A while back I complained about the nozzle design, sputters, splatters, drips and uneven flow of MOHAWK aerosol toning lacquers. Even email to vendors and Mohawk about nozzle design went unanswered. It may have been my one unique can, but vowed never to use it again. On a recent restoration, toning lacquer was an absolute must, so I went searching for a competitive product, but found only one. A companion product, BEHLEN, from the same company (RPM wood finishing products) that markets Mohawk. This product performs flawlessly, very user friendly, comes in an array of tones for any job, and is competitively priced. I found it at a nearby Rocklers.
HERE IS ANOTHER WORTHWILE TIP
Poplar, which is a soft wood, is carried in the dimensioned hardwood section of most lumber stores. If you have a restoration involving bare poplar, don't apply oil based stains with a bristled or foam brush. It is very porous and soaks up stain like a sponge, but no amount of remover, lacquer thinner, acetone or sanding can remove it all. Even after you think you have dissolved/sanded all of it away, it'll weep to the surface again. Instead, use a clean dry cloth wrapped around a couple fingers, applying only small amounts to attain the desired tone. In my haste I recently produced one of the ugliest pieces of stained wood known to mankind, but fortunately was able to cover the unsightly results with toning lacquers. Thanks for listening.
marv
In my 2 day search for competitors to Mohawk, never saw Campbells noted anywhere. RPM's BEHLEN product line may be their Master branding, and I'm happy with the results I got. Others on this forum have expressed excellent results with Mohawk, but mine were disasterous.
marv
:I’ve had the same problem with Mohawk and I’m planning on trying Campbell’s on my next project. Has anyone tried theirs?
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:HERE IS ANOTHER WORTHWILE TIP
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:Poplar, which is a soft wood, is carried in the dimensioned hardwood section of most lumber stores. If you have a restoration involving bare poplar, don't apply oil based stains with a bristled or foam brush. It is very porous and soaks up stain like a sponge, but no amount of remover, lacquer thinner, acetone or sanding can remove it all. Even after you think you have dissolved/sanded all of it away, it'll weep to the surface again. Instead, use a clean dry cloth wrapped around a couple fingers, applying only small amounts to attain the desired tone. In my haste I recently produced one of the ugliest pieces of stained wood known to mankind, but fortunately was able to cover the unsightly results with toning lacquers. Thanks for listening.
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:marv
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:Hi! Marv,
The rag trick has worked great for me in the past. However, to avoid blotching ,there is something called (Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner) that is used to partially block the pores in wood prior to staining. For best results let it dry overnight. This gives you more control over the staining process.I find this works great and the rag trick can still be used with it.
:Bob Masse
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::Forum,
::HERE IS ANOTHER WORTHWILE TIP
::
::Poplar, which is a soft wood, is carried in the dimensioned hardwood section of most lumber stores. If you have a restoration involving bare poplar, don't apply oil based stains with a bristled or foam brush. It is very porous and soaks up stain like a sponge, but no amount of remover, lacquer thinner, acetone or sanding can remove it all. Even after you think you have dissolved/sanded all of it away, it'll weep to the surface again. Instead, use a clean dry cloth wrapped around a couple fingers, applying only small amounts to attain the desired tone. In my haste I recently produced one of the ugliest pieces of stained wood known to mankind, but fortunately was able to cover the unsightly results with toning lacquers. Thanks for listening.
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::marv
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::Hi! Marv,
:The rag trick has worked great for me in the past. However, to avoid blotching ,there is something called (Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner) that is used to partially block the pores in wood prior to staining. For best results let it dry overnight. This gives you more control over the staining process.I find this works great and the rag trick can still be used with it.
::Bob Masse
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Thanks for all the suggestions and help. Been out of the loop for a couple days. Had a virus on my PC, so that's probably why I couldn't access the REPLY page. I read the back panel on the Minwax can, but poplar was not mentioned as needing a pre-stain treatment, although several others were noted. But I learned my lesson well. The job, a well paying one at that, was an antique storage enclosure for silverware. The lid was made of 5 pieces of poplar glued together, then shaped into a slight curvature, but w/flat top. In my experience, those 5 pieces should have had similar grain, tone, pattern, and from the same part of the tree, before gluing them, but they were a mix, probably from 5 separate trees. In addition, the orig. glue soaked in just like my stain, and didn't accept the color, so there were 4 white lines running the width of the lid. In the end, I was able to correct all the problems with toning lacquer and several coats of clear satin. Customer loves it, and I'll deliver Fri when I feel the lacquer has cured well.
marv
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:Sires . . . . .
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:I also like to use poplar, but heartily agree on its taking in of anything placed on its surface. In distinct splotches, if using full strength wiping stains.
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:I fully expect that witin its genetic infrastructure, that its father was a sponge and its mother was a cotton ball.
