Hi All
First I should say, I think if you build something,you can do what ever you want. And I think all finishes have a reason and purpose they where intended for. The Challenge is to match the task with the finish. And because the finishing field can be , shall we say, twisted,I should mention that besides being a former assistant instructor at DCTC, as a student, I logged more time than most. Along with the other schools I attended. I restore/conserve high end antiques and maintain collections for dealers, museums and private collectors throughout the country. So much for the commercial
With that said, here we go.
Tony, you build kitchen cabs, using pre or post cat lacquer, is a very good choice. And the reason most cab company's went to pre cat lacquer is because of the speed of build and dry time. Now its been some time since I've read the can but I think they recommend 2 coats and no more than 3. You can spray a cab in the morning and have it in a box the same day. Compared to nitrocellulose lacquer [Witch I call old lacquer] that may take 15-20 coats to get the same build. For cab company's this was a vast improvement. Remember, when we talk about kitchen cabs, we are talking about vertical surfaces. And as I can tell that neither you or Mike refinish cabinets I can understand why you would lean that way. If you are going to compare SW cat lacquer with Campbell high solids lacquer,I don't think you would see much difference.{ Hang with me here] The big difference is in repair ability. When you refinish kitchen cabs, you take the doors off and replace them or sand the finish off and start over. If they are coated with cat lacquer [ and I am talking about most cat lacquer] you will find that the stripper will not remove it. You will find yourself at the dip tanks fighting to get this stuff off. It is very durable just like Tony said. So what if we put cat lacquer on a veneered piece of furniture? Cat. lacquer can get all the damage every other finish can get, Water marks, scratches,hot pizza box marks,[ a personal Favorite]. With old lacquer, I would easily spray the white mark with blush eliminator and the damage is gone.
Time for a story, some years back I was called to repair a new table that had some red dye from a candle that had spilled its wax. The dye some how got in the finish, not on top. Upon entering the room, I could spot it as cat lacquer. The trained eye can spot the difference form across the room.When I asked the couple if it was in fact cat lacquer the couple was happy to tell me it was.The seller told them it was a new indestructible finish. The table had a beautiful veneer on MDF. The couple had called the company that made the table and were told to get who ever they wanted to repair the surface. Are any of you starting to see the red flags yet? Company's don't often give you a choice, they send there own people. Now, because of my training, I knew that the first one to try to repair the surface would only make it worse. You see, cat lacquer doesn't repair very well, and the company knew it.I armed the couple with this info and off to court they went. You see this couple were both lawyers, and they presented this info to the other side, and a settlement was made. After words it came out that they had hoped some one would have attempted to fix it to attach a percentage of damage to the restorer.
The bottom line is if you buy new furniture with cat lacquer, you may be buying throw away furniture. Now let's plug your furniture, that you have spent all this time in building into this equation. I hope you see what I am trying to convey. Everybody knows that if a piece of furniture can't be repaired it is not going to be the family heirloom you intended it to be. The best way to remove cat lacquer is to cut it off. If you are dealing with thin veneers, well you can see the problem that would cause. If I left something out or you have more questions, or just want to hear another story (I am getting up there in years, where I have plenty) just ask. Questions are good. Do good work. Randy
