Spraying in the cold. - Woodworking Talk

djonesax · 10-27-2008, 11:05 AM

I have a one piece of my book case left to finish. The back panel, which is ¼ inch stained ply. The temperature today is 52F, I have read not to spray lacquer below 64F. Should I do it anyway, I really want to get it done before Wednesday and this is my only day I can do it.
Thanks,

David

jerry · 10-27-2008, 11:14 AM

Use shellac.

Jerry

djonesax · 10-27-2008, 11:22 AM

Already sprayed lacquer on everything else.

Rob · 10-27-2008, 11:58 AM

I have to spray in my garage. I would bring the lacquer and pot inside to get to room temp (house) and then take it out to spray, bringing it back in between coats. I wouldn't be too worried about 52*

mainzy · 10-27-2008, 12:35 PM

If you could bring the piece inside before you start finishing it may help with bonding.

djonesax · 10-27-2008, 01:45 PM

I ended up not doing it because I was afraid I would not have time to do all 3 coats. The specs say not to wait more than 12 hours to recoat.

I cant bring it inside because just opening the can smells up the entire house. I guess I'll try again some other day.

djonesax · 10-27-2008, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

I have to spray in my garage. I would bring the lacquer and pot inside to get to room temp (house) and then take it out to spray, bringing it back in between coats. I wouldn't be too worried about 52*

This is a fairly large piece, 6'x3' with 5 shelves. How do you adequately ventilate your garage?

GeorgeC · 10-27-2008, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djonesax

This is a fairly large piece, 6'x3' with 5 shelves. How do you adequately ventilate your garage?

(s)

You open the door(s).

smitty1967 · 10-27-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeC

You open the door(s).

smart-alleck!

Rob · 10-27-2008, 06:03 PM

Uh...yup...open the doors. 3 car garage and I close 2 doors all the way and leave one open about a foot. As soon as the spraying stops, all doors are opened fully.
In the winter, I heat with a bullet heater. When I'm spraying, the heater stays outside and forces hot air at one door opened enough to clear the heater. When I'm done spraying, all the doors go up to clear the room and the heater comes in and one door stays open just a crack.
PITA but it works.

djonesax · 10-27-2008, 06:20 PM

OK here come my rookie questions. The last time I talked about spraying people were warning me about explosions and making sure to use the right type of fans. No I hear that you all do this in your garages. What am I missing? Also doesn't your entire house smell for days after? I open the can of lacquer and my wife can smell it upstairs. My garage is under the first level by the way.

Rob · 10-27-2008, 06:37 PM

My garage is attached but not under the house. I'm spraying with an HVLP conversion gun so the mist is not too bad. I don't use any kind of fan when spraying but rely on mother nature to evacuate the fumes via cross-ventilation.

firehawkmph · 10-27-2008, 07:49 PM

Djone,
From my former firefighter days: Lacquer is is probably the most easily ignitable finish you can spray. If you have a fan anywhere near is must be 'intrinsically safe', which anything you buy that is a homeowners model wouldn't be. What it means is the fan would have no exposed sparks to cause ignition to something very flammable. I remember going to a pretty involved fire mid-afternoon years ago. Painters were on scene and were spraying lacquer in a first floor library room that had just been built. They had a box fan in the window to get rid of the fumes. The room flashed over and burned not only it, but the foyer next to it and the room above the foyer. Quite a bit of damage. Painter got burned also. Whatever you decide to do, please be careful.
Mike Hawkins

djonesax · 10-28-2008, 10:41 AM

I am pretty much decided never to spray in the garage unless it's a picture frame or something. I hops it is a decent temperature today so I cam finish this piece. I want to deliver it tomorrow.

dtimmons · 11-01-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firehawkmph

Djone,
From my former firefighter days: Lacquer is is probably the most easily ignitable finish you can spray. If you have a fan anywhere near is must be 'intrinsically safe', which anything you buy that is a homeowners model wouldn't be. What it means is the fan would have no exposed sparks to cause ignition to something very flammable. I remember going to a pretty involved fire mid-afternoon years ago. Painters were on scene and were spraying lacquer in a first floor library room that had just been built. They had a box fan in the window to get rid of the fumes. The room flashed over and burned not only it, but the foyer next to it and the room above the foyer. Quite a bit of damage. Painter got burned also. Whatever you decide to do, please be careful.
Mike Hawkins

I second this. I work in a finishing room at a cabinet manufacturer and everything has to be explosion proof wiring.

djonesax · 11-01-2008, 03:15 PM

I ended up doing this outside, it was in the 50's so I took it outside sprayed it and brought it back in right away to dry. Turned out good. By the way, for most purposes I don’t think I'll use poly ever again. This was my first time spraying lacquer and I didn’t have a single run. I'll have to work on my over spray though. This stuff in great. Thanks for all the advice.