As Promised on General Finishes

[mbcabinetmaker]

First let me say that I hold General Finishes products in the same high regards as M L Campbell. Heck their products may even be better. The problem is distribution. I hateeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it. Local dealers on their web sight for my area are Woodcraft and Rockler. There is no Rockler around Greenville SC that I know of. Walk into Woodcraft and they have a fair amount of quarts of their products. But ask for one of their professional products and they have never heard of it. I can buy direct form GF but I have to buy in full case lots, call up on the antique long distance telephone, be put on hold, be transfered, be put on hold-----you get the picture. Gees it 2009 GET ON LINE ALREADY WITH YOU ORDERING.

OK I'll stop now before the webmaster moves this to rants and raves.

Now for the truth. Can you handle the truth. GF makes a pre-cat urethane water base finish called Pre-cat 181 although they may have changed the name to enduro because I can no longer find it on their web sight. This stuff sprays better, works better, drys faster and sand better between coats THAN ANY THING I HAVE EVER SPRAYED BEFORE. There is the truth. It does take an extra coat to achieve the smooth finish that I desire over MLC but it works so good I actually don't mind. It dries ready to sand in 15 to 20 minutes. It has a 14 day cure time. No you don't have to wait 14 days to use the piece you just finished. It is dry and can be handled in 20 minutes but takes 14 days to reach full cure. Just be careful with it and you will be fine. After 14 days it is bullet proof.

Now I will explain how to achieve with GF the same type finished as I previously outlined with MLC. (see Paint Glaze Finish w/ML Campbell )

You start with their milk paints. Although I don't think it is really a milk paint but it does have the same properties and it is PRE-MIXED.This stuff will spray fine in the gun I described earlier. Follow the instruction on the can and thin very little if at all. Spray on a first coat and let dry fully before sanding. I will stop repeating my self and just say in all steps do not rush the process. You want finishes to be DRY before you sand. Again I use the Mirka gold flex soft 220 or 240 grit. Spray on the second coat let dry and sand. Spray on the third coat and let dry. Do not sand. Spray on a coat of pre-cat 181 let dry and sand. Blow off all dust and wipe with a lightly dampened rag followed by a clean dry rag. Allow to dry for about 15 minutes before you start the glazing process. Use the GF Glaze Effects. Use either of the application steps that I outlined in the MLC thread.
After the glaze has dried top coat with Pre-cat 181 let dry and sand. Repeat the blowing and wiping process. After dry spray on a final coat of Pre-cat 181.

You are finished. The main difference here is that you trap the glaze between coats of urethane. There are more steps to this finish but remember it is GREEN. GREEN is good and politically correct these days. Visit http://www.generalfinishes.com/index.htm and click on finishing tips. There you will find samples and instruction for finishes such as rub throughs and others.

Good luck and let me know if I can help

Mark

[shydragon]

Hey Maybe the answer to your dilema. $1.00 shipping throught the 24th from McFeelys. General Finishes

http://www.mcfeelys.com/email/X916001

[scooters]

Cool! Thanks!!

[mbcabinetmaker]

Yes but even mcfeelys doesn't carry the professional line of GF. I honestly have not tried the finish they call high performance but at $14.00 per pint I probably wont. That is $112.00 per gallon.

Thanks for the reply
Mark