Time to ditch AC?

[ivan]

In the past have used A/C or precat where solid colour was required. From recent posts in "Spraying Paint" it looks as if waterbased has improved a lot. How does it compare for wear resistance etc, when used on mdf cupboard doors, or shelves, etc? In the past I have put 3-4mm hardwood edging on mdf show edges for both cosmetic and wear resistance. Experiences and any links would be welcomed!
Thanks,
Ivan

I have a pressure fed low pressure gun and nozzles up to 2.2mm

 

[Ollie78]

I am trying to ditch A/C and pre cat too. Just because the chemicals are so nasty.
So far I have tried Morrells water based in a clear which was pretty nice, minimal grain raising in solid maple and birch ply, 3 coats was very nice finish in a semi matt.
I did one small job in solid colour water based laquer (Morrells again but can`t remember which one, there are several, it was 60% sheen) and it turned out pretty nice on tulipwood and MR MDF cupboard doors in a farrow and ball colour match.
.
I would say it will never be quite as nice as acid cat because of the way it flashes off so fast, the water based is a slightly slower process overall as you have to wait longer between coats. However once fully dry it seems pretty durable if slightly softer than the acid or pre cat solvent based.
The primer was really quite comparable to pre cat bar the drying.

It is nice to have a less toxic workshop and so I think I will be trying to stay water based from now on. Even with a spray room the smell would still seep everywhere. Might try an infra red drying light.

I am going to try some other brands over the next few jobs where I need to spray stuff. Sikkens, Teknos, Akzo Nobel aqualit etc.

Note, I am using a Kremlin eos which will spray even un thinned emulsion. I am not sure how this will relate to your particular spay setup.

Ollie

 

[johnnyb]

try ankerstuy or sayerlack. I just flipped the whole idea around and said to myself " why should I injure myself for a slightly better finish" Cross linkers are available to harden the film but they introduce nasty chemicals.