Refinishing Success at Last!

[Farrell]

Well, yes, the PSL is waterbase - at least that is what the can says. I'm no
expert with any of this stuff, but the
others I tried did all sorts of weird things and this one just seems to go
on easy and sands so very easy (I have no doubt that some of the problems
were directly associated with my lack of spray experience). I put six coats
on one day and six the next
(wanted to be sure I did not sand through!). Let it dry a week and it sanded
so very easily (I hit it with 600 grit, then 800 and then hand-rubbed for
the satin - for the gloss I went to 1000 wet-sanding, then 1500, and then
buffing).

The Oxford PSL is not the only thing that is new for me in this process. I
did not have a good experience with water base grain fillers and stains. I
went back to the oil-based paste wood grain filler/stain that I have used
for years refinishing mahogany yachts. I am also using the new 3M 216U
Production Fre-Cut Gold sandpaper that Mark Potter posted on. Fabulous
stuff. I also got a new spray gun, an Asturo ECO/S - its an Italian, gravity
feed, HVLP conversion gun (runs off air compressor - I guess turbines tend
to heat spray up and can cause problems). So, yes I changed topcoat product,
but I also changed some other major components of the process. But I finally
feel confident that I can reliably put a finish on a piano that is fully the
equivalent of that found on any new high-end piano.

Terry Farrell
Piano Tuning & Service
Tampa, Florida
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Greg Newell" <gnewell@ameritech.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2001 11:04 PM
Subject: Re: Refinishing Success at Last!


Terry,
    Being this happy as you are, are you sure this is water based stuff?
:')

Greg

Farrell wrote:

> I have posted several times regarding troubles I had been experiencing
> trying to lay down a decent topcoat on a piano. I just thought I would
> briefly post that I have finally had success.
>
> I prepared several test panels of mahogany, walnut and birch veneered
> plywood and did several different stain colors (red, brown, etc.) with
clear
> topcoats and two panels in ebony (black). Sprayed them with Oxford PSL
> (Premium Spray Laquer), rubbed them out and made a couple hi-gloss and
> several satin. The ebony is good, but in good light I can see that I need
to
> adjust my sanding schedule just a bit (hey - it was my first try!) - in my
> home, I can't tell the difference between it and my ebony Boston grand.
The
> satin stained and clearcoated pieces came out fabulous. Perfectly flat, no
> imperfections, NO WINDOWS BETWEEN SPRAYED LAYERS, no pinholes, no nuttin'
> but beautiful red mahogany/brown walnut grain and a warm satin finish. And
> it all sanded very, very easy - I know now I will have no difficulty
getting
> consistent good results!
>
> Thanks Mark Potter for a lot of help from you!
>
> I am sooooooooooooooooooooo happy!  :-)     :-)     ;-)
>
> Terry Farrell
> Piano Tuning & Service
> Tampa, Florida
> mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com

--
Greg Newell
Greg's Piano Forté
19270 Harlon Ave.
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216-226-3791
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net