Wood finishing seminars with wood coatings and application systems expert Norm Smith

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COLUMBIA INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES

    Presents

 Wood finishing seminars with wood coatings and application systems expert Norm Smith

 

 

These seminars will be presented by Norm Smith, Industry Advisor – Finishing Specialist, FPInnovations-Forintek. Norm has extensive hands-on industrial experience in wood finishing products and application systems gained from over twenty-five years in the industry. Norm provides his technical knowledge to the furniture, millwork and kitchen cabinets sectors across the western provinces. His knowledge extends from specifying the proper coating to applying the product in such a manner that productivity and quality are maximized.

           In these interactive seminars Norm will discuss:

  •  Creating a well-defined finishing process
  • Abrasives and sanding
  • Stains & Sealers
  • Coatings – matching characteristics to your needs   
  • Spray equipment
    • Matching different types to your situation
    • Care & Maintenance
  • Application techniques -& why they matter
  • Drying
    • Temperature, humidity & air flow
    • Accelerated drying
  • “Green Finishing”
  • Problems: diagnosing and solving

 Tuesday, January 24th 2:30 – 5:30 Inn on Long Lake – Nanaimo

    Wednesday January 25th 2:30 – 5:30 Comfort Hotel – Victoria

   A registration fee of $20 (includes H.S.T.) must be received with your reservation to hold a spot for you or your finisher.

   Space is limited to 30 participants per seminar on a first reserved basis. Complimentary refreshments will be available.

Call Columbia Industrial Supplies at (250) 475- 2295 or (800) 606 – 2295 to register

     “YOUR ISLAND OWNED SUPPLIER OF THE FINEST WOOD FINISHES SINCE 1995”

Gemini Wood Coatings

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COLUMBIA INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES      

“YOUR ISLAND OWNED SUPPLIER OF THE FINEST WOOD FINISHES SINCE 1995”

 

We are pleased to now offer Gemini Wood Coatings in addition to Becker Acroma finishing systems.

Established in 1964 Gemini Coatings is now one of the top coatings manufacturers in the US.

               

      Ultra Lacquer II Clear Conversion Coating offers the strength of a conversion   

      varnish with the ease of application generally associated with precatalyzed

      lacquers. Formulated with European Polymer Technology, Ultra Lacquer II offers  

      an extraordinarily high level of durability which meets or exceeds the    

      performance demands of today’s woodworking industry.

     Ultra Lacquer II has a rich look and feel that resists yellowing.  Ultra Lacquer II   

     meets all of  the pertinent government regulations regarding emissions and     

     exceeds the performance parameters outlined by KCMA and ASTM.

Designed for interior use including: Wood Cabinetry, Architectural Millwork, Wood Furniture, Interior Wood Surfaces, Wood Tables and Chairs.

Advantages:

Excellent Chemical Resistance

User Friendly

Virtually HAPs Free

AIM Compliant

Ultra Low Formaldehyde

Ultra High Solids

Resists Yellowing

Moisture Resistant

No Critical Recoat Time

AWI System 5

Meets or exceeds KCMA and ASTM Performance Parameters When Applied in Accordance to Specifications

Non Photo Chemically Reactive

Both (standard) 90 Day and (enhanced) 7 Day Pot Life Options

Phthalate Free

 

Standard Catalyzation System Enhanced Catalyzation System
Extended Shelf Life – Reduce waste! Improved Chemical & Mar Resistance
Chemical & Mar Resistance Faster Dry Time
Good Dry Time Faster Sandability
Quick Sandability Faster Stackability
Good Stackability 7 Day Pot Life – catalyst C7302
90 Day Pot Life  – catalyst M1111  

 

 

Ultra Lacquer II Clear Post-Catalyzed Coatings is available in 10°, 20°, 30° and 45° sheens.

Price Includes Either 90 Day or 7 Day Pot Life Catalyst. The 7 day pot-life (catalyst C7302) version offers superior quality and toughness while the 90 day pot-life (catalyst M1111) version offers extended usage period. No thinning required. Self-Sealing. Volume discounts available

Call John at Columbia Industrial Supplies for pricing.

