Pin holes/bubbles in NC lacquer

I am building a chest of drawers in NG rosewood.

Usually, I'd finish the top with Solarez before using sanding sealer and lacquer. This time I went directly to the sanding sealer.

I got heaps of bubbles ... but only on the top which was horizontal. No bubbles on the cedar drawers and no bubbles on the sides or the framework ... only on the horizontal top.

So, as an experiment I sanded it back with an orbital sander. Then I rolled it onto it's back, so that the top of the cabinet was now vertical, and I applied three coats of sanding sealer allowing it to flash off between coats.

No bubbles.

Once it had dried I rolled it back onto its feet, sanded it off again and applied another coat of sanding sealer to fill the wood grain.

I have used a wide variety of timber in my shop over 20 years. The only timber that gives me bubbles is NG Rosewood, and then only when the panel is sprayed in the horizontal position.

I guess I stop grizzling and roll cabinets onto their back to spray the top whilst it is in the vertical position, then roll it back onto its feet and spray the remainder of the cabinet.

This morning I put a thin coat of lacquer on the chest of drawers.

No bubbles.

So then I put on a very full coat of lacquer, On my return an hour later the top was full of bubbles. The heavy coat had melted through and opened up the pin holes so bubbles were created.

ENOUGH!

I used nuclear grade carcinogenic paint stripper to go back to bare wood. I'm going back to using Solarez as a sealer.

Maybe a swipe or two of Shellac first?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Maybe a swipe or two of Shellac first?

---

That's worth thinking about woodPixel.

What I still struggle with is the fact that I only get the problem with NG Rosewood (although my lacquer supplier did say bubbles were a common problem with this timber) and only when the panel is horizontal.

I stripped it yesterday, re-sanded and re-routed it and applied two coats of Solarez (to be sure ... to be sure ... like the Irishman who wore two condoms ... then two coats of sanding sealer followed by two coats of lacquer.

Once everything is dry and hard I'll rub it back with 400 grit wet and dry and apply a final, thin flash coat.

The Solarez works.

I was using some Solarez today. I was filling/flooding some cracks. Put the timber in the sun to cure which is instant and I put a finger on the curing solarez to fine it gets extremely HOT whilst curing.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rod1949

I was using some Solarez today. I was filling/flooding some cracks. Put the timber in the sun to cure which is instant and I put a finger on the curing solarez to fine it gets extremely HOT whilst curing.

---

Rod,

Are you getting the desired results with Solarez?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by John Samuel

Rod,

Are you getting the desired results with Solarez?

---

Yes I am John. Given its fluidness (compared resin) and instant drying filling the voids is very quick. A downside is, as I'm doing spot fills and not over the whole timber, I get spot stains that darkens the timber and thus this shows in the finish.

Just finished a bedside table in NGR.

Used two coats of Solarez to seal the top.

Works like magic. No bubbles or pinholes.

Solarez is great at eliminating pin holes and bubbles. It is also a first class grain filler. It will be a permanent feature in my workshop.