Orange Peel effect ??

[Capt Weasel]

I've starting using some Deft Lacquer spray on smaller stuff and I'm having mixed results or different probs. This is the first time I've used a finish in a can so I'm learning.
I've used semi-gloss oncw with good results on oak and gloss on 1/4" oak with pretty good results. Well now I've hit a bump. I used gloss on a sm. oak pattern and got the orange peel effect on it. I buffed it between coats with some fine steel wool. They got worse. I sanded after the 4th coat back down to the first, appx., then redid it with 4-5 coats and its some better but still has a few bumps. It's slicker and shinier than a babys butt though.
Today I used it on a 1/2" eagle piece with pretty much the same result except this time it was mostly on 1 side. I buffed lightly and recoated,still there. I let it dry longer, same. I let it dry shorter,same. I used 320, 440, 0,00,0000, same. I've got about 5-6 coats on it already. Should I keep going and see if they fill in? Drop the spray and use a brush? Rub some lacquer thinner on it and start over? I've sprayed with the grain and against it. Let it dry in sunlight and shade with same result. The crosses turned out good except for the run I caused then had to sand out but they were small and these are bigger.
What's going on? Is it the wood, lacquer, sanding, or me? I've got to get this figured out and quick because its costing me more time than I thought it would save. Please Help!!

[lucky788scroller]

How far away from the wood are you holding your can? Is it possible you are to close? Many thin light coats are better then fewer heavy coats. I apply two coats over the Danish oil, then sand with 400, and apply two more coats of deft, sanding again with 400 tween coats.If it looks good at that point, I stop, if not, I sand again, and respray. I did notice a long while back that one thing I was defting wasnt turning out nice, and not all over the project, but on one end. The only thing I ever figured out was the angle I was holding the can.It does work best if held vertical. One other thing,.... be sure your wood is clean before finishing...no wax or any forign materials, they play havoc with any finish. Dale

[Gill]

In my experience, the orange peel effect is normally a strong indication that the wood itself is contaminated with something greasy. I'd suggest cutting back to the bare wood, then using some new abrasive which you know to be uncontaminated to give a final smoothing. Before applying your finish, wipe some white spirits over the oak just to make sure that there's no grease.

It may also be a good idea to wipe your saw table with white spirits too, just in case something greasy has contaminated it and is transferring the dirt to your work.

Gill

[SharonW0111]

I have had that happen to me a time or two --I was holding the can to close I think.
But I have also had the clear coat to turn white as it was drying with just a light spray ..took one piece of a dragon statue I did a week for it to dry out the white but it did dry itself out. I think the coats need to be at least several hours dry before applying more coats- I find this works better not to ruh it
but for this reason is why I don't use spray clear any longer. I can use poly better results in the long run and not so many coats.
Maybe you are applying to many coats on also. I don't give the piece but a couple of coats- seems to look better that way.
Sharon

[Capt Weasel]

I'm holding the can about 6" away and at about a 45 degree angle, with the piece lying flat, sweeping back and forth trying not to overlap to much. On the eagle I went with the grain and the orange peels occured on the edge closest to me. I admit to maybe to many coats but I was trying to get that glass type finish, smooth and crystal clear. The semi-gloss I did on 1 piece come out pretty good w/out peels. It was dull but a little shiny. I noticed on my current piece that the peels became apparent after the 2nd coat.
Do I need to just mist it on ever so lightly? I've been sweeping slow to get a good, noticable wetness on the surface. Do I stand piece upright and spray at a 90 deg. angle then lay it flat to dry? Dry in sunlight or warm shade? Also, If I do decide to start over how do I best go about it without messing up the stain?

[SharonW0111]

one problem you have is that you are sweeping to slow-- this is giving it time to build up and causes too thick application. sweep fast and not try to get the glossy look at once. you have to work up to it . allow each coat to dry thourly before the next coat. and yes stand your pieces upright.
you are trying to acheive something in a hurry that is causing you to have problems and if you slow down you will get better results and it will go faster.
Sharon

[SharonW0111]

I forgot to tell you to have it at about a 45* angle ,and if you can stand it to spray inside -- I found that when I spray outside it collects the things in the air and makes little gifts from the birds impossible to remove.. in the sun seems to heat up the paint and the piece but you still get things from the air- and have you tried looking at that in the sun=-- it gets almost blinding on my eyes so I don't sometimes I spray on the patio and bring inside to dry-- unless its a backer board and then it is just sprayed outside and left till it dries.
But for clear coat I have gone to polytrathyne totaly and I use a brush -inside then move it to another room to dry.
Sharon