 

  
   

Free Freight Policy:  To your shop on orders over $750.00 (before taxes) or 5 pails of Becker Acroma or Gemini Wood Coatings. Either Total Delivery Systems or Columbia Industrial Supplies will deliver to the following Vancouver Island population centres: C.R.D., Duncan, Nanaimo, Parksville, Courtenay, Port Alberni and Campbell River.  Overnight delivery by Total Delivery Systems of less then $750.00 or 5 pails can be arranged for a small delivery fee.

                              831 Shamrock Street, Victoria V8X 2V1.  Telephone (250) 475-2295;

Toll Free (800) 606-2295; Fax (250) 415-2112

The Skinny on Thinners

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The Skinny on Thinners

 Coating manufacturers specially formulate lacquer thinners to reduce the viscosity of thier products. Becker formulates its thinners from a variety of solvents rather than just one in order to control how the solvent evaporates and the working characteristics of the coating. These solvent blends dissolve the resin quickly while maintaining the properties of coating and workability.

 Thinners are made with two categories of solvents, diluting solvents and dissolving solvents.  Dissolving solvents are the solvents which chemically dissolve the resins quickly, where as diluting solvents are solvents that dont dissolve the resin but merely mix into the coating to reduce the viscosity.  Dissolving solvents are generally more expensive that diluting solvents, therefore most lacquer thinner is a blend of the two categories of solvent to keep costs lower. 

 Some solvents are better environmentally than others as well.  To reduce the amounts of Volatile Organic Compounds (V.O.C.) or Hazardous Air Pollutants (H.A.Ps) some thinners are made with specific solvents that do not fall into either of these categories.  These thinners not only keep the air we breathe in the shop cleaner, they emit less pollution into the environment. 

 Using the proper thinners for the coating you are using will avoid many potential problems.  Most problems arise from evaporation rate of the thinners not being right for the conditions, or for the lacquer you’re using.  If the evaporation rate of thinner is too slow, the coating won’t dry quickly enough and you can get excessive dust that can settle into the coating from the atmosphere.  You can also have the surface film remain soft for an extended period, allowing for increased physical damage.  If the evaporation rate of the thinner is too fast the coating can have flow or blushing related problems.  It the coating forms a film before the surface has leveled, it can cause an orange peel effect on the finished piece.  Also, air can become entrapped in the coating from the atomization process if the coating skins over before the air can escape.  In extreme cases the coating can even dry while it is being sprayed between the spray gun and the work piece.  This is known as dry spray. 

 Not all thinners work in all products. Some thinners have solvents blended into them that do not mix with coatings.   These solvents can cause a chemical reaction in the coating, causing the coating to separate and form blobs in the coating.  This is generally referred to as “kicking out”. 

 Becker Acroma thinners are specially formulated to work with our products to gain the maximum performance from each coating.  Thinner 1309 and 140 have faster evaporation rates while thinner 219 and 419 are slower.  When a slower evaporating thinner is needed a retarder can be added.

 By using the proper solvent, the user can put less thinner in the coating to reduce the coating down to a desired viscosity.  Some thinners will reduce the viscosity of the resin in the coating in lesser amounts than others. 

 Utilizing the proper thinner the user can reap the benefits of higher solids while maintaining the workability of the coating.  Higher solids coatings allow the user to apply less coating to get an acceptable finish quality.  As well, higher solids material is more environmentally friendly, reducing the amounts of solvents being released into the atmosphere.

 Finally, a word of caution.  While it is tempting to use recycled thinners in order to reduce costs, doing so can prove to be a false economy.  The composition of these thinners is unknown, and can be the cause of complications that are more than difficult to trace.  For the relatively small cost saving for a complete coating system – hardly worth the risk!

 For more information please give us a call or drop us a line. We are always pleased to be of service!

