Ot of date Chestnut Acrylic Sanding Sealer.

[Honest John]

One for Terry I think. I’ve just been going through my finishes and discovered an almost full..... more than 90% full bottle of Chestnut Acrylic Sanding sealer. I noticed that it had a best before date on it of some time in 2014! I remember buying this at Harrogate some years ago with the intention of using a water based sealer to avoid the stink that cellulose gives off ,and that upsets SWMBO. I remember being a little disappointed with it in that it still gave off an acetone type smell, albeit in a much smaller way. The question is should it be binned off? It still seems to work ok, it dries ok, whether it dries as quick as when it was fresh I couldn’t say. What are the likely consequences, if any of using this out of date product?

 

[Trevanion]

Give it a good shake before you use it and it should be fine.

 

[Terry Smart]

I don't always patrol forums so on specific queries you might be better emailing us direct, especially if it's urgent.

Meanwhile...

The 'Best Before' date is advisory and as much as anything is there to encourage stockists to maintain a good stock rotation. In time, the liquid will go thick which makes it harder to use but by no means impossible; when it turns to jelly it is no longer usable.
All the time the sealer is liquid and brushable then it is fine to use with no adverse effects.
You can add up to 10% water to thin it if needed, but that doesn't sound to be the case here.

Acetone?? I'd say there's the slightest whiff of PVA there but nothing as strong as that.

 

[MusicMan]

I find it very helpful (as in this instance) to have company employees on the forum, who can give expert advice on products. As long as they declare their affiliation there isn't a problem with conflict of interest, and I don't recall any instances of inappropriate advertising.

Keith

 

[Phil Pascoe]

They tell us nearly everything deteriorates with age, but I'm still using a well known brand of cellulose sealer that I bough at least thirty years ago. I bought several gallons in a bankruptcy sale so I don't have a clue how old it was when I bought it.

 

[Honest John]

Thank you Terry, and all other replies. This is a good result for me as I didn’t realise that I had it so long, or even that it had a date on it that I only found on close inspection. It’s virtually full and is certainly liquid so I’m going to decant some into my newly made finish jars and crack on using it. I’m sure it had a acetone type smell to it when I first used it, which is why I stopped. Think il manufacture an artistic cloths peg type device to place on the wife’s nose. Either that or il put my ear defenders on :roll:

 

[sunnybob]

seeing as how we have an expert on tap, can I ask a question please sir?

I have no access to this but want to try it (if there is a stockist in Cyprus I havent been able to locate it).

Say I have a bandsaw box with end grain very visible. Will this help to seal the grain as well as the other surfaces so that my finish coats of wipe on poly will shine more?

If yes, I can get my son to bring some over for me.
TA.

 

[Terry Smart]

Hi

Whilst this will have some effect on the end grain, it's going to be limited. End grain is like a sponge (you already know that) and the sealer will soak in a lot. You could apply multiple coats of the sealer, not normally recommended, but you could do much the same with your wipe on poly I'd have thought.

It'd be great on the other surfaces and will help give a better finish, just a little ineffectual on the end grain.

We don't have a stockist in Cyprus, but we're always interested!

 

[sunnybob]

I'm too old to start another business, but if somebody did, it would take a lot of work to educate the locals on finishing.
I even get blank looks for Boiled linseed oil. Last week I walked into a small furniture making business and asked them what they used. The answer? Sandpaper and varnish.

But Cypriots dont do hobbies, they work at two jobs untill they arent able any more, then sit outside the coffee shops till their wives let them go home. It would be only ex pats who would be customers. 8) 8)

 

[Honest John]

Now I think about it, the slight acetone type smell was from the aerosol can of Acrylic Canding sealer (hammer) I’m getting more forgetful!
Anyway, one thing that is bothering me about this product is the bit that says to only put one coat on, and that a second coat is not a good idea. Why is it not a good idea? What is the problem with putting a second coat on.? I’m intending to flood it on with a brush from my newly fabricated finish jars and then wipe off the surplus with a paper towel. Curious to know why it’s not a good idea to apply a second coat though.

 

[Terry Smart]

It's never a good idea - nor necessary if you're using a good sealer - to apply more than one coat of sealer. The sealer should do the job in one coat, so you're wasting time and product applying a second one. It's not doing anything extra.
More importantly, if you're using a lacquer over the top you're setting up a situation where the subsequent coats can move against each other. This will cause the lacquer to crack/craze and look a real mess.
I don't think you've mentioned what it is that you're finishing, but the bigger the area the more inevitable it is that it the finish will craze.
It doesn't happen straight away, it might take a week, a month, six months, or you might get away with it. Why bother risking it though?

 

[CHJ]

Curious to know why it’s not a good idea to apply a second coat though.

I too tend to flood a surface with a brush on some of my turnings (basically because I'm impatient) but I do immediately wipe it over to remove surplus and avoid runs. (Not the most economical way but good for product sales I guess)

This Video may help with images during the explanation of sealer performance.

Video from a series on the subject that may have been missed.

 

[Honest John]

Thank you Chas and Terry. It’s all clear now I understand what the issues are. Hitherto my sealer of choice was always Shellac when of course it was not uncommon to build a surface with that. I still like Shellac because you can pretty much put anything within reason on top of it. The Chestnut AS is to be used on Woodturning’s varying from very small items but also on bowls and hollow forms. I don’t make very many pens and for many years I used cyanoacrylate as a finish, but these days I prefer the Chestnut Melamine finish as a less “plastic” sort of finish. Thank you all for you information

 

[CHJ]

Curious to know why it’s not a good idea to apply a second coat though.

Not discussed this with anybody, and certainly not with the Chestnut oracle but I would suggest that applying additional coats of sealer although unnecessary on anything but very porous wood might have few deleterious effects if you are just buffing the sealed surface and applying wax protection as you would using the three mop buffing systems. (90% of my output) as it only has to contend with any environmental fights between itself and the wood rather than another product.

If however you are applying further lacquer coats to increase the gloss level or protection before buffing then obviously you only want the sealing function not additional coating thickness doing its own thing under the lacquer.

 

[CHJ]

John, In case you are not signed up to the Chestnut Newsletter etc. you may find This chart useful. (original link)


View attachment Chestnut Products Compatibility Chart.pdf

 

[GarF]

That is really handy info, thanks for posting. I'm going to print it out when I get home and keep it in the garage for reference.
G

 

[Honest John]

Thanks again Chas. I’ve printed the chart for my workshop and subscribed.

 

[OscarG]

I don't always patrol forums so on specific queries you might be better emailing us direct, especially if it's urgent.

Meanwhile...

The 'Best Before' date is advisory and as much as anything is there to encourage stockists to maintain a good stock rotation. In time, the liquid will go thick which makes it harder to use but by no means impossible; when it turns to jelly it is no longer usable.
All the time the sealer is liquid and brushable then it is fine to use with no adverse effects.
You can add up to 10% water to thin it if needed, but that doesn't sound to be the case here.

Acetone?? I'd say there's the slightest whiff of PVA there but nothing as strong as that.

A finishing rep?!

oooh I'll have lots of questions for you next time I go shopping! Will be checking out your site!