Finish/Sanding Sealer Question

[Ricc Havens]

I typically have used clear shellac as a sealer before spraying Minwax Helmsman Spar poly on travel wooden travel mugs. I also use the shellac on bowls and stuff before applying wipe on poly or Woodturners Finish poly.

I just completed a mug for an order out of red elm which has large grain lines. I ran out of clear shellac. Before I rush out and buy more shellac I have a can of Deft Sanding Sealer.

Questions:
1) Can Deft Sanding sealer be used under poly or other non-Deft finishes without effecting the finish?

2) if it can only be used with Deft lacquer - is Deft spray lacquer a good finish for a wood coffee travel mug?

3) What other finish recommendations have you had good results with on things like travel mugs that I can consider other than the spray Helmsman Spar poly on my wood travel mugs?


Thanks
Ricc

[Thom Sturgill]

I have used Deft sanding sealer with other finishes without a problem.

Lacquer has been used for centuries in Asia for dinnerware. Think Japanese rice bowls. It is easily repaired as new coats 'burn in' to old layers diminishing or preventing the 'lake effect' where the edge of the previous layer shows through no matter how well you feather it. That said, it is prone to chipping, especially if you have any sharp edges.

Also unlike poly, you do not need to sand between coats unless needed for leveling such as to remove orange peel or to achieve a higher level of gloss. However, when re-finishing an old piece (over a year, say) it is recommended to sand to remove the oxidized outer layer.

I recently watched a video on finishing cabnetry for custom jets. They did sand (both power and hand) between layers, but were spraying thick coats. I generally DO sand/polish using progressively finer polishing cloths up, to 12000 grit, and do not use gloss lacquer but rather semi-gloss due to the difference in the formulation.

[robert baccus]

In my humble opinion shellac is stone age--pretty but slow drying and subject to alcohol damage. SS followed by a good lacquer(precat) can be rubbed out in minutes. SS is a sealer but really the filler thing is the secret. Very soft to sand and will fill pores quickly especially if used brushed on straight out of the can.

[Dennis Ford]

I have used Deft and other lacquer based sanding sealers under polyurethane with good results. I would not consider Deft lacquer to be a good choice for a travel mug but it does have the advantage of being easy to repair.

[Ricc Havens]

thanks uys for the input. I will use the deft sanding sealer up instead of buying shellac

Ricc

[robert baccus]

Haven't tried Deft SS lately but in the past it was too resinous and hard to sand. If you are not happy with it try Mohawk brand stuff.