Treasure Chests

[Charlie E]

I know this is the wrong forum. Forgive me.  This is what I was working on when I had the table saw mishap. I built these as Christmas presents for my 5 grandkids to keep their important stuff in. Like cool feathers, marbles, and pocketknives. They’ve all got a couple of “secret compartments” you access with a magnet. 
 

I’m looking for advise from folks who do more of this type thing on what sealer you would use after stain and how you’d apply it. I’m planning to leave the insides unfinished. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Absolutely beautiful. They will be well received for sure. Not sure what your total plans are and what stains you will use. But if it were me, all the drawers I would spray the inside and outside where they are not exposed with spray shellac to seal the wood even if you stain it. I would also shellac the inside of the box itself. Again to seal it. Wood will swell and those drawers could swell. Even if you do not stain inside. Any oil stains will take time for odor to disapate and shellac will seal. The outside if it were me after stain I would finish with spray lacquer.I love lacquer much more than poly. You can use a satin which I think would look great. You can put on as many coats as you want and not have to worry about sanding between coats providing you keep dust free. Nibs of dust are annoying. You can always polish  with a fine automotive black sandpaper or what I like to use is Micromesh cloth and lemmon oil. All depends how extensive you want to go into finishing. Skip the polishing will look great too. Being I have the ability and shop to do it I would spray using a HVLP and waterbased lacquer. Rattle cans works well too. It is a Nitro lacquer and smell is strong so be aware of that. Post photos when done. This is just an opinion so others will chime in. 

[Charlie E]

28 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Absolutely beautiful. They will be well received for sure. Not sure what your total plans are and what stains you will use. But if it were me, all the drawers I would spray the inside and outside where they are not exposed with spray shellac to seal the wood even if you stain it. I would also shellac the inside of the box itself. Again to seal it. Wood will swell and those drawers could swell. Even if you do not stain inside. Any oil stains will take time for odor to disapate and shellac will seal. The outside if it were me after stain I would finish with spray lacquer.I love lacquer much more than poly. You can use a satin which I think would look great. You can put on as many coats as you want and not have to worry about sanding between coats providing you keep dust free. Nibs of dust are annoying. You can always polish  with a fine automotive black sandpaper or what I like to use is Micromesh cloth and lemmon oil. All depends how extensive you want to go into finishing. Skip the polishing will look great too. Being I have the ability and shop to do it I would spray using a HVLP and waterbased lacquer. Rattle cans works well too. It is a Nitro lacquer and smell is strong so be aware of that. Post photos when done. This is just an opinion so others will chime in. 

Thank you! I have never used a water based lacquer. Actually didn’t know there was such a thing, but I like the idea. Does it dry quickly like regular lacquer?  Would there be a problem with sealing the inside with lacquer as well to simplify things?

[Scrappile]

waiting, waiting, waiting. there we go, downloaded, I think.  Ahh, yes very nice.  I, would use DEFT Probably sim-gloss

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, Charlie E said:

Thank you! I have never used a water based lacquer. Actually didn’t know there was such a thing, but I like the idea. Does it dry quickly like regular lacquer?  Would there be a problem with sealing the inside with lacquer as well to simplify things?

Sealing with lacquer is fine. I was just thinking about the smell. It will linger for a long time because you keep drawers closed. I still would use shellac spray inside and not worry about smells transferring to objects.  I use this stuff when spraying waterbased lacquer. It acts just like Nitro except that smell is far less irritating and cleanup is a snap. Dries just as fast. Each coat melts into the last one.  https://www.targetcoatings.com/shop/water-based-lacquers/

General Finishes has a product called Enduro but again you need a spray gun. There is no rattle can water based lacquers that I know of.

If you can spray outdoors then nitro lacquer would be easy. Plenty of choices of rattle can I use Deft the most but have used Watco too. I like Satin look. Not a big fan of high gloss on works like that. 

Remember lacquer dries in about 3 hours but cure time is at least 48 hours. The longer the better you let sit before you wrap them it will be helpful. Lacquer does not yellow like poly does and the reason I like it alot. Plus ease of applying. If you want to use poly then a wipe on poly is probably best but will need sanding and to do that I use nonwoven pads which are just like steel wool but do not break down and leave specs 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[Charlie E]

1 minute ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Sealing with lacquer is fine. I was just thinking about the smell. I use this stuff when spraying waterbased lacquer. It acts just like Nitro except that smell is far less irritating and cleanup is a snap. Dries just as fast. Each coat melts into the last one.  https://www.targetcoatings.com/shop/water-based-lacquers/

General Finishes has a product called Enduro but again you need a spray gun. There is no rattle can water based lacquers that I know of.