[Capt Weasel]

I think you might have me pegged Sharon. I was going slow and allowing a sheen to develop that I could see. That way I knew I was headed toward what I wanted. I wanted wrong I guess. When you say spray upright do you mean to spray then lay flat or leave it upright to dry? I sprayed some crosses that were on a base and let them dry upright and I got some runs in it that was tough to get out. That's clue #2, I sprayed them to heavy since they caused a run. I do all my spraying and staining inside and leave a door cracked for ventilation and sunlight comes through it and thats my direct sunlight dryer.
So I need to just mist it across my piece instead of spraying the piece? How should go about trying to fix what I got so far? Rub it with laqc. thinner and start over? Sand down to the peel and go again? If I thin it down what can I expect to happen? Wet the rag and wipe the piece clean, no muss, no fuss? I'm trying to get it fixed up so cause I need to deliver it Monday so I'm pinched for time as usual.
Finally, when I mist it how many coats should it take, on average, to get the optimal clear gloss finish? I know some pieces look good like that but some don't. My current "peeled" piece has about 6 heavy coats on it and except for the peel looks great. Will I need 12 mist coats roughly?

[SharonW0111]

you can leave it standing if you don't overspray -this is good when you have to do both front and back. Just rember to lightly spray and give it a little time to dry. then go back and spray again..and only do lightly each time-it will go quicker not having to fret with goofs than to do it right ftom the first. if you do get it to heavy by accident then by all means lay it down,
Now to fix the peel and runs problem ---- go over them with a med grade sandpaper until it is smoothed out the bad spots. then swipe it a bit with a fine grade to level it out- now lightly respray the spots. after that dries you may want to respray the whole piece to have it all even. This trick worked for me a few times till I figured out what I was doing wrong. The sun from the window will have no effect on the piece at all-- just make sure you have a old bucket to kick when the sunshine shows up runs-- funny how light brings out the goofs lol
Sharon

[Capt Weasel]

Sounds good to me. I consulted a friend that does furniture refinishing and he suggested the same but to wet sand it down to the spots. I guess the wet part is to remove dust or something So it sounds like ya'll got me on the right track. I think I might be alright on this piece because it isn't much and it's only on one side. Only noticable if ya' tilt it into the sun and look at it with the sun shining down. Hanging flat on a wall you'll never notice it. But I do want to figure it out so I won't do it again. I need to mist it quickly and not spray it slowly. Now that I think about it I was kinda soaking it good with the spray just to get that wet, sleek look but I'll have to build up to it slower I guess and give it more than a 20 minute drying time in a cool 60 degree shed. I give fixing it a try tomorrow and let ya' know how it works out. Might even post a pic. when I'm done although it is the Fierce Eagle pattern that I've already posted except this one is oak.

[SharonW0111]

Glad I could help-- Please do post it I'd love to see it.
Sharon

[Marcel in Longueuil]

The nice thing about lacquer is that it dries pretty quickly, and you don't even need to wait for it to be completely dry to re-coat: just so that it's tacky.

Lacquer has the advantage that it bonds to itself, you don't need to sand between coats to make a surface for it to grab onto. The second coat will actually kind of melt part of the first coat and fuse to it. And it dries fast too.

So if you swipe across your piece at a rapid steady pace without building up in one spot, overlap your swipes about 50%, and repeat until you get the sheen you want, you should do pretty good.

If a white fog/mist shows up (as Sharon say she has seen) it is usually caused by humidity (being too high). If it doesn't go away, a light sanding followed with a new coat will usually take care of it.

Sharon, to keep grit away have you thought of making a frame "box" that would have no bottom (like a cake bell) have one side hinged to open and the sides made of some cheap tight replaceable mesh material? It could be screen-door or mosquito netting or something to that effect. Would let the fumes out and keep the dirt out. Open the hinge side to insert piece and spray, close to let it dry. Frame could be 1"X1" with netting stapled to it. Make it to suit your needs, and you're back to spraying outside

[SharonW0111]

Marc - Humidity isn't a problem here where I live --we are in a drought- but just plain air born dust is. A box may help but the problem that I was speaking of as capt knows is from spraying to heavy .I wouldn't sand any paint that isn't thourougly dried but this white I was speaking of goes away on its on.It just takes time.
Sharon