where is the lacquer?

Frank Fusco

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Mountain Home, Arkansas
Never suspected it would be an issue. I have been using Deft spray lacquer for sometime on small lathe turned objects. Now, I want to try not coating the wall behind my lathe and use brush-on. Went to Lowe's. Kid that 'waited' on me had never heard of lacquer and he worked in the paint department. Another person, a girl, told me "nobody uses lacquer anymore". Kinda insulting to my way of thinking. I didn't go to Home Depot because I have a lower opinion of HD than Don Taylor has of Grizzly. :rolleyes: Then tried the local Sherwin-Williams paint store. An old timer came up to wait on me. Thinking I had finally got someone who knew what was going on, I asked for lacquer. "As in what?", he asked. I knew I was in trouble. He pointed to some polyurethane products. I said thanks and left. Finally, ended up at a local hardware store. They had a single, quart can of Min Wax brush on lacquer. Guy that worked there said that was all they kept on hand as the call for it was very low. Wassup? Are lacquer users going the way of T-Rex?
 
I'm having more and more trouble finding spray lacquer and Minwax Antique Oil at my local borgs (both blue and orange). I just suspected it was because California makes it difficult to sell anything that might possibly cause harm to humans if they were to ingest a few gallons of it. I seem to recall a rumor (no verification) that California was trying to do away with all solvent-based finishes in the retail market, and only allow water-based. (Reason #742 to live somewhere else.) ;)
 
The borgs here in Iowa have loads of laquer on the shelfs, both spray and brush on. MinWax is the main brand, but a few others are available as well, just can't remember the name. Interesting that other areas don't stock it:dunno:
 
Lacquer

It has been banned in California for more than 10 years. Environmental issues. The last car I sprayed was a 3-coat process on a Mercedes Benz in about 1994. I had to purchase the materials from an auto paint supplier in Arizona.

Lacquer has always been my finish of choice on cars because it is so easy to apply, you don't need a booth, and the sheen is gorgeous. Availability is a state-by-state issue, but it won't be long before it is banned in all states. Then we'll have to smuggle it from Canada or Mexico. I am being serious here.

Gary Curtis
 
It has been banned in California for more than 10 years...
Not that I dispute what you're saying Gary, but if it's been banned here for 10 years, how have I been buying spray and brush-on lacquer locally? It's getting harder to find, but I bought a can of Deft lacquer just last week.
 
Perhaps a visit to the BORC with tail tucked would get some Lacquer, although Minwax by nature, it it is there.

You went to a local Hdwr store (good for you) I try to do most of my purchasing at the locals. I have been frequenting our local for 30 years so they know me and are happy to sevice my requests. They have suppliers who bring them goodies every week or two. I learned when to get the order in, and they can have things they don't normally stock, in a few days. (of course you have to plan ahead...)
 
It has been banned in California for more than 10 years. Environmental issues. The last car I sprayed was a 3-coat process on a Mercedes Benz in about 1994. I had to purchase the materials from an auto paint supplier in Arizona.

Lacquer has always been my finish of choice on cars because it is so easy to apply, you don't need a booth, and the sheen is gorgeous. Availability is a state-by-state issue, but it won't be long before it is banned in all states. Then we'll have to smuggle it from Canada or Mexico. I am being serious here.

Gary Curtis
I can't speak for auto paint, but here in California I get lacquer for woodworking from ICI Dulux (a supplier to professional painters). California recently (a year ago) reduced the VOC to 275 from 550 and I was afraid that it wouldn't spray well. But it sprays great - maybe even better than the 550VOC stuff. Cleanup is still with lacquer thinner. I use Gemini water white lacquer. It doesn't build as fast but it doesn't have that yellow-orange tint that regular nitrocellulose lacquer has.

The pros generally use catalyzed lacquer because it's harder and much more heat resistant but I don't have the equipment to spray that stuff.

Also, don't forget that water based lacquer is available. A while back Charlie P. in Austin was telling me that he only uses water based lacquer and loves it.

Mike
 
Also, don't forget that water based lacquer is available. A while back Charlie P. in Austin was telling me that he only uses water based lacquer and loves it.

Mike


I'm with Charlie P. I have been spraying Oxford Ultima Lacquer from Target Coatings which is water based and really like it. It can also be tinted with universal or acrylic colors.
 
Just a comment to add here...

It's kinda disappointing to get the kind of response you got at a speciality store like Sherwin Williams... but my experience with the three of four SW locations I've dealt with is that if you find somebody that actually knows something, look them up every time. If they move to another store in the same general area, follow them. And just because somebody is the manager doesn't mean they know anything.

KC
 
Just a comment to add here...

It's kinda disappointing to get the kind of response you got at a speciality store like Sherwin Williams... but my experience with the three of four SW locations I've dealt with is that if you find somebody that actually knows something, look them up every time. If they move to another store in the same general area, follow them. And just because somebody is the manager doesn't mean they know anything.

KC

Your SW store experience mirrors that of the store here. I don't think anyone must work there long enough to even learn to spell paint, 'cause I don't think that in the last two years there has been a period longer than two weeks that they haven't been advertising in the paper for an employee, (and it is a small store with minimal employees). The ads always say, will train. :rolleyes:
 
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Mea Culpa. :eek: I called the local Lowe's and spoke with the assistant manager. He had a cordless phone and while we were talking he went down the aisle where three of us were looking yesterday. He found brushing laquer in gallons and quarts. So much for the girl working there that said no one uses it anymore. :rolleyes:
 
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