[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by p8nter

I have seen some pretty bad painters win car shows, Its not your painting skills that win...its your buffing skills that win.
Fitzter

LOLOL, man if that isn't the truth. I had a customer who would paint with the cheapest gun, become a "Junior Chemist" and change mixing ratios and every other stupid thing, bomb the paint on looking like a mess. Then spend hours and hours buffing them to look pretty darn good.

I know personally I have saved a few messes of mine with the cutting and buffing.

Brian

[theHIGHLANDER]

About perfection, it ain't easy. It's possible but at a price. I would stand this one next to anything. It's not the only one this well done, not the only one from me or anyone. I did just learn that after a dozen years it still took a win at the Amelia Island Concours. So not just well done but longevity. Something else that gets missed from time to time. The decklid shot is one we're just completing. Polishing skills? You ain't kiddin...whata beotch

[theHIGHLANDER]

OK, about that decklid shot, that outta focus look just wears me the #@*% out. That's that "urethane cellulite" look I can't stand. I don't know when I'll get a customer that wants to pony up for the way to remove it. I know my truck will be good ol HOK lacquer. I want it to shock and horrify. I want it so flat that you can't tell the color on a sunny day. I miss that. I wanna see it again, dammit!

[shine]

i made myself a box full of blocks from scrape walnut. i don't think you can get rid of thanepeel with a rubber block. i too miss the days of lacquer. it's how i learned. the iwata and spi have helped me a bunch in getting back to it.

[shine]

ofcourse your buffing a land yatch there highlander

[baddbob]

Oh yeah, I miss the workability and looks of lacquer as well but there's no way I'm going back to it with it's durability problems. The last lacquer job I did was in 1991 on my own black ride, with epoxy and urethane surfacers it still didn't hold up but then again the lead was out by then. I've got plexiglass blocks for taking out any urethane cellulite and agree with Shine on the Iwata eliminating a lot of that. Flow coats also reduce any texture stackup.

[theHIGHLANDER]

Ah yes, the Iwata...we all talked about that earlier this year. I finally got one a few months back. The "Lexus" of spray guns. Beyond helpful in the grand scheme of things. I know how to totally remove it (thanepeel...I like that ), problem is you need to paint the car 2 times for lack of a better short description. Some are just not worth doing in the long haul. From what I gather, HOK has not changed their formula for lacquer over the years. As we old-timers know, the secret to long life on lac is film build...or lack of it. Too brittle for heavy top coatings. FWIW, for strictly show only, nitrocellulose is still available from specialty manufacturers outta 'Jersey. Talk about flat perfection, huh? But then again rapid temp change will destroy it before your eyes. I know of an old show truck that came out of Cobo Hall 40some years ago. That's a winter show and the truck's finish cracked within minutes over just about every square inch. It still looks that way today. Sad. I'm sure there's downfalls I'll experience doing my personal ride in lac, but I really don't care. There's ways around it. Not like it'll be a 365 daily.

[MARTINSR]

Oh boy did you just bring back some really bad memories! When I had my shop I was always working pay check to pay check working into the wee hours of the morning to get something out the next day. I did a Mazda RX7 in lacquer two stage. Went home to bed and when I went back it was cracked all to hell. What a HORRIBLE day in my life.

Yeah on the durability, my truck was painted with lacquer, 9 coats, Five then sand then four more. It was done in 1979 and has seen a garage about half of the time since. It is out behind my garage right now where it has been for last 10 years and the paint still looks damn good. There is NO failure what so ever! It is faded all to hell, but a quick polish and it would look like new again.

That is lacquer primer, and paint. With the way we talk about lacquer primers and paints you would think the stuff would be falling off on the ground and rust covering the truck. But it wasn't that bad, just in "comparison" to urthanes it's junk.

Brian

[jcclark]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

With the way we talk about lacquer primers and paints you would think the stuff would be falling off on the ground and rust covering the truck. But it wasn't that bad, just in "comparison" to urthanes it's junk.

Brian

Exactly!!!!!

[BradD]

It Depends on the owner wanting to pay for perfection and the laborer knowing what perfection is and how to get the project to that point!
Brad(one who does know)

[Brian_B]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

That is lacquer primer, and paint. With the way we talk about lacquer primers and paints you would think the stuff would be falling off on the ground and rust covering the truck. But it wasn't that bad, just in "comparison" to urthanes it's junk.

Brian

I have to agree with that. I don't know anything about paint, but...the 50 year old laquer that is on most of my truck is not in that bad of condition. Where its primer and other colors is where damage or replacement parts are.

It has some cracking in some places, but after 50 years who cares?

[shine]

i used lacquer for many years. did customs , restorations and just about everything with it. it is not an inferior product. it is just one of the most abused products. because of it's ease of use everyone with a craftsman spray gun thought they could paint. most every failure i ever seen was due to it's misuse. like the old "40 coats hand rubbed" crap. if done right it will look great and last for many years. excessive film build is the #1 reason for failure.

[jcclark]

Originally Posted by Brian_B

It has some cracking in some places, but after 50 years who cares?

That's me, after 50 yrs I have some cracking too!

[BondoKing]

Originally Posted by shine

because of it's ease of use everyone with a craftsman spray gun thought they could paint. most every failure i ever seen was due to it's misuse. like the old "40 coats hand rubbed" crap.

Thats funny right there I dont care who you are

[baddbob]

Originally Posted by shine

most every failure i ever seen was due to it's misuse. like the old "40 coats hand rubbed" crap. if done right it will look great and last for many years. excessive film build is the #1 reason for failure.

Over reduction also causes premature failure with lacquer. Lacquer went downhill qualitywise during the 80's IMO, unless the paint was babied like a show car and kept out of the sun it usually wouldn't hold up very well. Nitrocellulose produced the nicest shine but it requires even more maintanence.