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:My procedure:
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:Is to liberally flow a flooding wetting coat of the cheapest thing around, painters mineral spirits, and then use a diluted WASH of the stain using the same mineral spirits to make that wash.
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:The staining is then created in quite uniform layering stages of darkening, doing multiple applications and then stopping when you hit that desired level of shading. Then a FULL drying out time and a final evaluation of its shade.
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:I very commonly will be using artists oil paints for my tinting sources.
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:73's de Edd
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:::Forum,
:::HERE IS ANOTHER WORTHWILE TIP
:::
:::Poplar, which is a soft wood, is carried in the dimensioned hardwood section of most lumber stores. If you have a restoration involving bare poplar, don't apply oil based stains with a bristled or foam brush. It is very porous and soaks up stain like a sponge, but no amount of remover, lacquer thinner, acetone or sanding can remove it all. Even after you think you have dissolved/sanded all of it away, it'll weep to the surface again. Instead, use a clean dry cloth wrapped around a couple fingers, applying only small amounts to attain the desired tone. In my haste I recently produced one of the ugliest pieces of stained wood known to mankind, but fortunately was able to cover the unsightly results with toning lacquers. Thanks for listening.
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:::marv
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:::Hi! Marv,
::The rag trick has worked great for me in the past. However, to avoid blotching ,there is something called (Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner) that is used to partially block the pores in wood prior to staining. For best results let it dry overnight. This gives you more control over the staining process.I find this works great and the rag trick can still be used with it.
:::Bob Masse
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:A while back I complained about the nozzle design, sputters, splatters, drips and uneven flow of MOHAWK aerosol toning lacquers. Even email to vendors and Mohawk about nozzle design went unanswered. It may have been my one unique can, but vowed never to use it again. On a recent restoration, toning lacquer was an absolute must, so I went searching for a competitive product, but found only one. A companion product, BEHLEN, from the same company (RPM wood finishing products) that markets Mohawk. This product performs flawlessly, very user friendly, comes in an array of tones for any job, and is competitively priced. I found it at a nearby Rocklers.
:
:HERE IS ANOTHER WORTHWILE TIP
:
:Poplar, which is a soft wood, is carried in the dimensioned hardwood section of most lumber stores. If you have a restoration involving bare poplar, don't apply oil based stains with a bristled or foam brush. It is very porous and soaks up stain like a sponge, but no amount of remover, lacquer thinner, acetone or sanding can remove it all. Even after you think you have dissolved/sanded all of it away, it'll weep to the surface again. Instead, use a clean dry cloth wrapped around a couple fingers, applying only small amounts to attain the desired tone. In my haste I recently produced one of the ugliest pieces of stained wood known to mankind, but fortunately was able to cover the unsightly results with toning lacquers. Thanks for listening.
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:marv
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Marv,
I have used Behlens toning lacquers for years without a single problem. I get them at my local Woodcraft store. They run about $7.00 a can. They come in many colors/shades and have worked miracles for covering problem areas and for recreating the original look of the lacquers.
I made the mistake early on by spending more money on the Mohawk brand with miserable results.
Jon.
Several on this forum have been in awe of Mohawk's toning lacquers, but my one experience with 1 can only, left me with much pain and addt'l repairs. Unfortunately Behlen and Mohawk are the only 2 nitrocellulous I have found in aerosol cans from a web search. I have found a couple make-believe products from Krylon (called translucent) in acrylic lacquer, but that stuff is a joke if you're trying to restore a fine wood cabinet. I have not found any acrylic aerosol from ANY MFR good for anything but a glue coating. I haven't experimented with mixing or using acrylic lacquers with professional equipment, so rely solely on aerosol cans. Living in CA, the days are numbered for local purchase or shipping of these nitrocellulous products. My preference for the clear stuff is Deft, but even though some is still on the shelf at Lowes, their web site will not ship to CA. Guess I'll have to fire up my Dodge Ram and organize a "CONVOY" for out of state purchase, then hope the "Fruit Check" sites at the CA border or "Clean Air Cops" don't shut down my one man hobby in my garage.
marv
::Forum,
::A while back I complained about the nozzle design, sputters, splatters, drips and uneven flow of MOHAWK aerosol toning lacquers. Even email to vendors and Mohawk about nozzle design went unanswered. It may have been my one unique can, but vowed never to use it again. On a recent restoration, toning lacquer was an absolute must, so I went searching for a competitive product, but found only one. A companion product, BEHLEN, from the same company (RPM wood finishing products) that markets Mohawk. This product performs flawlessly, very user friendly, comes in an array of tones for any job, and is competitively priced. I found it at a nearby Rocklers.
