New to spraying, anyone recommend Chemcraft products?

[ScoFF]

I just bought an Earlex 5000 and am going to buy my first bunch of ammo shortly so I'm looking for recommendations for a finish.

I'll be doing two dressers shortly, one natural red oak, the other heavily dyed bown and pore filled oak. I live in Ottawa Canada so I might not get as many choices as the U.S. market.

I'd like to try lacquer, a lot of people are telling me once you spray lacquer you won't go back to poly. The fumes and probability of having my house explode aren't a good thing, and I'll likely be spraying in my garage so I'm looking at waterborne for now.

It'll be hard for me to get the much talked about Sherwin-Williams brand Sher-Wood KEM Aqua lacquer but I can get my hands on Chemcraft's Aqualux.

Anyone heard of either of them? What are your thoughts on waterborne lacquer?

By the way, they want $65 for 1 gallon for the aqualux product, is that normal pricing?

[thewoodwhisperer]

Looks like a pretty standard acrylic water-based finish. I say give it a shot. I am not familiar with the product though so I can't comment from experience with that brand. But I can say that high quality water-based finishes are not cheap.

I have been working with a lot of General Finishes next generation of water-based finishes and man these things are starting to look really good. I have very high hopes for where the world of water-based is going. Good thing too since regulations will soon force our hand in that direction anyway.

[ScoFF]

Was it this that you tried from General finishes (Enduro Water Base Lacquer)? I missed that one, what pro's and cons could you see from the one(s) you tried? Any recommendations?

Looks like a pretty standard acrylic water-based finish. I say give it a shot. I am not familiar with the product though so I can't comment from experience with that brand. But I can say that high quality water-based finishes are not cheap.

I have been working with a lot of General Finishes next generation of water-based finishes and man these things are starting to look really good. I have very high hopes for where the world of water-based is going. Good thing too since regulations will soon force our hand in that direction anyway.

[AceHoleInOne]

I like the General Finishes water-based lacquer, lays down great and drys fast. If you were to ask me to choose between the water-based lacquer or the retail General Finishes "High Performance." I would choose it's very easy to spray.

If your in production mode and need fast re-coats, I would suggest the water-based lacquer, but for projects and hobby use, the high performance is just great finish.

-Ace-

[ScoFF]

Lee Valley categorizes the General High Performance as a Varnish but the General Finished website says it's a poly. Why would you choose the high performance over the water based lacquer? You mentioned the lacquer is great, drys fast and goes down great but you recommend the other.

I'm having a hard time finding a place to buy the water based lacquer online anywhere, highland woodworking, woodcraft, rockler etc.

I like the General Finishes water-based lacquer, lays down great and drys fast. If you were to ask me to choose between the water-based lacquer or the retail General Finishes "High Performance." I would choose it's very easy to spray.

If your in production mode and need fast re-coats, I would suggest the water-based lacquer, but for projects and hobby use, the high performance is just great finish.

-Ace-

[thewoodwhisperer]

The terminology for this stuff is what always gets people confused. Varnish is a more broad-reaching term that seems to include anything with a resin and a thinner. If that resin is a polyurethane, we call it "polyurethane". But you can have varnishes made with other resins that are NOT polyurethane. So calling something a water-based varnish is a more general term, and calling it a water-based polyurethane is more specific. It tells us there is a polyurethane resin in the mix.

From what I've seen, most water-based lacquers contain an acrylic resin or some weird chemical combination thereof. General Finishes High Performance, on the other hand, is actually a hybrid of urethane and acrylic resins. And much like comparing an oil-based urethane to a standard solvent-based lacquer, the water-based urethane mix gives a more durable finish but the lacquer (acrylic only) dries faster and harder. And don't make the mistake of thinking that hardness = durability. What will withstand a blow from a hammer better, glass or taffy? So again, speaking in generalizations, the urethane component of the finish is going to give you added durability.

[AceHoleInOne]

I believe the high performance lays down easier than the lacquer for the novice sprayer. I like the lacquer for the reason it has faster re-coat time. General Finishes website has an 800 number to call if you cant find a distributor/retailer in your area. Perhaps if you can contact them direct and work it out. Does Woodcraft or Rockler ship to Ottawa if purchase through the internet?

-Ace-

[AceHoleInOne]

And yes to Marc's comment that the lacquer is an acrylic, typically the acrylics take tinting better than the poly and requires no wetting in.

-Ace-

edited for spelling

Edited August 12, 2010 by Ace

[ScoFF]

Does Woodcraft or Rockler ship to Ottawa if purchase through the internet?

They might, but there's a US shipping/receiving place on the New York border just 45 minutes from my home in Ottawa that will accept packages and let me pick them up, that's how I got my Grizzly G0513X2 Bandsaw

I have no problem taking a bike ride down to pick up a finishing product and buying it from the US if I can't find it here. I can't seem to find that General water based lacquer. Maybe I'll give the one you posted earlier.

A lot of people don't seem to like the look of a water based poly when compared to a lacquer, they say it's washed out and the colors don't really pop on darker woods like a lacquer. I haven't seen it personally, and I wouldn't really even notice it since I'm a beginner but I'm just wondering why they say that and why it might occur. What about lacquers make the rich tones and clarity they talk about. They never seem to go into much detail. That's sort of why I'm looking for the water based lacquer, everyone who uses it love it. "Once you spray lacquer you'll never spray poly", I read that over and over in the last 2 weeks but with no explanation.

[thewoodwhisperer]

I have hear folks say that about spraying solvent-based lacquer vs poly. Even though most lacquers aren't as durable as poly, they sure are a heck of a lot easier to apply. The fact that each layer melts in instead of layering makes the application very easy. But in the world of water-based, I wouldn't say there is a dramatic difference in the application of a water-based poly and a water-based lacquer. Maybe a little, but not enough to warrant a comment like, "I ain't never going back!".

[ScoFF]

This makes sense, thanks for the info. I think I'll pick up a small quart or the General High Performance at Lee Valley which is very nearby.

If I were to get one sheen, what would you guys recommend, gloss or semi-gloss? I'll be using it for a dresser, bench and some boxes. Is glossy too shiny? What's typically used for nighttables, benches etc? Are there gloss killers I can add to a finish so I can get multi-use sheens in one can?

I wouldn't say there is a dramatic difference in the application of a water-based poly and a water-based lacquer. Maybe a little, but not enough to warrant a comment like, "I ain't never going back!".