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Adhesive - Aerosols - Burn In Repairs - Epoxy Stick - Fillers - Finish Problems - Finishes - Identification
Preparation - Problems - Repair Sticks - Repairs - Staining / Dyes / Colouring - Touch Up
| Adhesive | ||
| How should I store extra bottles Mohawk's Instant Adhesive? | Unopened bottles of Mohawk's Instant Adhesive should be stored in a cool dry place. Many customers keep their unopened supply in a refrigerator until they need it. | |
| Can I get more tips for the Instant Adhesive? | Yes, you can order extra tips (2 per pack) for the Instant Adhesive from Mohawk. The product number is 745-3546. | |
| Why does the glue turn white after I spray it with the Activator? | Spraying the Instant Adhesive with the Activator accelerates the curing process. Only a short mist is needed. When too much activator is used it sometimes turns white or frosty on the surface and often becomes a very rough texture. Try using less Activator or multiple light mists of Activator and your problem should disappear. | |
| Why should I use Mohawk's Instant Adhesive over conventional Yellow or White glue? | Mohawk's Instant Adhesive are fast setting and require much less adhesive than conventional glues for repairing splits, chips and broken edges. And unlike the conventional glues, which have to permeate into the fibers of the wood, the Instant Adhesive will even adhere surfaces that even have finish on them. | |
| C. A., or "super glues" with the accelerators are great for fast wood repair, but sometimes so fast I don't have time to position th piece I'm trying to glue before it sets. What's the best solution? | These glues will set by themselves, but it's nice to be able to just hold the piece in place for a few seconds until it cures. There is a mild accelerator (Mohawk numbers: 7453542, 7453543) that will give you a little more positioning time. Also, in most instances, you can apply glue, position the piece, and then spray the accelerator around the edges of the bond. The accel. will usually work it's way all the way through and cure the glue, or at least cure around the edges to hold the piece in place while the interior cures. | |
| Do I have to use the Activator with Mohawk's Instant Adhesive? | No, Mohawk's Instant Adhesives are room temperature curable without the Activator but will cure at a much slower rate. The Activator will accelerate the cure time by drying the outer edges so that clamping is either not necessary or to a minimum of time. | |
| Will the Activator harm the wood or the finish? | No, the Activator will not harm the finish or stain the raw wood. It will simply accelerate the curing process and set the Instant Adhesive. The excess will evaporate in a few seconds. | |
| Aerosols | Page top | |
| Aerosol won't spray. | 1. For heavily pigmented products. Cause: Depressed spray tip before ingredients were properly agitated. Pigmented materials settle to the bottom and, if not thoroughly mixed, can plug the spray valve stem and tip preventing proper functioning. Thorough agitation before using is essential. 2. For general aerosol products. Cause: Propellant has leaked from can or valve stem has disconnected from valve when can was pressurized. Test for disconnect by inverting can - it will spray in this position if stem has disconnected. | |
| When spot spraying repairs with clear aerosols, it leaves a "haloing" effect. | You can start by making sure the aerosol is the correct compatible product for your use. Our Pre-Cat aerosol does an outstanding job of blending in on most nitro and synthetic finishes. However, if need be, take wool-wax with 4/0 steel wool; rub gently with the grain, end to end. This should correct the "halo" by evening the sheen. | |
| Which clear aerosol should be used to topcoat touch-ups over white or pickled finishes? | Use C.A.B. Production Topcoat Clears or Final Finish(tm) aerosols. Both are non-yellowing. | |
| Aerosol fisheye's (craters) in the finish caused by silicone contamination. | If you suspect a finish may have contamination, thoroughly wash the area to be coated with Silicone Wash. If problem persists, apply a light coat of Shellac. | |
| Aerosol finish turns milky white. | Cause: Blushing (moisture entrapment in the film) occurs during warm rainy weather and hot and humid periods. If whiteness appears, spray over the finish with No Blush or Super No Blush to open the film and allow moisture to escape. Or: Oil, wax or other incompatible contaminant on the surface can lead to a cloudy appearance in the finish. This can appear quickly or may be a delayed reaction. Always thoroughly clean the surface to be sprayed with Wax Wash. | |
