I got to know a box maker who specialty was lacquer, she would coat 50 times.
(photo downloaded from the web)
I was never invited to her workshop, but I was allowed to peruse the selling area.
Lacquer is Amazing stuff when done right.
In Question of Wood Finish
- Thread starter L I F D 1
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I got to know a box maker who specialty was lacquer, she would coat 50 times.
(photo downloaded from the web)
I was never invited to her workshop, but I was allowed to peruse the selling area.
Lacquer is Amazing stuff when done right.
I have a background in the cabinet business. We used lacquer a lot. Easy to spray, dries extremely fast. I tried it on a sneaky pete years ago. I just didn’t like the feel in my hands. Not nearly as durable as other finishes. But it certainly has viable applications.
They also turn yellow then orange.
Easiest finish is to NOT spray.
Setting up to spray is a pain in the aahs.
Friction polish is probably the easiest one to apply.
Woodturners' Finish is easy too.
I hate the time and setup needed to spray auto clear, but it's the best .
I have done several oil finished gun stocks it is a LONG process that really does not apply to cues. Reason is the secret to getting the smooth high gloss finish is wet sanding while the oil is wet to create a slurry of oil and saw dust that fills the grain. It takes several of these wet sandings to get the grain filled before you can start adding more thin layers of oil to achieve the smooth finish. That is great on a walnut stock but most cues have a mixture of light and dark woods, veneers, and trim rings that are not wood etc. and that slurry would just make every thing a blotchy mess. Could it be done on a simple cue? Sure but the labor would not make it cost effective. There are short cuts that can produce decent results and that is what you see on most oil finished cues.
simplest finish is french polish + some carnauba wax (Tre-wax, e.g.)
It's also more durable than many think, except those that want an automotive finish.
However, the shellac can repaired in short time with minimal effort, any time. The car finish requires strip and re-do.
One caveat - true french polish is quite thin and looks miles deep.
If familiarity is with thick spray finishes, don't make the error of spraying and building up a thickness, which can be chippy.
Lacquer gets sticky and yellows from perspiration and hand oils. Shellac does not. Though alcohol (beverages?) will cut it/mar it.
smt
It's also more durable than many think, except those that want an automotive finish.
However, the shellac can repaired in short time with minimal effort, any time. The car finish requires strip and re-do.
One caveat - true french polish is quite thin and looks miles deep.
If familiarity is with thick spray finishes, don't make the error of spraying and building up a thickness, which can be chippy.
Lacquer gets sticky and yellows from perspiration and hand oils. Shellac does not. Though alcohol (beverages?) will cut it/mar it.
smt
What's the most common finish on custom made pool cues, and about how many mils/inches thick?
Eddie
Probably epoxy basecoat and auto clear on top.
About .003" to .006".
Production cues most likely have UV or "powdercoat".
They can be much thicker .
I've seen USA McDermott cues from a generation ago where I think there were using a high tech UV? That stuff was like 1/32 thick,LOL.
One of my first customers for something other than a tip or ferrule brought me a new shaft but wanted it to fit a different joint style McD butt where the pin fit nice and "waxy",the first time I had ever felt a fit this nice on a shaft,and the joint was perfectly centered as well,just .016 oversized.
After I resized it,and blended back as nice as I could get it,I still never touched bare wood,the finish was that thick and tough
. It looked like it had been cleared again after wet Micro Mesh,unfortunately this was before cell phone pics were a thing.
I also did an experiment where I used a guitar repair technique where I used thin CA glue and drop-filled a spot about the size of a cigarette burn on the butt sleeve and blended it back to where you had to look for it,all without actually touching real wood. Tommy D.
One of my first customers for something other than a tip or ferrule brought me a new shaft but wanted it to fit a different joint style McD butt where the pin fit nice and "waxy",the first time I had ever felt a fit this nice on a shaft,and the joint was perfectly centered as well,just .016 oversized.
After I resized it,and blended back as nice as I could get it,I still never touched bare wood,the finish was that thick and tough
. It looked like it had been cleared again after wet Micro Mesh,unfortunately this was before cell phone pics were a thing. I also did an experiment where I used a guitar repair technique where I used thin CA glue and drop-filled a spot about the size of a cigarette burn on the butt sleeve and blended it back to where you had to look for it,all without actually touching real wood. Tommy D.
I've seen USA McDermott cues from a generation ago where I think there were using a high tech UV? That stuff was like 1/32 thick,LOL.
One of my first customers for something other than a tip or ferrule brought me a new shaft but wanted it to fit a different joint style McD butt where the pin fit nice and "waxy",the first time I had ever felt a fit this nice on a shaft,and the joint was perfectly centered as well,just .016 oversized.
After I resized it,and blended back as nice as I could get it,I still never touched bare wood,the finish was that thick and tough
I also did an experiment where I used a guitar repair technique where I used thin CA glue and drop-filled a spot about the size of a cigarette burn on the butt sleeve and blended it back to where you had to look for it,all without actually touching real wood. Tommy D.
That's funny, because the reason for my asking about the thickness of the finish, I have an older McDermott that measures about .881 at the largest part of the joint, and about .864 on the bare wood just below the joint. It looks like somebody was going to refinish the cue, but they only stripped the coating from below the joint collar, to the top of the wrap. So .008-.009 thick shouldn't be a problem then. What type clear coat finish can by applied that thick, and how would you do it? By hand. No paint booth, and no lathe.
Eddie
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With those parameters,something along the lines of a finishing epoxy might actually put a coating on it.
Hand sanding something like that and coming up with an acceptable end result is gonna be tough action,but doable.
Post pics when you do,this should be interesting. Tommy D.
Hand sanding something like that and coming up with an acceptable end result is gonna be tough action,but doable.
Post pics when you do,this should be interesting
. Tommy D.With those parameters,something along the lines of a finishing epoxy might actually put a coating on it.
Hand sanding something like that and coming up with an acceptable end result is gonna be tough action,but doable.
Post pics when you do,this should be interesting
Hmmm, Tommy. Sounds like a job for the pro's. I haven't had any experience using epoxy, but I do appreciate the info.
Eddie