Becker Acroma Interior Wood Finishes Film Thickness Guidelines

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Becker Acroma Interior Wood Finishes Film Thickness Guidelines

 Assumption:  “One Coat” is generally considered to comprise two passes, one art right angles to the other.

 Dry Film thickness of completed coating (including any seal coat or Surfacer coat and assuming scuff sanding between each coat):

 Becker Clear Coats:

            Recommended dry film thickness range of 2.5 to 6.0 mils

 Becker Matador “System’ maximum 7.0 mils

Recommended dry film thickness range of 2.5 to maximum 7.0 mils

Wet Film Thickness “Equivalence”

One wet coat should not exceed 6 mils

To get to approximately 2.5 dry mils of clear coat, you need, say, two wet coats of 5 mils each.  In other words, 2.5 dry mils = 10 wet mills.

Measuring & Mixing Catalyst

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Measuring & Mixing Catalyst         

Don’t take chances here!  Make sure you know the required percentage for the specific product (if in doubt, check the Technical Data Sheet in this web site), and measure carefully.  Over catalyzing can cause “burning” of the finish, causing it to amber and, over time, to become brittle and prone to cracking.  Under-catalyzing will result in a relatively soft coating that can lead to re-coating issues such as wrinkling.  It will also cause the lacquer to “gas-off” for months instead of days.

 When mixing catalyst and thinner into post-cat lacquer, add the catalyst first, then thinner as required.  Pour slowly while stirring to avoid “catalyst shock”.

Comfort Zone for Wood Finishes

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Comfort Zone for Wood Finishes     

 Just as humans don’t like to be cold, so it is with wood coating materials.  The Technical Data Sheets for most finish products recommend application temperatures in the order of 18 to 20C.  Chemists tell us that “below 14C, nothing much happens with catalyzed material”.  So to get full value from your coatings, it really pays to get as close to ideal conditions as you can.  Easier said than done in many situations!  And remember, temperature applies not only to the coating material, but also to the substrate and the ambient air temperature.  Material that is stored in un-heated locations can take a long time to get up to temperature-this particularly applies to containers of finish that are stored on concrete slab floors.  So when you find yourself complaining about the cold this winter, give a thought to your finishing materials; they are probably feeling the cold as much as you are!

Meet the COLUMBIA INDUSTRIAL Colour Match Team

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Meet the COLUMBIA INDUSTRIAL Colour Match Team

  

                       MIKE       TREVOR        JOSH

 

We Match Stains: To Columbia Wiping Stains, Becker Acroma’s Arti® Spray & Wipe                  

                                Alcohol Stains, Aqua Chroma® Water Based Stains, Microtoners,     

                                  Glazes & Tinctures. 

We Match Paint:  To Becker Acroma’s pigmented enamels:  Matador® and Strong® .

 Matching colours is tricky!

Think of it for a moment; there is, in theory, an almost infinite number of colours, shades, tones etc.  While basic colour theory can be helpful, it can only take you so far.  Industrial pigments and dyes don’t come in “basic” colours, but instead we work with such exotically named pigments as “burnt umber” and “red oxide” all of which are variations of prime colours.

 How do we do it?

This is where patience and experience are key.  While the process may appear to be simple, just adding a little of this and a little of that, in reality, colour matching can be challenging. Unlike retail paint stores who use a volume-based approach (those familiar cylindrical pigment dispensing machines), we weigh all our pigments and dyes to an accuracy of 1/100th of a gram.  This ensures that we can accurately replicate any of our colour matches. When developing an initial colour match, we record the weights in our computer files.  The resulting “formula” then becomes part of our colour data base that includes literally thousands of colours.

 What do I need to supply?

For stain matches, it is essential that we work with an actual sample of the wood that is to be stained as the chemical composition of wood can have a marked effect on the resulting colour of a given stain. Please give us a sample of the “target  colour”  and some pieces of the wood that you will be staining.

