Pinstipers: Is using lacquer thinner with 1Shot OK?

Is there something more reasonably priced than enamel reducer to dilute 1Shot? How about enamel thinner? Enamel reducer is outrageously priced where I live! I'd appreciate a little advice on this subject.

 

If you want to keep it shiny use turps or at Wally World is called turpatine.

Mineral spirits makes it dull after a while, and laquer thinner would dry too fast to pull a line.

My experience anyway.

Best to ya
VonDad

 

Lacquer thinner is a no-no. Dries too fast and ruins the brush.I wouldn't even use it to clean the brush.
Possibly harms the paint on the vehicle.
Cheapest is mineral spirits.
You really use very little thinner when striping or lettering that the cost is negligible. If you can't get enough out of a job to pay for the thinner, there's something wrong with this picture.

 

he might not be charging anything. not in the biz. i hear what he's saying. thanx though for the info. i've wondered too.

 

Actually, you would be amazed at the difference thinner can make when you are striping. Matching the thinner to the temperature is just as important as when you are spraying. Can get expensive to have those different thinners on hand. Also need correct thinners if you are intending to spray clear over the top.
Having said that, many people still use plain old mineral spirits or turpentine.

 

This will really expose a misconception on my part . . .
I thought Mineral Spirits was turpentine?

Hep me Hep me
Craig

 

I use turpentine myself, courtesy of Lowe's or HD.

 

I use the cheap *** mineral spirits, work just fine for me. Have used turpentine as well, but it sure stinks alot more.

 

I am not a paint chemist, but I think that mineral spirits is an oil by-product and turpentine is extracted from sap.

 

Thanks, Guys! I'm practicing a couple of hours a day, making mistakes, learning, wasting materials, and striving to make a long time dream a reality by becoming the best striper I can possibly be!

 

That may be hotrod I argee that they are, but I know a alot of pinheads that have used them both for years with great luck.

 

Irish Dan,

If you want a clean pure turpentine use the artist version its call rectified turpentine. Hardware turps isn't pure, some brands have too much impurities in them. hotrod1940 is right, turpentine comes from tree sap and mineral spirits is a oil by product. Never ever use lacquer thinner in or on enamel it will attack it and leave you with a glummie mess.
One Shot is a proven and top of the line product, the thinner you use should be a top of the line product for the best results.

Cruiser 49

 

I have been using lacquer thinner for about 20 years.It dries faster and the brush is easier to handle.I am an extremely fast pinstriper,I have tried other thinner and nothing works for me as well.I do an average of 32 to 38 cars a weekend and I have never had a problem.I do put 75% lacquer to 25% mineral spirits if there is alot humidity.

 

Having sold One Shot for more years than I care to remember,,,,they have had there own reducers ,,,all kinda pricy,,,,,

Regular mineral sprits(paint thinner) is fine for cleaning brushes and even reducing the paint when used in small amounts,,,

I have seen several sign painters and pinheads use lacquer thinner in One Shot without any ill effects on the work,,,but I wouldn't recommend it!

MEK,,is a great reducer and can be purchased at most paint stores,,,

Rectified turpentine will work but,,,I will take turn that fast drying enamel into a slow drying product..

And if ya want your one shot to dry faster,,,try a little Japan dryer,,,,,,This product will exellerate the drying time in cold weather.

My personal favorate has to be Penetrol,,,a product that is made by Flood Co.,,,which helps in the flow of the enamel without thinning the paint,,,just makes it smoother to work with

Hope this helps,,HRP

 

It seems as if everyone has their own ideas on what thinners and/or reducers should be used based on their own experiences.A few observations if I may:

When I first began to stripe,I used Red Devil enamel(available in 1/4 pints at my local hardware store for 29 cents per can) and thinned it with pure gum turpentine and cleaned my brush in Energine Cleaning Fluid(mostly carbon tetrachloride).I only had one brush at the time;a 1010 Grumbacher in size 00 that cost me the enormous sum of $1.49 at B & D Paint and Wallpaper on munroe St. in Lynn M***achusetts.

Later on I moved up to Rust-O-Leum and used their fish oil based thinner.Used Lacquer thinner or mineral spirits to clean my brushes(I now owned several).Stored them in lard oil until I opened the brush box one hot summer day and found it had turned rancid.Smells sort of like a dead animal which it basically is.Started using sewing machine oil.

