Behlen Nitrocellulose Aerosol Jet Spray

[cspencer]

Hi,

Can someone share their experience using Behlen Nitrocellulose Aerosol Jet Spray Clear Lacquer - Satin (Nitro)?

I am intending to use it on my head stock and neck. The satin on the neck has turn shiny over the years and there're some scratches on the head stock I am hoping to cover up with the satin spray.

Do I need special preparations or simply clean/sand and spray?

Thanks.

[Sperry]

My first use was on a bouzouki top, and I'd never sprayed an instrument before. So I was on bare wood. But when spraying over a scuffed coat, the top coat obliterated markings below. I ruined my finish on the 9th coat (I was spraying 3x3) and it was sanded back to wood. After 18 coats, 9, sand back, and 9, I got the height and hand movement fairly coordinated.

Recommended? Practice doing three coats with 20 minutes between.

I'd ALWAYS clean the nozzle with WD-40 between coats. There is a line drawn on the can top to realign the spray nozzle.

Here is an excerpt on the blog article Behlen Stringed Lacquer:

A few holes in my knowledge base are quickly plugged. Phillip Pritchard, Mohawk Finishing Products Technical Service Representative, has just returned my call. With his gentle North Carolina accent, he seems respectful even of the nitrocellulose lacquer of which we speak. Phillip’s insights into scuffing, sanding, buffing, polishing, the “Cut & Rub”, are so comprehensive, we link to his reply email.:

https://americantoolbox.files.wordpr...ut-and-rub.pdf

[cspencer]

Thanks for sharing Sperry

I think better not take the risk

A can of nitro costs $30++ but a heart attack costs more if I stuff up.

I've spoken to a builder I know and he's willing to refinish my whole neck and face plate for a reasonable price

I know the builder well and he's good.

Thanks again Sperry.

[charles Tauber]

If the primary reason for overspraying/refinishing is that the satin has become glossed, going over the surface with an appropriate grit polishing compound will provide you a uniform sheen at whatever gloss you want all the way down to matte. Doing so is much easier than respraying and levelling.

[cspencer]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

If the primary reason for overspraying/refinishing is that the satin has become glossed, going over the surface with an appropriate grit polishing compound will provide you a uniform sheen at whatever gloss you want all the way down to matte. Doing so is much easier than respraying and levelling.

Hi Charles,

Thanks for the advice. The primary reason was to restore my guitar a little, especially the face plate. It's been a few years and I've collected scratches and glossed up the neck. The scratches on the face plate (especially on the head stock) is kind of an eye sore. So I thought what the heck why not do the whole neck. Jeff Highland (Adjustable neck system JEFF HIGHLAND GUITARS) did such a great job last time and he's agreed to do it again.

[Sperry]

I'd say "Go for it". How bad can you mess it up? It's not like you're trying to do the top without removing the bridge. Although there are alternatives.

Here is a 2003 Collings MT2 ebony headstock overlay finished in nitro. I polished with Novus2 after removing the tuners. This is without pressing very hard at all, as Novus can run right thru the finish.

Came out nice. You can see the hanging light fixture reflected. I even polished the machine bushings prior to reinstallation.