| Aerosol can sprays but spits. | Cause: Can was not thoroughly agitated before using. Hold can inverted and clear valve. Shake thoroughly and proceed. Or: Can is cold. Cold temperatures reduces pressure inside can and prevents proper atomization. Warm can to 65 degrees F minimum. Or: Spraying can continuously for prolonged period cools ingredients inside causing a reduction of pressure. As you feel can surface becoming cold, stop and allow it to warm up. | |
| Burn In Repairs | Page top | |
| E-Z FlOW/PLANESTICK is brittle (shatters) or is gummy when melted. | Burn in stick is old. Dispose of it, and replace it. | |
| E-Z Flow/Planestick repair pops out of damaged area from any type of impact. | Damaged area could be too smooth where stick is melted in or the damaged area may be contaminated with wax. Clean the damaged area but leave it somewhat rough to give repair material tooth. | |
| When doing burn-ins, I always have "little marks" left in the finish. What causes this? | This is generally caused by the burn in knife coming in contact with the surface too hard. Instead of "dropping and dragging" your knife, try to let the knife come in contact with the surface while dragging. This is something that needs to be practiced, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't happen right away. | |
| E-Z FlOW/PLANESTICK repair area "glosses up" when finish is applied. | Burn in material is glossy and needs a barrier over it to control sheen. Apply Mohawk Burn in Seal over the repair. Use 2-3 light coats (mist coats). Or seal repair using Mohawk's E-Z Seal Pen. | |
| When leveling a Burn in stick with a hot knife, marks are left in the finish, what is the cause and remedy? | A: The finish is being damaged by the hot knife melting it. Always keep the hot knife moving as close to the same plane as the repair. B: Apply plenty of Burn-n Balm around the repair area to prevent damage. | |
| After leveling a burn in stick small holes appear, what is the cause? | A: You are seeing air pockets that were trapped in the burn in stick. To eliminate this add the stick slower and if possible with less heat. B: Bubbles may be from air being trapped in the repair/fill. "Dab" knife into repair to aid in air removal, refill slowly and re-level after. | |
| Why, when sanding down a burn in stick to level, the finish around the repair is removed, leaving a halo? | Could be caused by not using a block with clean "wet and dry" paper, or in some cases the finish is so thin that before any sanding is done a couple of clear finish coats should be applied to give something to sand on. | |
| How do I get rid of the shiny spot after I've done a burn-in? | A: Padding the area with a padding agent prior to spraying with an aerosol will act as protectant and not allow the solvents from the aerosol to be absorbed into the burn-in. B: Use an E-Z seal pen over the burn-in and allow to dry thoroughly. Then break edges of dried E-Z seal with 600 or 800 paper prior to coat to minimize ridging. C: Use burn in seal over repair area being careful not to spray too heavy because this will show through on final topcoat. | |
| Planestick type burn in sticks: Sometimes, when sanding these sticks with a lubricant, they break down, and the filled area shallows out. What causes this? | Some solvents that may be used as a lubricant can dissolve the Planestick. This may be usefull if you want to remove excess burn in stick from the finished surface, but can ruin a level burn in. The solvent that is most active in breaking down the burn in is toluene. Other blends of solvents, like Mohawk Wax Wash will also dissolve the Plane stick. The best lubricant to use is Mohawk Wool Wax, as it's user friendly to the Plane stick, and it wipes off easily. | |
| Epoxy Stick | Page top | |
| How do you properly mix the Epoxy Stick? | You knead it like bread. It should be 1 color when mixed correctly and should not have any marble like streaks. | |
| How hard does the Epoxy Stick get? | It gets hard enough to saw, shape, sand or carve. It is very similar to the hardness of a hardwood. | |
| Fillers | Page top | |
