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I have to repair some chipped nitro and was wondering if there was anywhere I could buy small quantities of retarder, thinner, and lacquer. Stew Mac sells Behlen products in 1 quart sizes and being that I don't use nitro for my builds, these large quantities would just go to waste (plus cost a lot more than I'd like).

I don't know anywhere you can buy nitro in smaller volumes than a quart. You could buy it in a spray can and just spray what you need into a small jar but you will still have a spray bomb of it sitting around and I am not sure it is cheaper in a spray can.

If you are just using it to drop fill chips then CA glue will work just fine for small chips. You can drop fill the chips and let it dry and then lightly wet sand it flush and then just buff it out. I have done that a number of times and it works quite well.

Bob

Bob,
Have you used CA as a drop fill on nitro with good results?

Chuck

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If you look at the MSDS for Cover Girl clear nail polish you will see it includes Nitrocellulose and solvents as well as a few other things. It may work for what you want to do, but as always test it first.

Yes I have used it on nitro. I just retouched the neck on a guitar I refinished a couple of years ago. I have also used it on other guitars as well so it works just fine. I actually used it to refinish a spot on a 2K cleard 12 string a few years ago. The guitar had a big chip about the size of a quarter out of the neck right about where it would sit on a stand. I had to re-stain the wood and then drop filled it with think CA, Wet sanded it off and brushed some water thin CA over it to blend it in. Worked great and you couldn't even tell it had been repaired.

The nail polish idea is probably a good idea too if you don't want to buy it in quantities. Or I also though you could get some clear model paint although I think that is acrylic but it would work for drop filling chips. I don't think there is much that will lift lacquer but lacquer will lift a lot of other finishes so I don't think you have too much to worry about as far as destroying the finish.

Just make sure it is completely free of any wax or you may have adhesion problems. I usually use an old toothbrush with wax and grease remover and scrub them out a couple of times. Naphtha will work well also.

Bob

I've used nitrate dope to do small repairs in a pinch. Nitrate dope is nothing but nitrocellulose lacquer. You can get it in both 2oz and 4oz bottles in most well stocked hobby shops. They'll have thinner and retarder in those same small bottles.

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Jim Womack

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. "
Will Rogers

Some brushing lacquers are also nitro (look up the MSDS). Even though you might have to buy a quart, it's usually not too expensive.