Lacquer Haze (all 'round My Brain)

[bontempo]

Greetings!

I'm almost done with my 2nd guitar project and have run into a snag.

I've applied a very brittle delicate and somewhat porous raw flitch of waterfall bubinga veneer, which has a dark beautiful 3d grain.

I sealed it with 2 coats of shellac and then started with 4 coats of minwax brushing lacquer, sanding between coats to level the veneer. so far, so good.

The final coat was sanded w/400 until smooth and level. I then applied about 6 coats of minwax gloss spray lacquer over 3 days, sanding between ever other coat. so far so good!

I'm letting it dry before polishing phase and I'm noticing a vertical haze in various parts of the finish over the veneer. Question: How can I fix this. Do I have to sand it all off? Doctor, Doctor, I need a cure

[ihocky2]

What are your spraying conditions? Haze usually comes from spraying when it is too humid. StewMac sells a prodcut called blush eraser which is basically lacquer thinner that you spray on. What happens is it partially disloves the lacquer and then lets the trapped moisture escape. But if it is under 6 coats it may be too deep for the eraser to get at. I would try spraying a light mist of laquer thinner or wiping some on a small area lightly and see what kind of result you get. If it is too deep you'll need to sand it out.

[John Abbett]

I had the same thing happen to me. I sprayed a heavy coat in hot humid conditions, and when I came back to check on it, the whole back of the guitar was white. I tried spraying some lacquer thinner on it, it helped a little, not enough.

This was after serveral coats. It didn't take long to carefully sand back to previous layers. I make sure I spray in the evening or morning when the temp is moderate in the summer.

Sorry to you had this problem, it's a bummer. I'm guessing you will have to sand back.

-John

[Sand Paper]

All the blushing/hazing I've encountered comes usually right after the finish flashes over with it's film. Sometimes it's there as soon as the lacquer hits the wood. The original post sort of suggests that you noticed it later on in the process which to me is odd. What that looks like to me is what happens when you spray the water based Minwax Polycrylic and it's drying. You can always give it some time and see if it evaporates out or you can scuff back a little and that might take care of it like others have said. I have no experience with blush removers so i can't comment on that area. If it's deep in the finish then this is weird to me because it should have been present from the start.

[Mitch]

Erm.. I think laquer haze is the least of your problems. You seem to have built your guitar upside down. Sorry to break it to you.

[RDub]

Silly question, but... You said you used Minwax BRUSHING laquer for the first few coats, and then switched to Minwax SPRAY Laquer next. Are the two compatible? I think sometimes what's labeled brushing laquers are not really laquers at all. Believe I read some that were varnishes. Not certain on that though...