A 1917 XVI Victrola in Walnut - naked

[Jonsheff]

This kind of figuring (especially where faces appear) is most often seen with Circassian Walnut. Let the usual Circassian vs American debate begin...

Tag lists it as American Walnut

[Victor VII]

Yes it does. Still hard to believe. Did it look like American walnut before you stripped it?

[Jonsheff]

Yes it does. Still hard to believe. Did it look like American walnut before you stripped it?

I thought it was circassian when i purchased it (under lid), outside was sun faded so hard to tell. Tag says american but who knows.

[Jonsheff]

I have run into a lacquer problem that has brought this project to a stand still. Everything was going great, mohawk vinyl sanding sealer, two coats, 400 sanding, then a coat of satin mohawk finishers choice. Perfect. Gallon ran out, mixed up a new gallon and as usual, started on the back piece. Solvent pop craters, millions of them, looks like the moon. I have sprayed a lot of lacquer and this has me stumped, spent all day today mixing different values of lacquer, thinner, retarder, fish eye eliminator with no luck. Thought it might be a bad gallon so opened another, same problem. I even tried just lacquer mixed with retarder, same problem. It has been humid and been running dehumidifier in shop but really dont know. Going to clean compressor and gun tomorrow and see if i have some known good lacquer and try again. Very frustrating.

[Inigo]

Uff... And it is the same process you usually follow, same products and all, I suppose...? Could it be a problem of the base on which you're spraying the lacquer mixture, which is reacting with it? Of course, if it is your same process as usual, it's any of the products that have changed composition, or the spray gun has some problem at tbe nozzle or something... I'm not expert on this, though, but I share your frustration... Look at the lot numbers or origin of the products, compare with others of the same line you've used before, if you still have the bottles, for any declared subtle changes in the composition...

[Jonsheff]

Uff... And it is the same process you usually follow, same products and all, I suppose...? Could it be a problem of the base on which you're spraying the lacquer mixture, which is reacting with it? Of course, if it is your same process as usual, it's any of the products that have changed composition, or the spray gun has some problem at tbe nozzle or something... I'm not expert on this, though, but I share your frustration... Look at the lot numbers or origin of the products, compare with others of the same line you've used before, if you still have the bottles, for any declared subtle changes in the composition...

Went back to a partial can of Mohawk Finish Master i mixed for a previous project and the problem is gone. Looks like a contaminated can of brand new Mohawk Finish Master lacquer, about $50 worth. Had the same problem with a quart of full gloss i got 2 months ago, ended up throwing it out.. i need to see if i can date these cans, perhaps they are old stock. I am just glad the project is moving forward again.

[Inigo]

Maybe if they bear a lot number or something, you could email the factory to ask them about it. Or if they've made any changes in composition...
If you buy these products from an intermediate distributor, lots of different ages may be mixed in their stocks.

[Inigo]

Maybe if they bear a lot number or something, you could email the factory to ask them about it. Or if they've made any changes in composition... Maybe simply it has a lifetime and after that the mixture degrades... Or certain stock had suffered from high temperatures or a fire...
If you buy these products from an intermediate distributor, lots of different ages may be mixed in their stocks.

[Curt A]

I have had similar frustrating experiences with finishes and they usually happen to me on the last coat... wrinkling or remaining tacky for weeks/months... TOTALLY FRUSTRATING...

[Jonsheff]

I gave up on Mohawk Finishers choice lacquer, just to many problems related to humidity and temp. The Mohawk Buffcote lacquer is the way to go, i was using it for last two coats only but will be using for all coats after vinyl sealer coats now. Sprays like a dream and resists blushing well. My standard mix is 80% lacquer, 15% thinner and 5% retarder.
There is a really good article that is very similar to my process except the finishers glaze step but it looks interseting so i may try it sometime, makes the finish look aged, here is the link: https://www.restorationnews.biz/Resourc ... dca3b528c8