How Cold Is Too Cold To Spray?

[Daniel Sorbera]

ok I just bought this sanding sealer and laquor from stewmac. But I cant find anywhere the minimum temperature to spray. Right now it's like 50 F

Edited February 10, 2005 by Godin SD

[LGM Guitars]

ok I just bought this sanding sealer and laquor from stewmac. But I cant find anywhere the minimum temperature to spray. Right now it's like 50 F

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Well, for BEST results anything under 70F is to cold for laquer, it will work, but I prefer to spray at optimum temps.

[Doc]

I agree about the 70 degrees. With lacquer, moving air is more important than temp for drying, but much below 70 and the solvents can act funny and it may not dry evenly. Same applies for over 90. Dries too fast.

Also if you're using spray cans the nozzels can chill down enough to make them sputter. Bad.

If you have to shoot in the cold make sure to get a fan on the surface. Set it back far enough so that it doesn't mess with the pattern or suck theo overspray into the motor (boom) and turn it on low. Turn it on before you spray so that any dust that's gonna get stirred up is gone by the time that you spray. This helps even out the drying.

Also remember that this stuff is actually as explosive as the cans say. Remember no pilot lights or open flames. The fumes are heavier than air and spread like crazy.

[killemall8]

i dont know why, but i feel like bringing back some really old topics. i have sprayed a perfect finish in 23 degree weather and 2 feet of snow on the ground. diddnt have any problems. although it was acrylic enamel, and it dried rock hard in 2 days

[Daniel Sorbera]

Dang this was a long time ago. I've come quite a way from using stewmac rattle cans.

[pmarlin]

Ha!! I thought you moved when I first started reading this because its hot right now in S.A.

[GGW]

I read somewhere about a "65" rule. Don't spray under 65 degF or over 65% humidity. As I did my own spraying, I found that as the weather got to these limits, problems developed. The humidity one seemed worse. The lacquer developes a white look that may come out but maybe not completely.

[CrazyManAndy]

I read somewhere about a "65" rule. Don't spray under 65 degF or over 65% humidity. As I did my own spraying, I found that as the weather got to these limits, problems developed. The humidity one seemed worse. The lacquer developes a white look that may come out but maybe not completely.

Yep, I believe that is called moisture blushing. Happens in high humidity. You can get it out with a blush remover.

Sounds like a good rule to me.

CMA

Edited August 28, 2007 by CrazyManAndy

[Brian Lahti]

This is a problem that I have been battling with my current project. Cannot spray in the house (I like my organs and nervous system), but garage too cold....

I have set up a oil radiator heater in my garage on high, right near where I spray and where the guitar dries. It kinda dumps heat out, but it also keeps the area around my guitar warm enough--somewhere in the mid to high sixties. If you try this, make sure that you turn off all open element heaters (well, any heat source really) to avoid flashing the fumes. What an unfortunate way to lose a project! I like to play with mine a couple of times before I burn them

And by the way people, please spell lacquer correctly. Not laquor or laquer. It helps my sanity when people spell correctly (if you are not sure, feel free to take three seconds and check it out--google or mirriam-webster). Thanks!!

Brian

[mattharris75]

It helps my sanity when people spell correctly (if you are not sure, feel free to take three seconds and check it out--google or mirriam-webster).

It's Merriam-Webster.

[IPA or death]

This is a problem that I have been battling with my current project. Cannot spray in the house (I like my organs and nervous system), but garage too cold....

I have set up a oil radiator heater in my garage on high, right near where I spray and where the guitar dries. It kinda dumps heat out, but it also keeps the area around my guitar warm enough--somewhere in the mid to high sixties.

Same here. I haven't started spraying yet, but any day. I've got one of those radiant oil heaters too so I'm glad you mentioned that it's helping.

Problem here in Virginia is that it seems there was a one-week window between too humid and too cold. But I guess conditions are never ideal when you're a hobbyist right?

[Brian Lahti]

It helps my sanity when people spell correctly (if you are not sure, feel free to take three seconds and check it out--google or mirriam-webster).

It's Merriam-Webster.

Way to make myself look like an idiot, I'm not even going to try to play that one off.

[erikbojerik]

FWIW if you're using 2-part poly or any kind of catalyzed finish, the manufacturer will usually specify a minimum temperature that will give a full cure. The problem is that the chemical cross-linking that happens with these kinds of finishes is inhibited at low temps...so the final product will not cure as hard as it would above these min temps.