| FIL-O-WOOD material in can is too thick to use. | Age and improper resealing of container. Add Fil-o-wood solvent and let it set for a few hours to permeate the filler. Stir the filler with a stiff bladed device until uniform and workable. Add more Fil-o-wood solvent as needed. Be sure lid and lid seat are clean and the lid is closed tight after using. | |
| EPOXY PUTTY remains tacky after curing. | This tackiness on the outside of Epoxy repairs is part of the chemical nature of the product. It is easily eliminated by lightly sanding it. | |
| EPOXY PUTTY will not harden. | The 2 parts were not measured accurately. Or: The 2 parts were not mixed sufficiently. Or: 2 like parts were mixed (both parts are hardener or both are resin). Be sure to measure reasonably accurately and mix thoroughly (at least one minute of blending before using.) | |
| Need to tint the EPOXY PUTTY. | Epoxy Putty can be tinted with small amounts of Blendal Powders by thoroughly mixing it into the resin part. Adding large amounts of Blendal weakens the epoxy repair. | |
| Applied a coat of Paste Wood Filler as directed but the grain is not completely smooth. | Although paste fillers are very high in solids, they are not 100% solids. Therefore some shrinking is to be expected. A second coat of filler may be required. Also, minor grain depressions can often be leveled by the sealer, followed by sanding. NOTE: do not use more than 2 coats of sealer or try to substitute sealer for filler! | |
| Finish Problems | Page top | |
| I used Finish up to apply color on a touch-up, and then sprayed aerosol lacquer over it. The repair area developed a fine crackle. What happened? | The solvents in the lacquer can cause the Finish up film to crack in some cases. Allowing the finish up to dry more thoroughly and applying very thin, light coats of the aerosol may avoid this problem. Since the Finish up itself is a good topcoat, generally it does not require that any other finish be applied over it. | |
| When I wiped Finish-up onto a piece of cheap furniture with a "paper" finish (photo finish, foil, etc.) it seemed to "crawl" or fisheye at the edge of the wet Finish up. Why did this happen? What can I do to avoid it? | Because this is a waterbased product, it has a surface tension similar to water. This finish may have some residue from a "release coating" used in the manufacturing process, which causes the water to try to "bead", in the same way that water beads on a well waxed car. Use Wax Wash, Furniture Wash, or Silicone Wash to remove the coating, or lightly scuff with 4/0 steel wool (if you can do so without taking off color) or you can sometimes simply rub hard with the cloth dampened with Finish Up, dry the area, then wipe on a wet coat of Finish up. | |
| After spraying finish coat of lacquer, small air bubbles appear. | This problem, referred to as "blistering", "gassing" or "bridging" can be eliminated a combination of: A: Applying lighter, multiple coats of finish. B: Reducing finish with a slow drying reducer or introduce more retarder into finish. C: Adjusting spray pressure. | |
| Padding Finish leaves streaky finish. | Applying padding lacquer too wet. Pad should be wet but not saturated and slightly tacky when applied. See padding section in front of catalog. | |
| Padding Finish turns white after it dries. | Wax or oil contamination on the surface. Surface should be cleaned with Wax Wash prior to padding. | |
| Amalgamator does not soften the finish at all. | Amalgamator works on conventional lacquer and shellac finishes. Catalyzed lacquer, polyurethane , conversion varnishes and other Hi Tech finishes cannot be amalgamated. | |
| Applied Hi Glaze over sealer. The next day when the finish was applied it wrinkled. | Resins in the glaze begin to polymerize and have a recoat window. Lock in glaze with a light coat of lacquer or sealer within 1 to 6 hours from time glaze was applied. | |
| Why does the grain lines from your graining pen go chubby when you topcoat it? | Don't spray so much aerosol over the grain. The aerosol is causing the graining pen to float. Spray a couple of light mist coats over the area first to lock it down first. | |
| Why does lacquer stay tacky in the grain pattern of open grain woods (i.e. Oak, Walnut, Mahogany) on refinished pieces? | Residue from the stripper is probably caught in the pores of the wood. This residue can keep the lacquer from drying properly. Great care must be taken to clean the stripper out of pores, not merely off the surface. Use a brass wire remover brush to scrub the surface with Stripper Wash. | |
