# Brush on acrylic lacquer; 2nd coat issues



## TaleSspin (Jan 7, 2013)

Just trying to refinish the table top on a cheap old table we have sitting around. I figured I'd use some left over SW CAB-Acrylic Lacquer I used previously, only before I had sprayed it with great results. I don't have a compressor anymore and I figured I'd just brush or wipe it on. This was apparently a poor choice. The first coat went on great, leveled out fine. Second coat - bad news. As soon as I took a stroke with the brush it seemed to gum up; lots of drag on the surface and dried quickly and ugly. See attached picture, right edge.

My guess is that it is solving the base coat as I put on the new one and the brush is just gumming up with the partially solved base coat? I'm using a cheap synthetic bristle brush, hopefully the solvent isn't dissolving the bristles, but it doesn't _seem_ to be the case. 

Don't know if I should add more thinner to the product so it flows quicker and reduces physical contact time with the surface, or if that will just dissolve the base coat even quicker, exacerbating the problem.

Suggestions on what I can do at this point would be appreciated! (Can I just put poly over lacquer at this point too?)


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Oh boy, your easiest solution would be to get a compressor. That finish really needs to be sprayed. If you are intent on brushing it you need to add some retarder thinner to the lacquer. Then use as soft of a brush as you can find and apply the finish with as few strokes as possible. You will never get it looking good by brushing it alone. You would have to build a thick enough finish that you can hand rub it out when you get done.


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## TaleSspin (Jan 7, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> Oh boy, your easiest solution would be to get a compressor. That finish really needs to be sprayed. If you are intent on brushing it you need to add some retarder thinner to the lacquer. Then use as soft of a brush as you can find and apply the finish with as few strokes as possible. You will never get it looking good by brushing it alone. You would have to build a thick enough finish that you can hand rub it out when you get done.


Hah...ya...figured. I'll probably skip tracking down/buying any retarder, since I'd never come close to using it all and don't want to store it until I die. Looks like I'll have to find a compressor to borrow. Ah well, live and learn! It'll look fine after some sanding and spraying.

Thank you, Steve.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Sounds like a job for a rattlecan to me, unless youre dead-set on using up that can of lacquer. If thats the case, i believe they make re-fillable spray cans

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Preval-9-oz-Complete-Spray-Gun-267/202533738

Yup, they do


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

TaleSspin said:


> Hah...ya...figured. I'll probably skip tracking down/buying any retarder, since I'd never come close to using it all and don't want to store it until I die. Looks like I'll have to find a compressor to borrow. Ah well, live and learn! It'll look fine after some sanding and spraying.
> 
> Thank you, Steve.


A compressor is really the best answer. The retarder thinner has other uses though. With lacquer in really hot weather it dried too fast and on large projects it dries so fast it's difficult to keep from getting lap lines. Also when the humidity is up a bit retarder thinner slows the drying time down to where it lets the moisture out of the finish. It otherwise would get milky looking from having water trapped in the finish. This is really the main reason to keep retarder. I just though it would help you brushing it. This is really the only difference between brushing lacquer and regular lacquer. 

How can you do woodworking without a compressor anyway? :blink:


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