A light sanding between every few coats may help keep things smooth and even. Softer lacquers tend to be more flexible, which can be a plus for woods that move a lot, but do take longer to harden and be buffable.
Tru-oil is more of an oil varnish, rather than a straight oil finish.
In my limited experience, acrylic lacquers seem to sit on top of the wood and darken it less than nitros or varnishes.YMMV.

[Gordon Bellerose]

I tried Deft lacquer and had the same result, even with good spray equipment. It buffed to a high shine, but I could scratch it with my fingernail.
Not a good finish for an instrument that gets handled and moved every time out.
If money and space are the issues, I suggest going with the brush-on varnish, or continue using your wipe-on poly.
Just be careful that the first few coats do not dissolve and smear your color coat.

[Gordon Bellerose]

Wow. I just realized I replied to a thread that is 2 years old.

[Peter Wilcox]

Wow. I just realized I replied to a thread that is 2 years old.

Then give me a lift in your time machine, because I'm stuck here in 2014.