Guide To The Original Factory Material Abbreviated System
The materials provided to you by Cannon Paint are designed for factory high production situations and will require some degree of creativity on your part to execute. This guide will basically describe the process that the factory uses with these materials and will try to
pass along some tips to help you make the adaptations needed. The "original factory material" abbreviated systems do not always represent the entire factory process. There are simply some steps that are not practical in the field. For example: often the first stain in the operation (called a sap stain) penetrates the wood so deep that washing off the piece does not remove all the color. Additional coats of this color (although originally necessary) actually may do more damage than good. We sometimes elect to omit these stains from the system. Another good example is spatter stain. Most repair persons prefer to use their own stains for this purpose in order to reduce costs. The experienced finisher often has to make these kinds of substitutions.
This brings us to another point. Factory materials are not touch-up materials. A person with experience can make these materials work even though they are not designed for touch-up and repair purposes. These abbreviated systems leave a lot to be desired when sealers and topcoats are omitted. Quite often touch-up aerosols contain not only the desired color, but also have included a film former or sealer/lacquer in the mix. These aerosols can do a good job when used properly. If one has a light shading job to do, a touch up aerosol may actually do a better job than our factory system.
Certain general guidelines must be followed when using the "original factory material" abbreviated system. The most obvious is our use of the spray gun. If you like to spray, then this system is right for you. If you do not like to spray, or if you can't spray, most of these
materials have no value to you. Once you understand the layers of color found in our systems, then you can quite often achieve a compatible look through a substitute method. We spray for basically two reasons. The first is to achieve a smooth, even coat with a fast drying material. The second is speed. If speed is not a factor, then a slow drying hand working stain (generally available in hardware stores) may suite your needs. Our materials dry too fast for brushing.
Below is a typical finishing system:
1. Color Coats. It is here that the color penetrates the wood. Consider this the first layer of color. In painted suites the enamel or basecoat may be applied here. The factory sprays these materials at pre-set pressures. As many as four applications in various combinations may be needed. The abbreviated system spec sheet provided by Cannon Paint will specify "Overall Coat", "Two Overall Coats", etc…. Spray the stains or paint in the order listed and allow to dry before the next step. Some stains are not overall stains. In this case they may be described as "Spray light wood only" or "Spray dark wood." Overall coats will be described as "overall" and variations to that rule will have similar brief instructions included in the spec sheet.
2. Clear Coat. Often called a washcoat, this low solids sealer seals off the stain and helps smooth the surface sanding properties. Solids range from 7% to 18%. Spray overall and allow to dry. Sand the surface with 320 paper.
3. Wiping Coat. This is an oily material that brings out grain and creates contrast by the layering of color. Apply to the surface and wipe in a circular motion. Wipe clean for less color and brush blend with a soft bristle brush for a darker effect. Drying time (and blending time) can be extended with the addition of mineral spirits. If the schedule calls for a number with a 912 prefix, then do not try to brush blend. Some wiping coats, as in this case of the 912 prefix, are actually fillers designed to fill the pore but is not suitable for brushing. These fillers are stiff and should be reduced with naptha and mineral spirits to increase workability. Other wiping coats come ready to use and may be applied with a rag. All wiping coats must be dried thoroughly before sealing. Overnight dry is recommended.
4. Highlight. Use steelwool or sandpaper to strike through the color in Step 3 allowing the colors in Step 1 to show through. Highlight with the grain. The harder one bears down, the more contrast achieved. Bear down too hard with sandpaper and the bare wood may show through.
5. Sealer. Spray uniform coat overall. Dry well and sand with 320 paper. Solids range from 18% to 23%.
6. Hand Work. Hand pad, spatter, dry brush and cowtail are some of the types of hand work. They are explained in detail below in the section "Handwork techniques".
7. Top Coats. We use nitrocellulose lacquer unless it is a painted or an off white suite (or an exception to this rule) in which case we can ship you a butyrate topcoat at your request. Unless specifically requested, we anticipate that you will use your own topcoat. We will make suggestions as to the lacquer sheen. The factory puts three coats of nitrocellulose on most suites. When using butyrate, two coats are recommended. Sheen levels can be the result of either hand rubbing or the gloss readings of the topcoat when sprayed. High sheens do not necessarily mean that more lacquer has been applied to the surface just as gloss does not always mean that a suite has been rubbed. Low sheens may have as much build as a high sheen.