If you can spray outdoors then nitro lacquer would be easy. Plenty of choices of rattle can I use Deft the most but have used Watco too. I like Satin look. Not a big fan of high gloss on works like that. 

 

I was just searching and Emtech is what I had found as well. I really like the idea because I do have an HVLP sprayer and I like how lacquer performs but don’t like dealing with the fumes and thinner. Now to decide how much to order.  I’m thinking a gallon? Which probably means I need two.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

13 minutes ago, Charlie E said:

I was just searching and Emtech is what I had found as well. I really like the idea because I do have an HVLP sprayer and I like how lacquer performs but don’t like dealing with the fumes and thinner. Now to decide how much to order.  I’m thinking a gallon? Which probably means I need two.

2 quarts is what I think. If you are just doing outside. Depends on how many coats you apply and you do not want to spray too thick but do not want orange peel either. That stuff flows on evenly. Just need to mix well They have videos on their site of how to use. Jeff is a great teacher and any questions just call and ask him. 

By the way I have always used the 6000. They just came out with the 7000 which is a higher thicker material. I called them about a month ago about it and was told it works just like the 6000 but you can get away with less coats because of the thicker material. Now it probably needs a different setting of the gun and maybe even a wider nozzle but not sure. i told them maybe at some time down the road I would give a try. 

Edited 8 hours ago by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[Charlie E]

28 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

2 quarts is what I think. If you are just doing outside. Depends on how many coats you apply and you do not want to spray too thick but do not want orange peel either. That stuff flows on evenly. Just need to mix well They have videos on their site of how to use. Jeff is a great teacher and any questions just call and ask him. 

By the way I have always used the 6000. They just came out with the 7000 which is a higher thicker material. I called them about a month ago about it and was told it works just like the 6000 but you can get away with less coats because of the thicker material. Now it probably needs a different setting of the gun and maybe even a wider nozzle but not sure. i told them maybe at some time down the road I would give a try. 

Thanks very much for the advice!

[Scrappile]

I have not used water-based product lacquers, but it looks like I am going to have to.  My wife has COPD and is on oxygen. Even though I am in the basement at the far end of the house, she knows the minute I even open a can of some lacquer-type, non-water-based finish.  It really bothers her.  So in the winter, I can do no finishing.  But I know nothing about HVLP sprayers. How do I find one in the lower price range that is worth using?

And another question, what kind of shelf life does that stuff have once the can has been opened?  Usually come in quarts as the smallest amount, Take me a long time to use up a quart, I would think.

Edited 6 hours ago by Scrappile

[rdatelle]

Those look great.

[Charlie E]

48 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

I have not used water-based product lacquers, but it looks like I am going to have to.  My wife has COPD and is on oxygen. Even though I am in the basement at the far end of the house, she knows the minute I even open a can of some lacquer-type, non-water-based finish.  It really bothers her.  So in the winter, I can do no finishing.  But I know nothing about HVLP sprayers. How do I find one in the lower price range that is worth using?

And another question, what kind of shelf life does that stuff have once the can has been opened?  Usually come in quarts as the smallest amount, Take me a long time to use up a quart, I would think.

I’ll defer this to @JTTHECLOCKMAN as I’m just learning about it myself.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

3 hours ago, Scrappile said:

I have not used water-based product lacquers, but it looks like I am going to have to.  My wife has COPD and is on oxygen. Even though I am in the basement at the far end of the house, she knows the minute I even open a can of some lacquer-type, non-water-based finish.  It really bothers her.  So in the winter, I can do no finishing.  But I know nothing about HVLP sprayers. How do I find one in the lower price range that is worth using?

And another question, what kind of shelf life does that stuff have once the can has been opened?  Usually come in quarts as the smallest amount, Take me a long time to use up a quart, I would think.

When I first got into the scrolling and woodworking business I was put in touch with Jeff Jewitt from Homestead Finishing. this goes back quite a few years. he was the big name in finishing and talking with him over those times he told me about the waterbased lacquers and also good quality spray guns and HVLP sprayers and things like this. I bought one of the guns he recommended and love it for it does what I needed it to do and that was spray lacquers. Have been using for over 20 years. Here is an article he wrote for fine woodworking that explains alot.  https://www.finewoodworking.com/2004/11/01/selecting-a-finish

He use to have a web site and now I do not know what this is because I have not ordered from them in awhile but I use to deal with Homestead Finishing. https://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/contact-and-ordering-info/. You can contact Jeff through there and order everything. Is there other sources, I am sure there is. But that is where I started and trusted. 

As far as shelf life. I never really had a open can that was more than 1/4 full left over and it lasted a couple years. I have right now full gallon can and also a full quart can and it is fine. Not sure when I will be using it for my scrolling days and large woodworking projects are non existent. I just moved the cans the other day to get at some other finishes I need for my moldings in my house.