Lacquer damage repair

M

Mpsafranski

Audioholic
Hey all. Just got a pair of f228bes. Decided to keep them. The ascend towers with raal tweeters were no slouches but these are….better!

Now what to do with the damage? The black laquer was chipped/ cracked where the front baffle meets the side, and as you can see, down to the wood. Thoughts were to get what’s visible of the wood painted black. Any thoughts on next steps to get some protection back on there?

IMG_6149.jpeg
 
M

Mpsafranski

Audioholic
Oh by the way they were used I did not do this to them during my first few days.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
That's probably a catalyzed finish material- I would contact Revel and find out what it is and what can be done to repair it. Lacquer dries very thin and even after many coats, it wouldn't be that thick.

If you can find an inconspicuous spot on the rear, a bit of lacquer thinner can be used to find out if the finish is softened by it- if it does soften, lacquer may be compatible but unless the surface is piano black, it's going to be difficult to make the repair 'disappear'.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Hey all. Just got a pair of f228bes. Decided to keep them. The ascend towers with raal tweeters were no slouches but these are….better!

Now what to do with the damage? The black laquer was chipped/ cracked where the front baffle meets the side, and as you can see, down to the wood. Thoughts were to get what’s visible of the wood painted black. Any thoughts on next steps to get some protection back on there?

View attachment 61840
The only people that could possibly fix that is an autobody shop. You will also need the paint codes from Revel. You will have to remove all the drivers before taking it to a body shop.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
The only people that could possibly fix that is an autobody shop. You will also need the paint codes from Revel. You will have to remove all the drivers before taking it to a body shop.
"Possibly"? Apparently, you haven't seen the level of finish work done by people who make/refinish furniture, either professional or hobbyist. This isn't rocket science.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
"Possibly"? Apparently, you haven't seen the level of finish work done by people who make/refinish furniture, either professional or hobbyist. This isn't rocket science.
Body shops have the most experience with those type of finishes.

There are newer cabinet shops that could possibly do it. I know one in Albany MN they have a spray booth that could possibly do it.

The problem now is that the environmental/health and safety regulations have got so onerous, only larger companies can use these types of finishes.
 
dolsey01

dolsey01

Enthusiast
The only people that could possibly fix that is an autobody shop. You will also need the paint codes from Revel. You will have to remove all the drivers before taking it to a body shop.
Another option is a piano repair/restoration company.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Body shops have the most experience with those type of finishes.

There are newer cabinet shops that could possibly do it. I know one in Albany MN they have a spray booth that could possibly do it.

The problem now is that the environmental/health and safety regulations have got so onerous, only larger companies can use these types of finishes.
Regardless of who does it, the correct finish is needed and some decisions are required- how much of the cabinet will need to be painted? The top/bottom, back and face don't need it, at most, just the sides or at the least, that one side. If it won't be easily seen unless someone looks for it, the latter could work.

If the finish was applied overseas, I agree completely, but only for manufacturers. Someone who uses these materials on a small scale can continue, but it's best to use directed air flow with filters and a mask with activated charcoal, so the VOCs can be minimized. For Nitrocellulose lacquer, go to any woodworking supply store and you'll see a decent variety- Rockler has it, Woodcraft has it, etc.

Maybe Revel has touch-up paint. A piano finish doesn't come from spraying alone- it would have been wet-sanded and polished. Touch up followed by those two steps will make it look like new, if done properly.
 
M

Mpsafranski

Audioholic
Thank you all! I’m not I guess looking to make it look new. I’d just like it to look not as noticeable. It’s already not very noticeable. And I’m assuming as long as it’s not messed with it won’t get worse.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Thank you all! I’m not I guess looking to make it look new. I’d just like it to look not as noticeable. It’s already not very noticeable. And I’m assuming as long as it’s not messed with it won’t get worse.
It quite likely could get worse. When those lacquer finishes are disturbed like that, they can continue to chip out.

If you are not looking for a perfect job, you could DIY. Get the damage back to clear sharp edges, and then fill the deficit with auto body putty. Rough the base up, so it really adheres. Then you need to smooth it to the smoothest finish possible with wet and dry.

Then screen the defect off with body shop masking tape. That is the blue stuff.

Then see if you can get a spray paint of the closed possible match and gloss. Then spray paint it with fast strokes, and use multiple coats 20 min apart. Once you have it how you want leave it for 24 hours at least, and then remove the masking tape. That will protect it, and make it look a lot better than it does now if you are careful.
 
M

Mpsafranski

Audioholic
Thank you! I’m going to try that for sure. Having it get continuously worse would be tragic.
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
A little bit of clear nail polish will tell if it's lacquer.
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
can you explain further?
Clear nail polish is typically lacquer. If the finish in question is straight lacquer, the nail polish will 'rewet' the finish. Pre-cat/post-cat lacquers OTOH, are usually more solvent resistant than their nitrocellulose counterparts and usually require sanding beforehand for a mechanical bond instead.

Most production items are catalyzed (hardener added) finishes. Nitrocellulose lacquer otherwise, takes months to cure. I use the nitrocellulose musical instrument lacquer because it is easy to repair, and I can afford to wait a couple months for it to harden sufficiently enough to cut and polish. It can also be hot coated (a ratio of about 4:1 solvent/lacquer) to re-gloss the entire surface to further help blend repairs or even renew an old finish.

These days, a lot of these coatings are even water-based, in keeping with ever increasingly restrictive EPA concerns. Still, it is best to find out from the manufacturer exactly what they use.
 

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