 For paint matches, a sample of the actual paint or the paint manufacturer’s colour reference number and name. For example: Benjamin Moore HC- 27 “Monterey White” or Cloverdale 7300 “Jet Stream” or M.L. Campbell 1115 “Quartz Moon”. Occasionally, paint companies change their fan decks and/or their referencing numbers.  It is important to keep fan decks current-or if in doubt, check with us first. Lighting can have a major impact on the viewer’s perception of colour.  The more pigments and dyes in paint, the more impact varying light will have on the apparent colour so let us know what the application will be.

 How long will my match take?

There are several factors that determine our “turn-around time” for a colour preparation.  If it just involves mixing to an existing formula (either a stain or a paint), then orders received before 11:00 AM can be completed on the same day.  On the other hand, if we need to match to a sample of stain or paint, every case is different.  Some matches can be done quite quickly, while others can require many iterations before we are satisfied with the result.  And then there is the work load factor, which we can’t predict from day to day. While we can usually get a match done within a couple of days – (sometimes sooner; sometimes a bit longer), the bottom line is that we pledge to do our very best – all the time.

 How much will it cost?

No charge for Becker Acroma lacquer customers. If you are outside the Victoria area you’ll need to cover the courier costs unless one of us is in your area and can pick-up your sample. If you are not a lacquer customer a nominal colour match charge plus material costs may be applied for a one litre minimum size sample. 

 Open 7:30 – 4:30 Monday – Friday, 8:00 – Noon Saturdays

Colour Matching – Why Patience is Paramount!

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Colour Matching – Why Patience is Paramount        [18.10.10]

 

  • Beware-colour matching can drive you crazy!
  • What we ask of our customers (besides patience!) is to provide a good sample of the colour they would like to match; if stain, then a reasonable supply of the actual wood that is to be stained.
  • Why matching colours is tricky- think of it for a moment; there is, in theory, an almost infinite number of colours, shades, tones etc.  While basic colour theory can be helpful, it can only take you so far.  Industrial pigments and dyes don’t come in “basic” colours, but instead we work with such exotically named pigments as “burnt umber” and  “red oxide” all of which are variations of prime colours.
  • How do we do it?  This is where patience and experience are key.  While the process appears to be simple, just adding a little of this and a little of that, in reality the process can become quite comlex.   Unlike retail paint stores who use a volume-based approach (those familiar cylindrical pigment dispensing machines), we weigh all our pigments and dyes to an accuracy of 1/100th of a gram.  This ensures that we can accurately replicate a given formula in the future.  When developing an initial colour match, we record the weights in our computer files.  The resulting “formula” then becomes part of our colour data base that includes literally thousands of colours.
  • What can go wrong?  Barring mixing errors (we double check everything but we are human!):
    • For stain matches, it is essential that we work with an actual sample of the wood that is to be stained as the chemical composition of wood can have a marked effect on the resulting colour of a given stain.
    • The dependability of the colour sample itself.  Occasionally, paint companies change their fan decks and their referencing numbers.  It is important to keep fan decks current-or if in doubt, check with us first.
    • Lighting can have a major impact on the viewer’s perception of colour.  The more pigments and dyes in paint, the more impact varying light will have on the apparent colour.
    • And above all, please remember to check the colour of any paint of stain before proceeding with the main application.

Caring for Your Spray Gun

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Caring for Your Spray Gun               [18.10.10]

 

(From DeVilbiss Service Bulletin SB-2-001-F)

Cleaning, basic maintenance and lubrication

 

Remove the air cap from the gun and immerse it in clean solvent.  Blow it dry with compressed air. If the small holes become clogged, soak the cap in clean solvent.  If reaming the hole is necessary use a toothpick or some other soft implement.  Do not clean holes with a wire or similar hard object, as permanent damage can be done resulting in a defective spray pattern.

