Where to find lacquer base concentrate?

[Phil Mailloux]

I need to find that stuff to mix into clear lacquer. Its called lacquer base concentrate in the US, no idea what I'd call it here, its basically concentrated pigments. I want to mix white pigment into clear lacquer and define the amount of pigment myself, I don't want to buy pre-made white lacquer.

I'm using nitro-cellulose lacquer, Mirotone's Mirolac to be exact. Mirotone doesn't sell any pigments only stains/dyes.

Can anyone recommend anything and mention where to get it?

[echnidna]

Most of the tinters used in normal paintshops in their tinting machines will work quite well with lacquer as well as with normal paints.

[Phil Mailloux]

I hadn't thought of that, will check it out.

[durwood]

You may find that you have a problem getting a suitable tinter to mix with your N/C lacquer.

Tinters used in a paintshops selling house paints are designed for addition to water based paint, if so they won't mix with the lacquer. If they have tinters for enamel they won't mix either. These type of tinters are not ground up enough even if they do mix as they are are for paints designed to brush or roller. If you add them to lacquer the lacquer would have white grit through it. as the lacquer has to be applied in thin coats.

If you go to an automotive paint supplier they have tints to make colours but they are mixed with the base of the paint they are for. As N/C is no longer used you will only be able to get Acrylic lacquer or one of the 2 pack enamel finishes again they won't mix with the N/C properly.

Why don't you want to mix white N/C lacquer with just the clear?

This is exactly what you would be doing if you had a suitable white pigment. as white N/C is clear with the correct pigment added to it. Add white lacquer to clear and you can vary the opacity from full through translucent to virtually transparent with varying amounts of clear and white.

Lacquer pigments are processed far more than others because they need to be able to be thinned down to neally straight thinner and still not be visible in the finish. One reason these paints are more expensive than the normal house type finishes.

The material from America you have seen is a different system. One is available here but you may be hard pressed top find it depending on where you are and what users are close.

Du Pont have a system which uses tinters which are added to paint bases to make colours in those paints. with one set of tinters you can make all types of paint enamels, lacquers, 2 packs, vinyls - whatever finish you need. Unfortunaltely the system never took off well in Australia as the tinters were very expensive but very little was used to make the colours as the main part of the paint was the base material. Even so few shops took on using it.

If I was doing what you intend to the safest way to ensure the finish didn't fail would be to use white lacquer weakened with the same clear to the consistancy you are after.

Remember also white N/C will go brown, more so if clear is added to it.

[Phil Mailloux]

The problem I have is that Mirotone no longer makes Mirolac N/C, I bought 20 litres of it last year and will be using that for the next couple of years. I'm painting electric guitars with that stuff. I might be able to find a compatible white lacquer but I'd much rather find a source of pigments that would fit my laquer as I'll have other colours to spray in the future, not only white. The finish I want right now is a translucend white, that's the reason why I prefer using the pigments myself.

The material from America you have seen is a different system. One is available here but you may be hard pressed top find it depending on where you are and what users are close.

Would you mind giving more info about this? I'm in Brisbane.

[echnidna]

Tinters used in a paintshops selling house paints are designed for addition to water based paint, if so they won't mix with the lacquer. If they have tinters for enamel they won't mix either. These type of tinters are not ground up enough even if they do mix as they are are for paints designed to brush or roller. If you add them to lacquer the lacquer would have white grit through it. as the lacquer has to be applied in thin coats.

That's what I thought about paint shop tinters too.
A few years ago I got stuck and tried them quite successfully.
The paint shop was adamant that their tinters suited water/oil/lacquer based paints -- and it worked.

[journeyman Mick]

The problem I have is that Mirotone no longer makes Mirolac N/C,...........

They do make a pre-catalysed nitrocellulose lacquer which is compatible and is to all intents and purposes the same.

Mick

[durwood]

The paint system I mentioned is Dupont Centari. If you phone Dupont they should be able to tell you your closest user of the product.

Try the paint shops as Echnidna suggested first, put a small bit of clear in a jar and get them to add a few drops of thier tinter, you will know straight away if it mixes properly.

[echnidna]

No matter what tinters you use trying it out as durwood suggests is a wise idea.

[jaywit]

Hi,
As Durman said the more clear you add to white the more uv problem will happen.I used to finish with colour paint then coat with clear as the flow and sheen of clear is far superior to the paint ,however all pieces have to have the same coats on.
Doors in different light and plane will alter with light exposure.
Don't beleave all the raz ma taz the makers say about their products,they are in the game of selling.On saying this they do have to compromise somewhere,hardness,flexabilty,hot/cold cycle,its all part of the job.
Watch out for too much build,checking.
The best finish is the thinest.
jaywit

[hele52]

I've just found this forum I know this discussion is a bit old. I just bought an Ash body and am still deciding how I'm going to paint it. I wanna use Nitro and make it blonde.

I may have information I spoke to mirrortone today and they said that they were still doing colours in the N/C but have moved to the pre-catalysed in the clear. So I guess they should White in Nitro.

I'm contemplating something like this myself and possibly getting some stain/dyes to tint the clear coat for a vintage look or make tint the white mix with some amber or yellow.

I'm no expert this is my first attempt I just thought I would share what I have found. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[jeffhigh]

Automotive shop lacquer tints work well with NC lacquer for a translucent white finish.I did it for a telecaster a few years back using the mirotone nc clear.

[d.m.s]

by 'tints' do you mean paint?
Or maybe Repco wasnt the best place to go as the counter jockey was more interested in he's sandwhich and had no idea what nitro laquer was ...

i'm looking to tint my laquer white too as a base for butterscotch