Are you stripping first or finishing over an existing finish?
I used to prime with shellac, but found adhesion was not not what the finishing articles advertised. Plus Arthur said afterward it was a bad idea to shellac under Pianolac.
I have never had any finish interaction problems with water based products. You may be having issues like fisheye, if you are sanding with a stearated paper. The stearates will definitely create fisheye type problems. On plates, re the article I wrote in the journal a little while ago, primed with Stix insl-x, over existing finishes, eliminates all kinds of intercoat problems I used to have with solvent finishes.
How thick are you spraying. Spraying 1 to 2 mil wet coat thickness, avoids all kinds of problems. Thick coatings are nothing but problems. This may be the problem with cracking, which I have never experienced at all with water based finishes.
Also, re fisheye, is your compressor introducing oil into the line...and if the compressor is an oilless compressor, that air will be hot, and full of problematic humidity.
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-21-2020 08:45
From: Matteo Crudo
Subject: ebony piano refinish products
JIm, Do you prime with anything in between the wood and those water based finishes? I've used General FInishes quite a bit, and I need to spray a layer a shellac down before spraying anything. Otherwise, the finish will crack or fish eye.
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-Matt Crudo, RPT
Original Message:
Sent: 5/20/2020 8:38:00 PM
From: Jim Ialeggio
Subject: RE: ebony piano refinish products
I use the black primer on the underside of a grand, and apply with a foam brush. The leveling is amazing. I haven't tried it topside, but might be worth a try. I don't think the gloss top coats would work at all..the primer would be the one to try. I do know some techs who have used the primer, by itself, though I think they sprayed it. It is a good one or two coat university grade practice room finish...its satin and quite nice all by itself.
Also, I spent some time last summer coming up with a semi-filled, no rub ebony, which clear coats Arthur's primer or gloss black with 1 final coat of satin Enduro clear poly (water based). It actually is aesthetically, our preferred way to do a finish. As a wood guy, high gloss or satin rubbed filled piano finishes get my yuck-and-a-half 2 star rating, because the case no longer has any appearance of wood. I greatly prefer the semi-filled, clear coated satin off-the-gun look.
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
Original Message:
Sent: 05-20-2020 17:13
From: Jurgen Goering
Subject: ebony piano refinish products
Jim - Any chance a person might get a passable finish (not high polished, mirror gloss) with that product using decent brushes?
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Jurgen Goering
Original Message:
Sent: 05-20-2020 15:56
From: Jim Ialeggio
Subject: ebony piano refinish products
For any interested in what a water base ebony looks like, Arthur's black is really one of the best blacks I've seen. This Bechstein is all water based Pianolac
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
Original Message:
Sent: 05-20-2020 15:00
From: Thane Yennie
Subject: ebony piano refinish products
Thank you Jim!
Will give him a call soon.
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Thane Yennie - RPT
Cheyenne WY
307-871-8718
Original Message:
Sent: 05-20-2020 11:58
From: Jim Ialeggio
Subject: ebony piano refinish products
Call Arthur Grudko. He makes Pianolac, a spray filler, amazing primer, and a black ebony which is the nicest I've seen. Its all water based, and doesn't stink 845 855 0996 he's in NY. I use it on all my rebuilds.
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
Original Message:
Sent: 05-20-2020 11:36
From: Thane Yennie
Subject: ebony piano refinish products
Good morning learned colleagues - product question for you all. I have been working on a 1926 Kimball grand. was originally black/lacquer, I have it stripped down to the veneer (had to replace a huge area on bass side that was split and loose). I am wondering what are the current "go to" products for leveling, grain filling and final black/lacquer (acrylic?) coats.
thanks
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Thane Yennie - RPT
Cheyenne WY
307-871-8718
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