[OP]
Member
I've been asked to make the tap handles for the grand opening of a local micro brewery. They procrastinated and need them ready to go by Friday. This gives me less than 5 days to apply a durable finish. I have Arm R Seal that I like but I'm worried it won't cure in time for the heavy use it will see. Any suggestions on a good finish that will be a good fit.
Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night
-Poe
Contributor
Water borne conversion varnish would be high on my list for consideration.
John
Contributor
I recommend a Zinsser product called Quick 15. It's a fast drying alkyd varnish, very durable, dries in 15 minutes, you can apply three coats in one day. Plus you can get it in quarts which should be all you need.
You can brush it on and it will level nicely and if it were me, I'd go with the high gloss sheen for tap handles.
We used to use Quick 15 for re-coating wood handrails in a hospital that was a 24/7 situation because it was far more durable than shellac and everything else cured too slowly.
You can get it at Amazon or Home Depot may be able to special order it. I have seen it at Sherwin Williams in the past so you may find it in paint places local to you that cater to the trade, or just use Zinsser's store locator.
http://www.rustoleum.com/product-cat...ishes/quick-15
ADDED: If you can't locate Quick 15 locally and don't have time for shipping, I might consider Minwax's fast drying polyurethane which you can find in any Home Depot and probably Ace Hardware too. I think you can re-coat in 4-6 hours plus allow 24 hours or more after final coat. Deft brushing lacquer is yet another option, I recall it dries in about 2-3 hours and would be very durable, also available widely.
Last edited by Edwin Santos; 09-25-2017 at 10:19 AM.
Contributor
Never knew about Quick 15 until your post. Thanks very much. Looks like a great product for this type of application.
John
Member
Epoxy. It will be done in one coat and will withstand the severe environment of a tap handle. West System will work well for this. Cheers
Contributor
Epoxy can be used as a finish coat over wood? I didn't know that. I've heard of using it as a barrier coat in marine environments for moisture protection where spar varnish or some other type of topcoat goes over it. Could you explain more on how you do it?Originally Posted by Wayne Lomman
Member
Epoxy is usually overcoated in protective and marine coating systems because it will go chalky in sunlight. This is not a failure, it just doesn't look pretty. Beer tap handles are likely to be indoors and handled frequently so will retain their lustre. I would sand the handles to about 400 grit, apply a full coat of epoxy and then burnish them to the desired gloss level the next day. The coating will be thick enough to do this and you can deliver them on time. Epoxy is better than polyurethane in this case because it has better resistance to alcohol. Cheers
Member
Wayne is dean on, as usual. But I know something he doesn't, and he and the OP will be greatful for this little tidbit - use a non-blushing epoxy that will not chalk or haze in UV. Then you get all the hard, durability benefits without the haze/chalking/milking/blush. My favorite right now is Basic No-Blush by Progressive Epoxy Polymers. I first tested it on cup holders for my boat. No topcoat, just to see if it lived up the claim. Three years later in direct sunlight, and still crystal clear.
Like Wayne said, epoxy is waaaaayyy tougher than urethane - very hard, and really can't be buffed, hence why you want to topcoat it. But by itself its perfect for handles. Remember than epoxy is 100% solids while most other finishes are max 40% solids, most being maybe 30%.
john.blazy_dichrolam_llc
Delta Unisaw, Rabbit QX-80-1290 80W Laser, 5 x 12 ft laminating ovens, Powermax 22/44, Accuspray guns, Covington diamond lap and the usual assortment of cool toys / tools.
Member
John, I will definitely look that up. Thanks. Cheers
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote