I'm gonna shoot some 40 plus year old lacquer

F

flynams

Okay, guys...here's a job that you can really flame me on. I shot a 67 vette coupe for a friend of mine in 1976 (Milano maroon) in lacquer. It was a sand and shoot over original paint. At the time, he bought 2 more gallons of paint "for the next time" and kept it in the furnace room...I guess he flipped the cans every 3 months and according to his son, EVERY 3 MONTHS. Sadly, he passed a couple of years ago. His son took over the can flipping, I guess. Last fall he came to me and wanted us to repaint his dad's car with this paint. I hadn't seen the car for years and told him it wouldn't work for many reasons as you can guess. Well, he brought me the paint and IT SEEMED FINE????? So we took a small amount and shot a door I had laying around and put it out behind the shop in the weather all fall and winter. It looks fine. To make a long story short, we are going to repaint his dad's car with the paint his dad "saved" for all these years. I feel the Karma will allow this job to work, so here's to you George...we're painting the coupe again
 
flynams;35623 said:
Okay, guys...here's a job that you can really flame me on. I shot a 67 vette coupe for a friend of mine in 1976 (Milano maroon) in lacquer. It was a sand and shoot over original paint. At the time, he bought 2 more gallons of paint "for the next time" and kept it in the furnace room...I guess he flipped the cans every 3 months and according to his son, EVERY 3 MONTHS. Sadly, he passed a couple of years ago. His son took over the can flipping, I guess. Last fall he came to me and wanted us to repaint his dad's car with this paint. I hadn't seen the car for years and told him it wouldn't work for many reasons as you can guess. Well, he brought me the paint and IT SEEMED FINE????? So we took a small amount and shot a door I had laying around and put it out behind the shop in the weather all fall and winter. It looks fine. To make a long story short, we are going to repaint his dad's car with the paint his dad "saved" for all these years. I feel the Karma will allow this job to work, so here's to you George...we're painting the coupe again
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That's an awesome story. If the paint works out, you and his son should write the story up and submit it to one of the car magazines. Good luck.
 
Very cool! I've done some lacquer work over the past couple years on original classics and I gotta tell ya SPI reducer works far better than any lacquer thinner I used years ago. Ask Barry on this-try it, it works good. Post up some pics of the project. I wouldn't argue that lacquer is durable compared to today's paints but there is a simplistic attraction for sure and it does look good when done right.
 
I agree its a cool story. Looking forward to seeing some pics. He must have really loved the color to have kept up with flipping of the cans over all those years.
 
Bob Hollinshead;35635 said:
Very cool! I've done some lacquer work over the past couple years on original classics and I gotta tell ya SPI reducer works far better than any lacquer thinner I used years ago. Ask Barry on this-try it, it works good. Post up some pics of the project. I wouldn't argue that lacquer is durable compared to today's paints but there is a simplistic attraction for sure and it does look good when done right.
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Great idea on the reducer. Since I haven't shot any lacquer for probably 30 years or more, any other tips from you guys? I am rebuilding an old Binks 18 for fun and nostalgia. I will be doing the spraying and there will be no clear put over it, just like we used to do...
 
Awesome, story and as far as the lacquer being good, there is only one test needed and you already did it! If it sprays dirty, the pigments kicked out and it cannot be used, other then that, it is perfect.

Yes the reducer 870 or 885 will be perfect.
 
Pardon my stupidity but isn't youre reducer urethane? I know nothing about lacquer so I'm dumb when it comes to that it was before my time. Just wondering how it could work with it I always thought lacquer had to use lacquer thinner, acrylic had its own and urethane its own. Not questioning anyone just looking for a explination for future reference. I thought all lacquer was good for was cleaning the gun lol!
 
Curt what you say is true but two points.
First that lacquer thinner you buy in 5 gallon pails for $45 is not lacquer thinner.
Real stuff, like DTL105 will cost over 100 a gallon as will PNT 90.
Urethane reducers and lacquer thinners are real close in solvency but the urethane reducer has less parts per million of moisture and costs more to make.
 
Barry recommended reducer for all my woodworking lacquer jobs,
I gotta tell you, it works far better than lacquer thinner.
Been using it for about 2 yrs now. Thanks Barry (again)
 
Seems to me there used to be some enamel reducers that would NOT work with lacquer back in the old days, this may be where the lingering reluctance comes from.
 
yep, enamel reducer in lacquer does not work-made that mistake as a kid and seen clumping and curdling. There were a few painters in this area that used lacquer thinner in enamel and treated the paint like lacquer and supposedly they looked good and held up better than lacquer-this was happening way before my time.
 
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