RE: [sdiy] Lacquer finish/second thoughts

[rdrake]

Scott,

a quick google search for "metal lacquer yellowing" provides some solid-looking results, especially from brass instrument makers:  

http://www.doctorvalve.com/AboutLacquer.html

sounds like nitrocellulose-based lacquers do yellow, but that some modern (added acrylic) formulations do not.  same search also returns some links to product mfrs...

>----- ------- Original Message ------- -----
>From: Scott at scottwick.com
>To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
>Sent: Mon, 4 May 2009 08:58:13
>
>I had done a lot of reading through the sdiy
>archives, and on various synth and electronics
>forums about panel finish over the past few weeks. 
>I had been using an acrylic spray which dried
>clear, stayed clear (about 10 years now) but looks
>like my panels are coated in plastic.	I need to
>re-do all of my panels, so read up on other
>finishes.  The consensus on almost every list/forum
>ends up being lacquer.  Sounded great.  Re-did 3
>panels this weekend.  Silk-screened and then
>sprayed w/ lacquer.  It looks GREAT!
>
>Last night I decided to read about lacquer at
>places other than here and e-music, and the tube
>forums, etc, and the first thing on just about
>every page is "Lacquer WILL yellow" which made my
>heart sink.  Now that I think about it, I went
>through this 10 years ago when I first started
>building my synth, and that's why I avoided lacquer
>at that time.
>
>So, to my question..  A lot of aluminum panel
>people seem to like lacquer, but then every
>woodworking site, the first thing they say is be
>ready for it to turn yellow.  It seems like that
>would be completely undesirable for panels!  My
>panels are bare aluminum (not anodized) so are
>bright silver.  Turning yellow would be noticed. 
>Even black panels, though, it seems like all of the
>lettering would turn yellow.
>
>Does lacquer not yellow as much on aluminum as it
>does on wood?	Are the woodworking forums which
>talk about yellowing using old info, and modern
>lacquers don't yellow so much?  (I used DEFT which
>was recommended as an easy solution.. which it was)
>
>then finally, if it does yellow, why do so many
>people recommend it?  At least you could strip wood
>and re-finish.  w/ the panels, Im pretty sure the
>lacquer thinner would strip away the ink lettering,
>so you'd be starting from scratch if you want to
>re-do the lacquer finish on a panel.
>
>any thoughts on the situation? 
>
>
>
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