# Earlex 5500, SW all surface enamel finish



## OrlandoMark (Nov 12, 2016)

Hello All,

My goal is a smooth, "piano-ish" finish on wood furniture, so i bought an Earlex 5500 with a 1.5 needle. After MANY sessions of experimentation, I can't get rid of the orange peel.

SW says that I'm not supposed to thin past 5%. I've thinned to 10% using mineral spirits and am using Penetrol.

Should I thin this alkyd enamel more??? I've read that over-thinning effects color and other paint qualitys. I've tried different distances and flow rates, but no good results. I'm stumped and nearly defeated.

Thin more?

Thanks,
Mark


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

I have shot a lot of that SW oil based enamel on both wood and metal with fantastic results. But I do it using a gravity fed HVLP gun w/1.4 tip. I typically thin to about 70/30 or maybe even 60/40. No measuring, just by eye.

Cheers,
Brad


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

I'd thin some more. While it might shift the color slightly, it shouldn't affect the other qualities. Basically all you are doing is applying fewer solids per coat. Thinning waterbornes too much can be a problem, but generally with oil based paints you don't have those same problems.


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## OrlandoMark (Nov 12, 2016)

Gentlemen, thank you for your replies! I'm going to give it another try today and am hopefully for MrUnix results.


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## skatefriday (May 5, 2014)

I have an Earlex and found that, at least with EnduroVar, applying a thin coat produced more orange peel than a thicker coat.


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## OrlandoMark (Nov 12, 2016)

I sprayed again today with paint thinned to 30%. I definitely got better results, but not glass.

If i spray too light a coat, it becomes a very fine, rough texture. If I spray heavier, I got mild orange peel. I am a beginner at spraying, but there certainly does seem to be a learning curve or I maybe I need to thin to 40-50%.

If anyone knows where a picture is of how the paint is supposed to look directly after spraying, that would be helpful. I've read that it's normal for the paint to look like orange peel when wet, but it's supposed to flatten out after about 15 min. (I wish!)

Maybe a different paint selection would be easier. I'm looking for durability which is why I chose SW oil enamel.


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## Carloz (Oct 12, 2016)

Add some penetrol.


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## OrlandoMark (Nov 12, 2016)

I took a couple pics of the 2 types of results that I get. One appears to have too heavy a coat, has a nice shine, but up close it's obviously not flat.

he other shows a lighter coat that is "flatter" than the other, but doesn't have any shine due to the fine textured appearance.

Additional analysis, advice or berating and is appreciated.


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## Cooler (Feb 3, 2016)

I toured the Steinway factory shortly after they switched from solvent based lacquer to water bases lacquer. They emphasized that it was a lacquer. It looked "piano-ish" to me.

I will say that when I bought my Scion it was the first year Toyota was using a water-based paint, and that paint was very soft when I got it. You could scratch it with your thumbnail. And brushing against my shrubs while going onto my driveway left marks on the finish that I had to rub out.

But it hardened after about a year. The newer finishes are much better. I think because they are using a clear-coat.

There is a finish called "Pianolac". I have no experience using it. https://www.mmdigest.com/Archives/Digests/200202/2002.02.09.07.html

Also GF makes a water based lacquer with a Gloss of 90: https://generalfinishes.com/professional-products/water-based-topcoats-and-sanding-sealers/enduro-water-based-lacquer#.WCxtstIrLIU

Mohawk also makes a piano-specific finish and it can be sprayed with HVLP equipment. It is just $46.00 per gallon and that sounds pretty reasonable for a specialized product like this: http://www.richelieu.com/documents/docsPr/M6/10/13/07/M6101307/1385402.pdf

http://www.mohawkproducts.com/product-p/pl.htm


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## Johnny_Yuma (Nov 29, 2009)

A "piano-ish" finish is achieved by using a thing called "elbow grease". Sand your finish flat, then shoot with clear. Let that dry for 4+ days, then back to elbow grease.


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## Cooler (Feb 3, 2016)

> A "piano-ish" finish is achieved by using a thing called "elbow grease". Sand your finish flat, then shoot with clear. Let that dry for 4+ days, then back to elbow grease.
> 
> - Drew


Not at the Steinway factory. The finish was sprayed on and was 99% there when it came out of the booth.

But you can certainly get a mirror finish using shellac and French polish. A huge amount of work, and probably not cost-effective for Steinway.


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