Trends and Careers in the Finishing Industry

[Sal Giambruno]

I can read these forums for the next few months and wait for the knowledge to bleed into my head (which I will do regardless if the community will bear with me), or I can ask now and start investing my resources in the right direction immediately, and in turn, save some time, money and frustration. I'd like to opt for the latter.

Apologies in advance if this the wrong place for these question(s). I'll be happy to move the discussion to a more appropriate board if so deemed.

So here goes . . .

I am looking for a realistic summary of current finishing trends and industry outlook. The need for this line of thinking came about after a discusion I had this morning with a local Sherwin Williams store manager where I learned that Lacquer (save quart sizes like Behlen Qualac at Woodcraft) is about as taboo as a controlled substance (at least here in Los Angeles) . . .

Not a problem for a hobbyist or artist, just buy 8 quarts instead of 2 gallons - but this would be not be the most cost-effective solution for a working stiff imagine, not to mention that my choice of Lacquer, workflow, and approaches to finishing would be limited.

The MGR at SW told me that a lot of guys actually drive out to Las Vegas to buy Lacquer finishing materials - 250 miles one-way: that's crazy! Then he also mentioned something about not being able to sell to me if I presented a spray-booth permit. It didn't occur to me at the time to ask, but in retrospect, this information seems to be contradictory. I thought he said they don't sell lacquer here. I get the uneasy feeling that something strange is going on - some top-secret, underground, members-only, priviledged information is out there, but you have to go through some hazing and initiation ritual before you get a membership card. What's the deal anyway?

Which begs the question then: CAN I get Lacquer in Los Angeles, and if not, what alternative finish(es) should I be investing my time learning to apply and incorporating in the big scheme of things? What are the three most-likely-to-be-useful finishes/techniques/finishing specialties to master and in what combination in order to increase the likelihood of making a profit?

I've been considering making some extra income, and possibly a full-blown career move, and would appreciate any advice that would help me optimize the learning curve. What kinds of career possibilities are there for finishers? Is it realistic to think that a well-intentioned guy with a shop out of his garage can earn a living doing finishing? What's the best approach for speedy, profitable entry into the field? With China, Europe, India and Mexico competing for the lifestyle that Americans have for so long enjoyed (but are slowly and surely losing due to global environmental and economic pressures), is there a future for the finishing industry in America? What sources for studies/research on this subject?

Hope this rant doesn't confuse anyone - I had a little too much shellac for lunch . . .

[Jim Becker]

The "trend" is low VOC and that often means water borne. And honestly, that's especially good for the hobbyist and small shop pro since these products are so much safer to use, both environmentally and from a standpoint of personal health. The current crop of products is also way ahead of where they were only a few years ago. They still contain solvents, but in very small quantities and of different natures than the traditional solvent-based products. There are many different formulas of these acrylic products that bring the desired properties to the finish as needed.

Those who are skeptical and actually invest a little time and money into checking these current and new water borne products out may very well like what they find. Change is hard, but it's likely to become more and more necessary since beyond buying them, actually spraying many of the "traditional" solvent based products will continue to get more and more expensive with the requirement for proper spraying environments being enforced. Only very large shops and manufacturers may be able to afford that.

BTW, it's not just lacquer that's affected by the VOC regulations. The oil based floor finish that the guy who did our addition floors prefers to use is also only available in quarts, at least for the "original" formula. He can get the reformulated version in gallons, but hates it...doesn't lay down the same. And this isn't even California...

[Howard Acheson]

>> Then he also mentioned something about not being able to sell to me if I presented a spray-booth permit.

Did you mean that he WAS able to sell lacquer to you if you had a spray-booth permit?

If an applicator has the proper contained spray booth with chemical scrubbers, most locations allow the use of higher VOC finishes. But, these scrubbers and spray booths need to meet certain specs and be inspected and permits secured. Once permitted, the applicator can purchase higher VOC finishes.

That said, I expect that most high VOC finishes will be legislated out within the next ten years and, for all intents and purposes, only waterborne finishes will be available.

[Sal Giambruno]

. . . He can get the reformulated version in gallons, but hates it...doesn't lay down the same. And this isn't even California...