| Lacquer turns white as it dries. | Usually the result of moisture entrapment (blushing) occurring during hot and humid or damp weather. Add retarder to your lacquer or spray over the finish with No Blush. Or: A delayed whitening effect may be due to surface contamination (wax, oil) or to spraying over a stain containing mineral spirits which was not yet dry. Be sure surface to be sprayed is cleaned free of contaminates and always let stain dry sufficiently. | |
| When rubbing a high gloss finish to remove over spray, orange peel, or as in repair to renew a gloss, I some times see scratch patterns through the shine. What causes this? | If you started the job with fine sand papers,and skip grades, you can leave sand paper scratch patterns behind that the compounds can't remove. If you start with 400 grade, go next to 600 grade, and then to 1200 grade before moving on to the compounds. If you're not familiar with "Micro Mesh" sand pads, check them out, as they are made for working up high gloss finishes in spot repair work. They are a must for polyester finish repair. It's also possible, when working through a series of compounds, that you start with an aggressive grade and skip lesser aggressive grades before going to a polishing grade for the high gloss. That would be apparent if you see swirl patterns through your gloss. | |
| Sealer is not drying - gums sandpaper. | Sealer was applied over wet wood. Or: Applied over contaminated wood. Or: Applied when humidity and temperatures were very high. Or: Left to dry in area where cold temperatures were predominant. Or: Applied over insufficiently dry stain. Or: Incorrect reducer was used. Or: Excessive amounts of retarder were used. Determine the source of the problem and take corrective measures. | |
| Sealer turns white when it dries. | Blush (moisture entrapment) in film leaves a hazy white appearance. No Blush/Retarder or Retarder Plus added to the sealer helps eliminate blushing. Or: Sealer applied over an insufficiently dry stain or filler containing mineral spirits can cause a white haze. Be sure stains, etc. of this type are dry before sealing. Or: Applied over wax or oil contaminated surface. | |
| Several coats of sealer were applied but the grain is not filled. | Sealers are designed to fill pores and provide a foundation coat for lacquer, not to fill grain in open grain woods. Use Paste Wood Filler to fill grain. | |
| Lacquer is drying slow or not drying at all. | Weather conditions such as high humidity, rainy cool weather, and cold drying area retard drying. Finishes dry best when relative humidity is between 25% and 50%, air temperature is 65 degrees F to 80 degrees F. If an environmentally controlled drying area cannot be provided it might be best to wait for favorable weather. Or: Incorrect reducer or excessive retarder was added to the lacquer. Or: Lacquer was applied over an incompatible product or one that was not dry enough Or: Surface was contaminated. | |
| Other forms of contamination such as dust, soot, sawdust, etc. | Maintain a clean spray area by practicing proper housekeeping And using common sense. Many minor contaminates can be removed from a finish by fine sanding and/or rubbing. | |
| The Lacquer finish has developed cracks. | There are many things that can lead to cracking of a finish (often it can be a combination of factors). The most common reason is building too many coats too quickly. Follow manufacturer's recommendations for coating thickness and the number of coats to apply. Other factors leading to cracking are using improper reducers, wet substrate (high moisture content), and spraying lacquer over an incompatible material. Most factors lead to cracking are controllable by the user. | |
| Lacquer leaves orange peel texture in the finish. | Cold lacquer or cold spraying conditions. Lacquer, substrate and ambient temperature should be at least 65 degrees F. Or: Lacquer is being sprayed at too high a viscosity (too thick). Add the recommended amount of reducer and adjust for equipment. Or: Lacquer is being sprayed during very hot temperatures. Solvents flash off too quickly and don't allow film to level. Add a recommended retarder. | |
