Charlie Plesums
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- Location
- Austin, Texas
Retarder is a thin fluid, so it does slightly thin the finish, but my can of retarder warned against using it as a thinner. The amount of retarder needed is quite small (a couple tablespoons in a spray gun full of lacquer, as I recall).
The slower drying allows the lacquer to flow better before it sets up, giving a smoother surface (if you are having a problem, perhaps on a hot day). The slower dry time makes the lacquer cool less as the thinner evaporates, thus reducing the moisture condensation (which gives the cloudy/milky surface, if you are having a problem, perhaps on a cool humid day). The slower drying time also allows the lacquer to attract every bug and speck of dust from miles around.
When I was using solvent lacquer all the time, I had the retarder, but only occasionally used it.
I have some retarder for the water based lacquer I use now, and have never used it.
The slower drying allows the lacquer to flow better before it sets up, giving a smoother surface (if you are having a problem, perhaps on a hot day). The slower dry time makes the lacquer cool less as the thinner evaporates, thus reducing the moisture condensation (which gives the cloudy/milky surface, if you are having a problem, perhaps on a cool humid day). The slower drying time also allows the lacquer to attract every bug and speck of dust from miles around.
When I was using solvent lacquer all the time, I had the retarder, but only occasionally used it.
I have some retarder for the water based lacquer I use now, and have never used it.