::
::HERE IS ANOTHER WORTHWILE TIP
::
::Poplar, which is a soft wood, is carried in the dimensioned hardwood section of most lumber stores. If you have a restoration involving bare poplar, don't apply oil based stains with a bristled or foam brush. It is very porous and soaks up stain like a sponge, but no amount of remover, lacquer thinner, acetone or sanding can remove it all. Even after you think you have dissolved/sanded all of it away, it'll weep to the surface again. Instead, use a clean dry cloth wrapped around a couple fingers, applying only small amounts to attain the desired tone. In my haste I recently produced one of the ugliest pieces of stained wood known to mankind, but fortunately was able to cover the unsightly results with toning lacquers. Thanks for listening.
::
::marv
::
:Marv,
:I have used Behlens toning lacquers for years without a single problem. I get them at my local Woodcraft store. They run about $7.00 a can. They come in many colors/shades and have worked miracles for covering problem areas and for recreating the original look of the lacquers.
:I made the mistake early on by spending more money on the Mohawk brand with miserable results.
:Jon.
:
:Several on this forum have been in awe of Mohawk's toning lacquers, but my one experience with 1 can only, left me with much pain and addt'l repairs. Unfortunately Behlen and Mohawk are the only 2 nitrocellulous I have found in aerosol cans from a web search. I have found a couple make-believe products from Krylon (called translucent) in acrylic lacquer, but that stuff is a joke if you're trying to restore a fine wood cabinet. I have not found any acrylic aerosol from ANY MFR good for anything but a glue coating. I haven't experimented with mixing or using acrylic lacquers with professional equipment, so rely solely on aerosol cans. Living in CA, the days are numbered for local purchase or shipping of these nitrocellulous products. My preference for the clear stuff is Deft, but even though some is still on the shelf at Lowes, their web site will not ship to CA. Guess I'll have to fire up my Dodge Ram and organize a "CONVOY" for out of state purchase, then hope the "Fruit Check" sites at the CA border or "Clean Air Cops" don't shut down my one man hobby in my garage.
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:marv
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:Hey!Marv,
Some of the new water based products are worth looking into even though it requires time to research and you may have to practice on scrap lumber. Last summer I painted some exterior concrete. I was a real fan of oil based paints for exterior use. When I went shopping for paint there was no oil based paint left at Walmart and was told it was basically being outlawed. So I went with some top line C-I-L, water based, acrylic latex,porch and floor, paint. This was scary because it had to go over old oil paint.I followed the directions and washed and sanded the old paint before applying the new paint.The new paint brushed on better than any oil base I ever used .It has been 4 months and no signs of wear on the front porch.It made a fan of water base out of me. I plan on trying more water based products.
: Bob Masse
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I've used hobby/craft acrylic paints as well as typical house/deck paints, and correctly applied, they're great. I've enjoyed success using them on end grain where a more or less opaque finish is desirable. Then overcoating with nitro based lacquer. But laying down a fine even coat of clear acrylic lacquer from an aerosol can on a well prepared piece of furniture/radio is impossible. I've yet to find any mfr that produces an acrylic aerosol cannister that atomizes the mixture properly, and provides a well proportioned even fan shaped spray pattern. As noted earlier, it may require professional equipment that I don't have, but until then will continue with the nitro stuff as long as available.
marv
::Jon,
::Several on this forum have been in awe of Mohawk's toning lacquers, but my one experience with 1 can only, left me with much pain and addt'l repairs. Unfortunately Behlen and Mohawk are the only 2 nitrocellulous I have found in aerosol cans from a web search. I have found a couple make-believe products from Krylon (called translucent) in acrylic lacquer, but that stuff is a joke if you're trying to restore a fine wood cabinet. I have not found any acrylic aerosol from ANY MFR good for anything but a glue coating. I haven't experimented with mixing or using acrylic lacquers with professional equipment, so rely solely on aerosol cans. Living in CA, the days are numbered for local purchase or shipping of these nitrocellulous products. My preference for the clear stuff is Deft, but even though some is still on the shelf at Lowes, their web site will not ship to CA. Guess I'll have to fire up my Dodge Ram and organize a "CONVOY" for out of state purchase, then hope the "Fruit Check" sites at the CA border or "Clean Air Cops" don't shut down my one man hobby in my garage.
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::marv
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::Hey!Marv,
: Some of the new water based products are worth looking into even though it requires time to research and you may have to practice on scrap lumber. Last summer I painted some exterior concrete. I was a real fan of oil based paints for exterior use. When I went shopping for paint there was no oil based paint left at Walmart and was told it was basically being outlawed. So I went with some top line C-I-L, water based, acrylic latex,porch and floor, paint. This was scary because it had to go over old oil paint.I followed the directions and washed and sanded the old paint before applying the new paint.The new paint brushed on better than any oil base I ever used .It has been 4 months and no signs of wear on the front porch.It made a fan of water base out of me. I plan on trying more water based products.
:: Bob Masse
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