| Lacquer leaves craters (fisheyes) in the finish. | Silicone contamination resulting from use of consumer polishes. This is common when refinishing. Surface to be refinished should be washed with Silicone Wash. An application of Shellac can be effective in more serious cases. Fisheye Flo Out can be added to sealer and lacquer to help combat fisheyes. If fisheye Flo Out is added be sure to use it in every additional coat until finishing is completed. NOTE: that these suggestions are aids in combating silicone contamination. Serious contamination may be difficult to overcome even if all three products are used. Or: Contamination from silicone used as a lubricant in a nearby area will result in fisheye problems. Avoid using these products where finishing is done. Or: Wax contamination on surface. Clean thoroughly with Wax Wash. | |
| Why did the finish wrinkle when I sprayed clear lacquer over a colored automotive enamel? | Spraying a solvent based lacquer over an enamel will produce wrinkling. Use auto paints on cars and furniture lacquers on wood. | |
| Finishes | Page top | |
| When making service calls, how can a topcoat be applied to a surface that is larger than a typical touch-up area (such as the entire top of an end table) without creating an offensive odor in the home or office? | Use Finish-Up(tm) Polyurethane. It is rag applied thus avoiding any over-spray, has very low odor, will adhere to most other finishes, and will not lift other finishes. | |
| How can lacquer be made to flow to a smoother surface without significantly extending the dry time as with the use of retarder? | A: Use Flash-Off Control Solvent. Because it functions in the early stage of the drying cycle (extending the time when the lacquer is flowing), it facilitates a smoother finish and eliminates over-spray, However, once it has done its work, it evaporates out of the lacquer thus allowing a normal dry time. B: Reduce with 5 to 10% reducer for better flow-out. | |
| How can I tell if some liquid shellac I have had for a while is still good? | If liquid shellac is not fairly fresh, it is recommended you test some on a scrap piece to be sure it dries. Old shellac will stay soft and gummy. Liquid shellac stored at room temperature is usually good for up to one year. If stored at warm temperatures, shelf life decreases dramatically. Storing in a refrigerated area prolongs liquid shellacs useful life and is highly recommended. Dry shellac flakes stored under refrigeration have an indefinite shelf life. | |
| What is the difference between Raw Linseed Oil and Boiled Linseed Oil? | Raw Linseed Oil will never dry completely. When applied as a film, Raw Oil has molecular groups (sometimes called "tails") that remain tacky forever. Boiled Linseed Oil originally was produced by using heat to eliminate these "tails". Today Boiled Linseed Oil incorporates chemical dryers, which are added to promote drying (begin the polymerization process) in place of the heating process. | |
| Can I spray Mohawk's clear lacquer over an old finish? | A: Hi Solids Lacquer (clear or colored)? Yes for both. It will add a durable wear coat. B: A polyurethane Finish? No. Poor Adhesion. C: An Oil Finish? No over a fresh oil finish. Possibly over an old oil finish providing it is not a non drying oil and it is cleaned and sanded. (Testing by user is advised) D: Another manufacturers sealer, lacquer, or stain, etc. The best advice is to use one manufacturers products for the entire system. Mixing systems can often lead to problems for the user. E: Over shellac? Yes, with qualifiers. Lacquer applied over thin coats of shellac is considered acceptable. Thick coats of shellac tend to become brittle as the film ages. F: Over a catalyzed lacquer finish? Yes as long as it is not applied within the window stated by the manufacturer. If the finish is cured, the surface should be cleaned and scuffed. Only mechanical bonding is achieved. | |
| I don't have your recommended reducer for your lacquer, what can I use for a substitute? | Varying from the manufacturer's recommended reducer is a users decision. Manufacturers refrain from the responsibility of guessing in matters this important. | |
| Can catalyzed reducer be used in place of 2255 Reducer and vice versa? | Generally they can in most lacquers. Catalyzed Reducer is slower evaporating and thus will slow down the drying of a finish. Products such as catalyzed lacquer and Butyrate Lacquer may not level as well when 2255 is substituted. | |
| What will happen if I put Polyurethane over sanding sealer? | You will have questionable intercoat adhesion. Polyurethane used as its own sealer is a much better system. | |
| What can I use as a finish for over an old oil finish without stripping the piece? | A: More oil finish. B: An oil modified varnish. | |
