A quick question for Jim Becker...

[Steve Elias]

...and anyone else in the know. I'm in the process of deciding between two finishes, Fuhr 9100 Acrylic Topcoat and Target PSL, for a set of white, Shaker style kitchen cabinets and low and behold I find this quote from June 2003:

"I really like the Fuhr 9100 Acrylic I used for the pantry cabinets and will be using for the upper cabs in the kitchen (tinted a medium green by Jeff Jewitt)...dries fast and looks good. It will compliment the Target Coatings PSL that I'm using on the lower cabinets very nicely." - Jim Becker

Now that your kitchen has aged a couple of years, do you find that you prefer one of the finishes over the other, especially where durability is concerned? Reading between the lines, I would guess from the above quote that you prefer the 9100, but I don't want to read too much into it. I thank you in advance for your help and hope that I am not behaving rudely by "summoning" you with the post title. Think of it as a woodworker's equivalent to the Bat Signal used by Commissioner Gordon in times of crisis.

Steve

[Jim Becker]

I like both products, but prefer the Target Coatings PSL/USL for consistancy in my gun settings since I use it for my clear coating that gets sprayed. Since the USL is now tintable, had it been available at the time I did my kitchen in 2003, I likely would have used it for both the white and the green. That's not saying the Fuhr isn't top notch...it is. They make very good products that are a pleasure to use. I would use the 9100 again given the right opportunity. (No VOC, too!)

After 2 1/2 years, I see no wear on any of my cabinet finishes. Cleanup has been easy and the colors remain as they were when they were first applied. Do note, that both the PSL white and Fuhr 9100 in green were top-coated with several coats of PSL satin...

[Steve Elias]

Thank you, Jim, for the help.

Since my original post I've discovered the following note on Jeff Jewitt's web site regarding Target PSL: "Ultima Spray Lacquer will develop a slight straw color over time. To maintain the cleanest white effect, you may want to use a water clear and non-yellowing product." I'm sure that note didn't exist when I ordered USL/PSL in the past, but now that the note exists, it gives me pause. I am relieved to hear that your color(s) remains the same. Depending on what Jeff has to say about the "slight straw color" I will probably go with the PSL as it sprays just the slightest bit better through my setup than the Fuhr 9100. Thanks again.

Steve

[Michael Gabbay]

Steve - I just sprayed a vanity with semi gloss white USL that I got from Jeff. He did not seem to think it would discolor to a noticable point. I do like how it sprayed. Check the vicosity before you set up your gun. My batch measured about 20 seconds with a Ford #4 cup which was thinner than I expected. It actually sprayed better than I thought it would. I also used the Fuhr 9550 primer. Mike