Cleaning a Suction or Pressure Feed System

Turn off the air to the gun, loosen the cup cover and remove the fluid tube. Holding the tube over the top of the cup, pull the trigger to allow the paint to drain back into the cup.  Empty the cup and wash it with clean solvent and a clean cloth.  Clean off the outside of the tube.  Fill halfway with clean solvent and spray it through the gun to flush out the fluid passages.  Then remove the air cap and clean it as previously explained before replacing it. Wipe off the gun with a solvent-soaked cloth, or if necessary, brush the air cap and gun with a fibre brush using clean-up liquid or thinner.

Cleaning a Pressure Feed Gun With Remote Cup or Tank

Turn off the air supply to the cup or tank.  Release material pressure from the system by opening the relief valve.  Material in hoses may be blown back.   The lid must be loose and all air pressure off.  Keep the gun higher than the container, loosen the air cap approximately 2-3 turns, hold a rag over the air cap, and trigger the gun until atomizing air forces all material back into the pressure vessel.

Back-flush the hose into the cup or tank with solvent and dry compressed air.  Clean the container and add clean solvent. Pressurize the system and run the solvent through until clean.  Atomizing air should be turned off during this procedure.

Clean the air cap, fluid top and tank.  Reassemble the system.

Note:  Never soak the entire gun in cleaning solvent.  This will dry out the packing and remove lubrication.

Lubrication

Lubricate (daily) the fluid needle packing, the air valve packing, the trigger bearing screw and the adjusting screw threads with spray gun lube.  The fluid needle spring should be lightly coated with petroleum jelly.  Thoroughly clean the air cap and baffle threads and lubricate with spray gun lube. Lubricate each of these points after every cleaning.

 

Parts replacement

 

Always refer to the exploded view of your gun.

Pull trigger or remove fluid adjusting screw prior to tightening the tip to avoid damaging both the tip and the needle. Spray guns have some combination of plastic, copper, leather and soft packings and gaskets.  It is recommended that these be replaced if the assembly is removed or when dong an overall repair. The fluid needle packing must be replaced when the packing nut bottoms out. New packing or needle should be oiled before assembly.  Packing nuts should be tightened just enough to seal.  Too tight will bind the needle as well as shorten the life of the packing. When replacing the fluid tip or fluid needle, it is recommended that they both be replaced at the same time.

Please let us know if Columbia Industrial Supplies can answer any questions you may have or if you would like further information about the paint spraying equipment we stock.

Using a Wet Mill Gauge

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Measuring wet film thickness

 It is important to have a good “read” on the actual wet thickness of your coating application.     

 Using the Gauge

When you spray finishes, the wet mil gauge helps you to get consistently good results. It is about the size and shape of a credit card[1]. It has a number of cutouts on each side that become progressively shorter by 1mil increments (about the thickness of a sheet of paper). On your gauge you will see the numbers 1-6 and 7-12 on the sides, and 14-30 and 35-80 at the top and bottom. Each of these tabs is labeled to indicate how far they are from the surface you set the gauge on.

 To use the gauge, you first spray a flat surface and immediately set the gauge on the wet finish (this is easier to do on horizontal surfaces). You then lift the gauge and count the impressions it left in the finish.

 Reading the Gauge

When you lift the gauge, you will see a number of impressions in the wet finish (they will disappear). Count the number of marks in the finish, not including the ends where the gauge feet contacted the surface. The number of impressions will tell you how many of the mil tabs touched the finish. This in turn tells you how thick you sprayed the finish.

 After counting the marks, use a clean cloth to wipe the gauge clean. If you allow finish to build up on the measuring tabs you will get incorrect readings from the gauge. After using the wet mil gauge for a while, you will get an “eye” for how the finish looks when sprayed at the recommended thickness.

 Caution

Most finishes used on furniture are sprayed in the 1-5 mil range, though some will be applied thicker. If you have thinned the finish to adjust its viscosity, you will have to spray thinner coats to avoid runs and sags.

 Be sure to consult the data sheet or your Columbia Industrial Supplies sales representative for the recommended mil thickness of your finish. Your finish may also have a maximum number of coats you should apply.

[1] If you don’t have a gauge, we would be happy to supply one for you.