| Identification | Page top | |
| I can't tell if a piece to be touched up has a catalyzed finish or not, thus not knowing what type of material to use. | Take a rag with a small amount of lacquer thinner and rub in an inconspicuous spot. If the finish softens or comes off, then it is not a high perfomance finish and conventional touch up lacquers can be used. | |
| Preparation | Page top | |
| My stripper isn't working. | Not enough time is allowed for chemicals to work. Or: The stripper is not strong enough. Or: The stripper may not be the right one for the job. Allow more time for the stripper to work. Get a stronger stripper. Check to see if the stripper only removes certain finishes. Latex and waterbase finishes are not removed by all strippers, check the label/directions. | |
| Problems | Page top | |
| How can I stop old dye in stripped wood from bleeding into the new finish? | A: For colored topcoats, apply a thin coat of Shellac. B: For clear coats, the best advice is to bleach the wood. | |
| Repair Sticks | Page top | |
| FIL-STIK is hard/brittle. | Stick is very old or stick is very cold. A cure may be simply warming the stick, or replacing it. | |
| FIL-STIK color specks in the repair areas. | Some of the pigment colors are not finely dispersed. Usually only found in sticks at the end of a batch. No cure for it except to notify Mohawk. | |
| Which fill stick would be the best for repairing hardwood floors? | We would recommend the Planestick burn-in stick it offers a flat sheen, excellent adhesion, durable (hard but not brittle) will never shatter. Can be top coated with satin or flat finishes with no gloss up. | |
| Repairs | Page top | |
| On open grain woods repair doesn't look natural. | Repair is "solid." A: Cut pores or grain into repair. B: Use graining pen or pencil to create grain and/or pores. | |
| Staining / Dyes / Colouring | Page top | |
| When staining hard maple, why is it always blotchy looking? | There are very small pores in hard maple, and this type of wood will not accept much pigment without blotching. A: Use a dye stain. B: Pre-wet the wood with reducer to eliminate uneven penetration into the wood. C: Seal the wood before staining or apply a sizing coat. | |
| When I've been padding on color with Finish up, it sometimes drags or streaks. What do I do? | Don't pad with it. Wipe on the color with as few strokes as possible, feather in the edges with your finger or a cloth, and dry. You can then reapply color or clear coat very quickly, but do not use it as you would a padding lacquer. | |
| Ultra Penetrating Dye Stain does not dilute very easily in lacquers. | Dilute stain in small amount of lacquer reducer first before introducing it into the lacquer. | |
| The Base Concentrate has become very thick and is difficult to mix into lacquer. | Base Concentrate will tend to thicken as it ages. If you wish to add it to lacquer, thin it with 2255 Reducer and mix until uniform. Base Concentrate should be added slowly, stirring well while you add it. | |
| When I add Base Concentrate to lacquer to make an opaque color, the finish seems soft. | Adding pigment to lacquer will reduce the resin solids ratio and produce a less durable film. We advise a clear wear coat be applied over the colored lacquer coats. Recommend not exceeding 20% addition of Base Concentrate to lacquer. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) color is too strong. | Reduce color intensity with S-15 Reducer. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) color is not strong enough. | Add Base Concentrate. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) is not drying properly. | Wet wood (high moisture content). Or: Incorrect reducer used in stain. Take corrective measures. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) color is off shade from last batch. | A color can never be exactly duplicated repeatedly. Allow for some lot to lot color variances. Use color guide as a reference. Remember factors such as type of substrate used, sanding procedure, and method of application all affect color. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) color needs to be adjusted. | Tint with Base Concentrate or adjust color with other 545 colors. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) dries too quickly. | Used on absorbent wood. Or: Applied during very hot weather. Add Wood Stain Retarder. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) has become thick. | Natural build in viscosity from aging. Or: Cover not properly seated allowing solvents to evaporate. Add S-15 Reducer. | |
