Modern Materials ?
By Spencer Chase
First a couple of questions:
Does anyone have experience, either good or bad, with the new water based wood grain fillers?
I read somewhere that latex rubber bands have a high sulphur content and are not good for old paper such as piano rolls. They also do not last very long and turn to goo and break. I like the idea of keeping air out of rolls, with bands, to keep the acid at bay. Does anyone know if butyl rubber bands cut out of bicycle inner tubes would be hazardous to rolls?
After reading Craig Brougher's condemnation of carpenter's glue, I have another to add to the list. Gorilla Glue (a urethane resin glue) was recommended to me as an excellent glue, especially for bonding difficult to glue resinous hardwoods such as purple heart. It is true that it sticks well enough (the wood breaks before the bond when tested) but it is flexible and creeps just like alphatic resin glue. I glued up a countertop and sanded it to perfection only to find that the when the boards relaxed (they were dry, purple heart just does this) the glue joints moved and the top is now uneven. The next time I will try the Milligan & Higgens hot glue and see if it sticks to purple heart.
I was also pleased to see the I am not the only one who notices when finish manufacturers change their formulas. In the past when I used to do more finish work I found that it tooks years to really learn the properties of a particular type and brand of finish only to have it change. Lacquers are the worst as they are so touchy at best and so mechanically different from the wood they are applied to. They dry so quickly that they often don't bond well to the wood surface. I like to brush in a compatable sealer well thinned as the first coat with any modern finish. Also pay attention to the manufacturers recommendation as to when and how to apply subsequent coats. Modern lacquers are complex and varied formulas and have very specific application requirements. Two finishes that I like that haven't changed much and are quite reliable are: Pratt & Lambert clear varnish # 38 and Penofin interior oil finish, natural (non V.O.C. compliant formula not available everywhere.) It takes some practice and lots of coats to produce a beautiful finish with the penofin but it is probably the best finish for someone without spraying facilities. If anyone is contemplating an oil finish, ask me about some hard learned techniques.
|
(Message sent Mon 4 Nov 1996, 08:32:26 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.) |
|
|
Mechanical
Music Digest™ Archives