Well that's why I shiver to think that my (our) options in finishing are being limited. From everything I've read, the water-borne finishes just don't offer the same creative or rubbing out flexibility as say, a lacquer does, not to mention cure times. I have very little experience using watrer-based products (the only one I've tried is MinWax PolyAcrylic), and that was a real b*tch to apply (brush on) and even worse for rubbing out (I gave up), not to mention is was colorless straight out of the can, meaning that the task of imitating a traditional finish would be compounded even further.

Why is it that we let gardeners spew cr*p all over the place (and there are lots of them polluting), but we can't afford to let a few woodworkers spray a piece of furniture every now and then . . .

[Sal Giambruno]

>> Then he also mentioned something about not being able to sell to me if I presented a spray-booth permit.

Did you mean that he WAS able to sell lacquer to you if you had a spray-booth permit?

I'm not sure quite what he meant. The conversation confused me as well because his statements (in hindsight) seemed contradictory. Like I said, I should have clarified what he meant, but I felt like a junkie asking a dealer where I might be able to find my next fix . . . and I didn't want to ask too many questions. It seemed there was something more to the conversation than I was able to comprehend, like maybe there was some less "formal" way of getting lacquer and that I shouldn't be asking a retail manager about it. Who knows . . .

So then, is anybody spraying lacquer? I sprayed some for the very first time today and loved it . It brought back memories from my childhood when I got a wiff of the sweet smell, and it went on so smoothly and dried to the touch within a few minutes (@ 90-degrees or so, low RH). It seems like the ideal finishing product and I'd like to start using it on a regular basis. Seems to rub out real well, too.

[Jim Becker]

It's important to think of these finishes as "Water Borne", not "water based". They are not based on water. Water is not even a reducer for them; in fact, they shouldn't be thined outside of very minimally, if at all. (It spreads the finish molecules farther apart and at some point, the quality of the finish is compromised) Water is just used as a transport mechanism to get them onto whatever you are finishing. The actual finish, which is in emulsion with the water, still uses a solvent as a reducer for the acrylics that make up the finish. They go on nicely out of the gun, have very easy clean up and don't have the dangerious fumes that you have to deal with if you spray solvent based lacquers. If your shop doesn't have a dedicated finishing room with the proper explosion proof ventilation system, etc., solvent based lacquer is something you have to be very careful with. Never spray in your home, too. Outside, perhaps. And never without a high quality respirator with the proper type of filtration. (Yes, many people do use it in home shops, but....)

Relying on hear-say about things like "rubbing out", etc., isn't going to be as effective as trying these products. And don't base your thoughts on Minwax Polycrylic...a mass market product that is "ok", but not outstanding. (It does spray very nicely, however, and it's ubiquitous availability in a pinch does sometimes solve problems) Try a product like Target Coatings USL or one of their other formulas. USL even has the "burn in" property that solvent based lacquers have. It dries quickly, albeit taking a little longer than NC Lacquer...dry to the touch in about 10 minutes or less, depending on how heavy you coat, and ready to recoat in about a half hour or so in my experience. And yes, you can rub it out nicely after a full cure, just like the oil or solvent based finishes. SW, General Finishes and other "names" as well as some specialty manufacturers like Fuhr International also have nice water bornes to choose from.

[Sal Giambruno]

Thanks for that, Jim. You've given me the courage (and hope) I needed to give the USL a try. If it turns out to be as good as you describe, I will be a happy camper.

One other concern though . . . I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that cleanup of spray guns used with the water-borne coatings requires special attention. Does that mean I can't leave it in the sprayer can all day, or that I need to clean out the gun before the finish sets up (like as frequently as in-between coatings)? I guess that wouldn't be so bad, since it's just water I'd be wasting, but I'm just curious.

[Jim Becker]

Sal, I clean my gun with hot water running out of the tap. I have many times left finish in the gun over night with no issues. I cannot imagine why one would ever need to flush the gun between coats, even if hours have transpired. Every once in awhile I clean the gun "extra special" with some lacquer thinner (doing this outdoors!). It's also important to pay attention to the one-way diaphragm valve in the pressure line to the gun to make sure it's not stuck with any finish that might have crept in that direction during use.