| Pigmented Wiping Stain (545) has settled out in can. | Pigments are heavier than the solvents and sink to the bottom. Replace cover and shake container until all pigment is reblended or use a power driven mixing device. | |
| Ultra Penetrating Stain color is too strong. | Reduce it with Ultra Penetrating Stain Reducer as needed. | |
| Ultra Penetrating Stain is drying too quickly and leaving lap marks. | Ultra is a dye penetrating stain. It responds to the variations in porosity of wood. Adding Ultra Stain Retarder allows for more uniform wetting of the surface. | |
| Ultra Penetrating Stain is not drying properly. | Wet wood. Or: Excess retarder added. Or: Poor air movement. Or: Cold temperature. Or: High humidity. Or: Surface contamination. Take corrective measures after cause is determined. | |
| Ultra Penetrating Stain goes on blotchy. | Common problem if dye stains are used on soft woods. The erratic cellular structure allows uncontrollable absorbency of the dye. Sizing the wood with a wood sizing liquid prior to staining adds to uniformity but limits color depth. | |
| Ultra Penetrating Stain not penetrating the grain on veneers. | Some types of adhesives used in veneering can wick through the thin veneer and repel stain penetration. Use a pigmented wiping stain or tint lacquer and sealer with Ultra Penetrating Stain, tint to color the veneer. | |
| Ultra Penetrating Stain color needs adjusting. | Use other Ultra Penetrating Stain colors to tint it. | |
| Applying 545 stain over Paste Wood Filler. It seems to be softening and removing some of the filler. | Solvents in the stain are compatible with the filler. If stain is applied wet, it could soften filler. Apply a wash coat of sanding sealer over the filler, sand lightly, and apply stain. | |
| What can I use to mix the Blendal Powders with? | There are several different types of vehicles for the Blendals; Lacover 30, Lacover 50, and Graining liquid are the most common types used. However, Lac-French, Will Pro, Rapid Pad, and Amalgamator will work. | |
| Used Hi Glaze on a piece to add detail and create an antique look. Places where glaze was applied heavily seem to chip easily. | Glaze left on in heavy layers form a layer of material between sealer and lacquer coats. This results in a more chip sensitive finish. Best to use glaze in thin application where durability is required. | |
| Stain color bleeds into the sealer. | The stain likely contains a lacquer soluble dye or a pigment that tends to bleed. A wash coat of shellac will often form a barrier and help eliminate additional bleed. Light coat of lacquer should be applied over the sealer before applying shellac to insure better adhesion. | |
| Can 545 stain and 520 Ultra stain be intermixed? | They do not mix well together and separate almost immediately when agitation stops. Many nice effects can be created by first applying Ultra Stain as a base color and 545 stain over it. | |
| How can I keep my touch up repairs from getting muddy when I use the Blendal Powder stains? | Try reducing the intensity of the Blendal Powder stain with Graining Liquid. The Blendal Powder stain can then be applied in thin transparent layers. | |
| Touch Up | ||
| Touch Up Marker material does not flow through nib. | Material not agitated well enough before using. Or: Nib was left exposed to air and has hardened with resin. Replace the nib with a new one. | |
| Touch Up Marker ink tends to crawl when applied to some surfaces. | Hi Tech finishes don't allow solvents from pen material to bite in. These surfaces need to be scuffed first. Or: Surface may have a wax or polish contamination. Clean the surface with wax wash. | |
| Touch Up Marker color in marker is off shade. | Marker was not thoroughly agitated before using. Shake pen and reflow material to flush nib. Or: User is not allowing for batch to batch lot shade differences. (Commercially allowable difference from lot to lot are expected in the coatings industry.) | |
| PRO-MARK II marker ink will not pass through nib. | Cap was left off for prolonged period causing resin to harden in nib. Soak nib in Toluol or Xylol. Or: Ink has been used up. Replace marker. | |
| Page top | ||
Note: Photos are representative. Please see product details for contents.
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