lacquer & EEE

[maddog 62]

hello people
on the tub of EEE i have it mentions using it over lacquer, has anyone ever tried using it before spraying the lacquer .
the reason i am asking is, iv been asked to make a clock out of redgum, i know through playing around that sanding up to 500 grit then going over it with EEE really brings out the grain making it look fantastic (well i think so anyway).so just wondering if anyone has gone that one step furtherand sprayed over the top after cleaning off any residue with meths etc
cheers
tony

[RufflyRustic]

You could, but as you said, you'd have to be very certain you've cleaned off all EEE residue before spraying lacquer or the lacquer won't take.

Why do you want to apply the EEE before the Lacquer? If it's just to bring out the grain, then wait until the lacquer goes on as the lacquer should bring out the grain too.

Nearly all timbers will show the grain better once a finish has been applied. For example, some oil finishes on certain timbers won't pop the grain as much as eg shellac, varnish, wipe on poly, lacquer will on all timbers.

The very general rule of thumb for finishing is prepare surface, apply finish, finish the finish then eee and lastly wax.

Sorry, but I think you are heading for heartache if you apply EEE before the lacquer.

cheers
Wendy

[maddog 62]

hello Wendy
longtime no hear
i figured it might not be a smart plan, thou i did try it on a scrap piece,i just never seem to get the finish that i want, guess i could be aiming too high
sometimes it doesnt hurt to think outside the box you never know what you might come across
cheers
tony

[RufflyRustic]

Hi Tony

I was kinda keeping an eye out for you

No, it doesn't hurt to think outside the box, the square, the whatever headspace you are in, at all.

So, what finish are you after? I'm all ears

Cheers
Wendy

[madcraft]

You could, but as you said, you'd have to be very certain you've cleaned off all EEE residue before spraying lacquer or the lacquer won't take.

Why do you want to apply the EEE before the Lacquer? If it's just to bring out the grain, then wait until the lacquer goes on as the lacquer should bring out the grain too.

Nearly all timbers will show the grain better once a finish has been applied. For example, some oil finishes on certain timbers won't pop the grain as much as eg shellac, varnish, wipe on poly, lacquer will on all timbers.

The very general rule of thumb for finishing is prepare surface, apply finish, finish the finish then eee and lastly wax.

Sorry, but I think you are heading for heartache if you apply EEE before the lacquer.

cheers
Wendy

I agree with Wendy { been there , done that now sits on the wall of shame as a DON'T ever do this again you fool reminder } easier to lacquer first and use the EEE as a cut and polish { which is what it is } on it and the finish with shellawax or Wax or whatever

Cheers
Glenn

[madcraft]

hello Wendy
longtime no hear
i figured it might not be a smart plan, thou i did try it on a scrap piece,i just never seem to get the finish that i want, guess i could be aiming too high
sometimes it doesnt hurt to think outside the box you never know what you might come across
cheers
tony

Tony

try sanding to 1200 to 1500 using a rotary , and the EEE , Glow , and repeat the EEE and Glow and then a wax??

You might be surprised with the results , I used to sand to 800 before using the EEE but I noticed the difference with going to 1500 especially with Glow { it really makes the subtle grain jump out }

Cheers
Glenn

[maddog 62]

Glenn,
that is the way i need to go, i am only going up to 500 grit then putting the finish on,the end result is ok but i am after more
but thanks for the tip

Wendy,
the finish i would really like is something were the light sort of bounces off and really hi-lites the wood grain
you mentioned, finish the finish. what did you mean by that, now i am all ears
cheers
Tony

[ubeaut]

Get some higher grit abrasive as Glenn suggested. It will make the grain pop better than 500. even going 600, 800 will make a big difference but the extra will be amazing.

DONOT use EEE first, you will regret it. You can use it before any of the shellawaxes or Trasitional Wax or most other waxes, but never before a surface coating like lacquer, polyurethane, etc. even if you wash the surface down thoroughly with turps after using the EEE it will still give you greif as it's really tenacious stuff and almost impossible to remove entirely from raw timber.

The only surface coating you'll get to go over it is shellac, because it'll stick to just about anything, but even there I'd be careful.

Finishing the finish is cutting the final finish back lightly with 1200 or 1500 or higher then using the EEE or other cutting compound.

If you want to really pop the grain to get more depth out of the timber then apply a thin coat of linseed oil (wipe on wipe off) and leave it for a couple of weeks to dry properly then lightly scuff with 1200 or higher and apply the lacquer, but be warned oiling first will dramatically darken the redgum.

I would be more inclined to use white shellac than lacquer as it's much more likely to bring out the highlights and a lot more depth in the timber than almost any other finish.

Final thing. Unless the redgum is highly figured with fiddleback you won't get it to pop as it's pretty bland finishing timber, the fiddleback will show out amazing lights but other than that.... Boooorrrrrrring.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil

[Chipman]

I have a clock made out of fiddleback redgum and it is lacquered.

My process was like what Neil suggested...

Sanded it to 400 then used Danish oil and wet sanded the oil in with 400 grit paper, let it dry and did it again with 600. After a couple of weeks, I sprayed it with lacquer and cut it back between coats with water and 800 grit and after about six coats it is beautiful (IMO) In the end, I did not need to cut and polish the finish, it was OK straight off the gun...must have fluked it somehow as I usually have to cut and polish at the end.

This may not be the correct way to do it but it worked for me

Cheers,
Chipman

[RufflyRustic]

I was re-reading UBeaut's Book of Polishing last weekend looking for that next step in my finishing to get an even better finish that I've achieved previously and this section hit me between the eyes, so to speak (even though it's not called that in the book, but the phrase matches nicely)

In looking at some of my so-called finished work, I could still see the finish imperfections and was looking to see what I should be doing about them. And that's where the phrase came in, finish the finish.

cheers
Wendy

[maddog 62]

thankyou everyone for the feedback
i guess i will end up moving the lacquer to the back of the storage fridge.
next time i go south (adelaide) i will have to hunt up some finer grit papers for my ROsander and some of this white shellac and start expermenting.
again thanks for the info
cheers
Tony

[madcraft]

thankyou everyone for the feedback
i guess i will end up moving the lacquer to the back of the storage fridge.
next time i go south (adelaide) i will have to hunt up some finer grit papers for my ROsander and some of this white shellac and start expermenting.
again thanks for the info
cheers
Tony

Tony

try Neil or Jim

Why wait and they have everything you need { cheaper than locals here}

Cheers
Glenn