Thinning Lacquer (Delft) - Solids Dropping out

[allen long]

I used to be able to thin Delft Gloss Finish with Lacquer thinner to make it a great finish to apply using a cloth - especially nice for turnings (i.e., to seal the transtint (alcohol-based dye). This allows me to finish using dewaxed shellac. When I try to thin the newest version, however, it causes solids to drop out of solution into a gooey mass (to use a technical term) (MASS not mess). I noticed the same thing with Myland's cellulose sanding sealer. The gooey mass can still be dapped with a cloth and applied like very thick Mylands. Anyone else been able to thin Delft? It may no longer be a lacquer-based product - but it sure smells like lacquer!

My next stop is to as automotive finishes store to get some lacquer that definitely CAN be thinned.

Any other ideas from the group would be appreciated

Many Kind Regards. . . . Allen

[Charles Neil]

odds are its the thinner, alot of this new "green" stuff just doesnt have the strength the older versions had. If its gooey , its because the thinner isnt strong enough to fully dissolve it, or the thinner is contaminated with water.

[Prashun Patel]

We run into this all the time in my line of work. Solutions and emulsions can be very delicate. Especially since manufacturers are increasingly being forced to use less volatile and less effective solvents. The balance is easy to upset by altering the density or my adding a solvent that has solubility characteristics from either the solvent or the resin. To put it in unscientific terms, the invading solvent can act like a magnet to pull either the solvent (partially) away from the resin or vice versa. This can be enough to cause the solids to form.

The other explanation is that your thinner is causing the resin to polymerize; but I'm going to guess that's unlikely given that lacquer thinner is usually used precisely to prevent polymerization in the can. Also, given that you are able to apply the gooey mass and it hardens sufficiently, I'm going to guess it's not a reaction but separation.