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I bought some Behlen's Stringed Instrument Lacquer along with their retarder from my local Woodcraft (seemed like a good idea to avoid shipping charges) but Woodcraft doesn't carry Behlen's lacquer thinner.

I know that lacquer thinner is a pretty common product but I've also heard that cheap lacquer thinner is not a good idea - something about little white cotton like balls showing up.

So, what brands of lacquer thinner are "good" & which ones should be avoided? Is it ok to use regular lacquer thinner with Behlen's stringed instrument lacquer?

Thanks,
Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

With the stringed instrument lacquers it's best to use like brand names all the way through the process...or at least you won't get the manufacturers to say otherwise. One thing to note is that the Behlen and Qualalacq products are made by Mohawk Industries. The Behlen stringed instrument lacquer is the exact same product as Mohawk stringed instrument lacquer so the reducers and the retarders will co-mix without issue. In this case the Mohawk 2255 is the ticket. I wouldn't suggest that you make that assumption about all reducers, however. A gallon of Mohawk lacquer is about $32....a much better value than buying quarts of Behlen....fyi.

Depending on your gun, tip size, pressure....the mix of reducer and retarder will vary...but follow the directions carefully on the retarder. I found that using a 10% ratio of retarder to reducer and then a 20% ratio of that mixture to lacquer gives me the best result with my cheap hvlp gun. I need the retarder to keep the surface from skinning which avoids trapping tiny bubbles....but if you go too far with retarder you could have curing problems.

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I read Emerson on the can. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds...true...but a consistent reading of Emerson has its uses nevertheless.

StuMusic

Behlen 631 thinner. Grizzly had it last time I looked. Avoid using retarder unless really needed to avoid blushing. It can keep the finish soft for a long time.

Clean up with hardware store thinner; don't thin with it.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Thanks for the replies.

Grizzly has it along with the lacquer at a great price.

Here in Ohio (pronounced "uh-hi-uh") it's rare for the RH do go below 50-55% this time of year, that's why I was thinking I needed retarder. This will be my first attempt at spraying with a gun as opposed to aerosol cans. I suppose some experimenting will be needed.

Kevin Looker

_________________
I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I was wondering about retarder keeping the finish kind of soft. Here in FL about 8 months out of the year the RH is pretty high, and I have been using retarder nearly all the time. But to be honest, even with AC, a dehumidifier, a turbine HVLP, and retarder, I still struggle with blushing. I have been thinking of going without the retarder as I believe the downside (softness) is worse than the benefits, the lacquer retarder does not seem to work nearly as well to prevent blushing as the retarder I have used when spraying dope on cloth-covered airplanes in a non-climate controlled environment.

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Damon Wack
https://www.facebook.com/LindamonGuitars