problem spraying polyurethane

[Herbert Wallace]

Today I sprayed a cabinet project with Min-wax clear ,semi gloss polyurethane. I thinned it about 20% with mineral spirits.I couldn't spray it without it forming spider webs on all the edges. Is this preventable? Shouls I use another product. Thin it more/ less? Different thinner?
Thanks
Herbert

[Randy Carnley]

Not really a good spray product, especially thinned. If you want to spray, I suggest you try another product, depending on what's available where you live.

[Jim Becker]

Spraying an oil based varnish is generally a nasty mess from the sticky overspray, etc. If you do not have a proper spray environment where you might us lacquer, consider using one of the very nice water borne acrylic products, such as the Target Coatings USL that so many of us spray. Even the Minwax Polycrylic would be preferable and give you much better results.

If you really need to spray what you have, you may very well need to thin it further to work with you particular gun.

[Dennis Peacock]

To use what you already have, thin it 50/50 with mineral spirits and try spraying it with a good wet coat. Just be careful of any runs.

[Joe Fusco]

Use a brush. . . .

[Herbert Wallace]

I would have brushed it, but I have 12 life jacket racks I built for a fleet of tug boats. They are made of 1/4 x 1" oak slats. thats just too agrevating on my ADHD. I am now on a flat oak project. I bought the minwax Polycrylic today. I would like to spray it. but may brush it. I thought about putting a base of shellac, the coming back with the polycrylic. Any suggestions or comments?

[Jim Becker]

Polycrylic is water borne acrylic and very sprayable, unlike the oil based products. SealCoat (shellac first) will add in some amber color that you will not get from the water borne finish which is pretty much "water clear".

[Byron Trantham]

I had this problem about a year ago and called MinWax. Their product is not to be sprayed! I sanded everything down, bought a water borne product from Target and wa-la, it worked!