Epoxy Finish

[Ron Nossaman]

At 12:37 PM 11/16/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>I made a delivery to a piano refinisher the other day and they took me
>through the shop. Most of their finishes are with nitrocellulose
>lacquer. I noticed a nicely carved grand with what looked like a sealer
>coat and was surprised to learn that it had been finished with epoxy. I
>don't mean an additive finish like polyester, but regular West System
>clear epoxy. It's rolled and sponge brushed on, dry sanded, then
>finished with laquer. I was told the epoxy acted as an excellent sealer
>and assisted in holding on loose veneer. Seems like it might make it
>hard for the next refinisher. Anyone ever heard of this system?
>
>Philip Jamison
>West Chester, PA


Not on pianos, but I sprayed an airplane (T-29) with white epoxy some
thirty years ago when I was in the Air (per)Force in England. I don't
suppose that really counts, but the veneer didn't come off of that. Come to
remember, the epoxy almost didn't come off of me either. 

Really, I don't think it would hold loose veneer on all that well, since it
doesn't penetrate to the substrate, but it would hold the veneer together
well enough to allow BIGGER pieces to come off intact when it does happen.
It doesn't really matter how it affects the future refinisher though. The
guys who built what we're dealing with now didn't care about us, did they? <G>



Ron N