Need Advice As To What Sealer / Finish To Use

[kjones]

I've bought a Pearl Blue automotive paint to apply to an Alder body. Any recommendations as to what type and brand of sealer / finish I should look to apply?

[-CB-]

Fullerplast is still available!

Any grain filler that is compatible with your paint is going to do well. Most of them should be ok in fact. I like the StewMac filler, but only because its "clear" and I can make it any color I like.

[ihocky2]

You don't need grain filler with alder. Alder is a closed grained wood. As for your finish, what type of paint did you buy? Acrylic lacquer, nitrocellulose lacquer, enamel, poly based? Depending on what it is, will determine what type of finish to use. And alwayd use test pieces to make sure it is compatable.

[kjones]

You don't need grain filler with alder. Alder is a closed grained wood. As for your finish, what type of paint did you buy? Acrylic lacquer, nitrocellulose lacquer, enamel, poly based? Depending on what it is, will determine what type of finish to use. And alwayd use test pieces to make sure it is compatable.

I'm not sure as to the type of paint. I bought it from a Napa parts store here in town, it acts like an oil based paint, it's definitely not water clean-up.

[ihocky2]

What brand is it? Read everything on the can, sometimes you'll get lucky and find the type of paint. Or check the companies website and look at the technical documents and everything else you can find.

[kjones]

What brand is it? Read everything on the can, sometimes you'll get lucky and find the type of paint. Or check the companies website and look at the technical documents and everything else you can find.

It's Martin Senour paints. It's an enamel, I think. I'll check the can when I get home.

I believe it's an acrylic enamel..

Edited June 28, 2007 by kjones

[kjones]

What brand is it? Read everything on the can, sometimes you'll get lucky and find the type of paint. Or check the companies website and look at the technical documents and everything else you can find.

It's Martin Senour paints. It's an enamel, I think. I'll check the can when I get home.

I believe it's an acrylic enamel..

From checking the site, it appears to be an acrylic urethane. How will this react with a nitro lacquer like Minwax?

[Drak]

You don't need grain filler with alder. Alder is a closed grained wood.

Not true. Alder has smallish pores yes, but you cannot shoot finish right onto Alder and expect a mirror flat finish, that is completely false.

The quickest and easiest (although it can be a bit messy to work with) is 2-part epoxy available at Home Depot.

Dries rock hard, sands easy, no shrink-back, perfect base to apply your finish over. You can thin it with a little acetone if you want, and use a stiff putty knife to push it into the pores as you go along. Remove anything that is not embedded in the pores to make your sandback easier. I -push- it in on the first pass with the putty knife, then scrape the remainder off on the second or third pass, removing all excess epoxy.

Only drawback is it's texture is very sticky, like molasses, and if you get a bit on your finger, it will travel to whatever else you touch, just keep some rags around and if you get ANY on your fingers during application, immediately remove it with a rag, or a rag dipped in a little acetone, to keep it from getting on everything you touch afterwards.

Besides that, an excellent, cheap, and easily acquired pore filler.