8. Rubbing. This is the process that is used to smooth the surface after it has been finished and has dried thoroughly. It removes trash, reduces the appearance of grain and is one method to give the furniture an expensive look. Here beauty is "in the eye of the beholder". Low to medium sheen rubbing procedures leave a scratch pattern where high buffed sheens eliminate this pattern but often leave buffer swirls. Rubbing can be done with find sandpaper, scotchbrite or steel wool. A lubricant is used on the surface to help in adjustments and control the scratch pattern. Rubbing is best left to the experienced furniture repair person for the factory process does not translate well in the field.
HAND PAD TECHNIQUES
Hand Pad. There are basically three types of hand pad techniques:
Grain pad uses a rag that has been rolled up until it resembles the shape of an index finger. The idea here is to dip the end of the rag into the material - squeeze out the excess and apply the material along the grain pattern of the wood. It is actually possible to complete a grain pattern by this technique. All hand pads will attack the lacquer; thus it becomes necessary to keep the rag in constant motion. If the hand pad looks dark it is possible to remove it with ethyl alcohol. All these materials attack the surface.
Smudge pad involves burnishing around the edges of a piece and often involves the adding of color with a soft cloth out in the larger surface areas. Whereas the grain pad rag had a more distinct shape, the smudge pad rag is more random. Softly fold the rag into something that resembles a ball. Dampen with the hand pad material and lightly darken around drawer edges, back splats on chairs, etc…work from light to dark and remove the excess with ethyl alcohol on a rag.
Spray pad might prove to be difficult to duplicate in the field. In this case, the material is sprayed on the piece evenly and lightly. A folded rag is then dipped into the ethyl alcohol and the excess removed. Allow the ethyl alcohol to evaporate until the correct dampness is achieved and then stipple the surface that was previously sprayed. Different effects can be achieved by this method. If you lack experience in working with spray pad then we suggest that you work
from light to dark. It usually pays to try to reach your final color by sandwiching this material between coats of lacquer. The idea is to spray, stipple, and lacquer the surface, leaving the overall color on the light side. Then repeat the process until the final color is achieved. It is tricky to judge color in this operation.
Spatter. Several methods may be used here. An air spray gun can be turned upside down (without the cup) and the air and fluid adjusted to a low setting. Pour the material down the siphon tube and slowly adjust the air and fluid. It doesn't take much pressure to make the
gun produce droplets. Another method is to apply the spatter with a brush. Dip the brush into the material and allow it to drain until it no longer drips. In other words, it won't ruin your piece when you hold it over the surface. Holding the brush 8 - 10 inches from the surface, gently pull back the bristles and release - allowing the material to travel through the air in droplet form.
Dry Brush. Dip a soft bristle brush into the material and brush out onto a cloth. The brush should have a dry feel. The material may then be applied to the surface with light strokes until the desired look is achieved. If you make a mistake up with this material, it may be removed with naptha or mineral spirits. If your brush is too wet the material can be softened with a rag even after it has been applied. Dry brush must be sealed with two coats of topcoat. Otherwise, it will
one day end up on someone's shirt sleeve, bedspread, etc…sometimes a touch-up pen can be used to simulate dry brush.
Cowtail. The application device (simulated cowtail) is made by using strings or, more commonly, strands from a mop. Approximately 15-20 strands are cut and fastened onto a handle. A simple tape wrap can replace the handle. One end of the device remains loose and is repeatedly dipped in sealer and allowed to dry. The strands are then spread back into a shape that resembles (so I'm told) a cow's tail. The cowtail is then dipped into the material and blotted onto a rag to adjust the amount of color needed for the application. The cowtail may then be either dragged or hit on the surface to create the distressing pattern. This material, when applied on a good coat of sealer or lacquer, may be removed with a dry rag or with a damp rag containing naptha or mineral spirits. A good substitute for small applications is a distressing crayon. This material must be coated with two coats of topcoat.
Distressing Crayon. This item can be found in touch-up supplier catalogues and is a great substitute for cowtailing once you develop the technique. Crayons must be topcoated. A touch-up marker can be substituted for the distressing crayon in certain situations.
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