I discovered 1-Shot about 30 years ago and have used it pretty much exclusively ever since.Tried various types of urethane based paints and don't really care for them.Use mostly 1-Shot reducers(high temp and low temp but not 6000).Brush cleaner is usually Savogran or a comparable one containing toluene,acetone,and benzol a**** other things.A bit harsh on the brushes(don't use on synthetics!mineral spirits only.)but not as bad as lacquer thinner.MEK is good for thinning epoxies or washing off old lettering on surfaces that aren't affected by it.Very toxic ****! Use neoprene gloves(it will eat through latex ones)and don't inhale it unless you have a serious death wish.

I've tried using lacquer thinner in an emergency to thin 1-Shot and have not had good results.I know several stripers who use it all the time(darin a**** them)and they have great results.To each his own.

If I use mineral spirits I try to use the odorless type as the newest regular stuff smells and acts like kerosene. On the old cans of 1-Shot,that was the preferred substance(no more than a couple of drops)to use in hot weather.I don't think the new formulations recommend this anymore.

Penetrol seems to make the paint too thin and also tends to create fisheyes in the paint almost like a contaminant.

Japan drier should only be used(and very sparingly)if you are having a problem with a particular paint drying(alot of the reds and browns do this periodically)too slowly.It can sometimes rejuvenate old paint that the driers have evaporated in,but I would just as soon discard old paint.It is cheap enough considering you might have to do a job twice and only get paid once.

Speaking of contaminants;one of the worst is a product variously called,"Smoothee" or fish eye eliminator.It is essentially pure silicone and I wouldn't want it within a hundred feet of any paint area.The same goes for any aerosol including WD-40 or any other similar product.

Any product that contains silicone is particularly insidious because silicone being heavier than air tends to sink to the floor of a shop after being sprayed.A good breeze or even walking across a floor will stir it up and usually right into your fresh paint job.

Some of the older stripers may have tried using a brushing lacquer that used to be available called,"DaggerLac".If anyone still uses it,I learned a neat tip from an old sign painter who used it exclusively:To slow the dry time down a bit and not mess up the consistency(as with retarders),try putting one or two drops of castor oil in the paint.don't go nuts as if you put too much in,it will never dry.

Sorry for the long ramble but that is the way my mind works.

Ray

 

Listen to Ray he is the master.I am just weird,lacquer thinner works great for me.I would not advise a new striper to use it.Ray has forgot more about pinstriping and lettering that most of us will ever learn.He will help anyone ,just ask,because he knows the answer.

 

Excellent post. I have never heard of the castor oil, but same thing applies to linseed oil.

 

My only experience with linseed oil was attempting to store brushes in it at one point.Needless to say that was a fiasco.Sometimes you learn the hard way.

 

Darin (killer-D)striped my Bel Air.I think it came out great.the stripes are bright and shiny,not dull,like someone said they may come out.not gummy lookin' anywhere.flowed out nice.I use to run around with a striper that started striping back in the early 60's..seen him stripe alot of cars.Darin's came out just as good if not better than my friends work.I guess it matter how you have been tought.If he used lacquer on mine I'm happy with it.

 

What is your favorite brand of paint?

 

It's in his post.

 

Irish Dan, you know we all expect to see some pics of your work. I've tried pinstriping several times; it makes me really appreciate people who can do it!

 

Thanks for the info Ray, all good stuff to know! Your work is incredible!!

 

Thanks for the info on the subject. I am not trying to be a pro striper but do it for myself and to have fun. I've been using the oderless M/S' from Wally World, it's cheap. I clean my brushes with it also. There seems to be a lot of Pinheads on here, how about a cl*** or something next year at the Drags???
Some of us new guys could learn from you pro's. I'll cook the BBQ.
Mick

 

A panel jam at the drags next year would be cool. Evidently there was some striping going on, but I never saw it. I'm self-taught and still pretty shakey, I'd love to sit down with some experienced guys and get some pointers.

 

Thanks Ray. I guess there are alot of us out here putting lines on everything we touch, your input is valuable stuff.

 

Lacquer Thinner will make it true 'One Shot' ... as it etches Lacquer or Enamal... kinda makes it so in a lota cases you can't just wash it off and try again...
If ya really wanna be 'old time' - thin the **** with gasoline - - just don't smoke when your layin' it down<grin> Gas works great for thinning Enamal for airbrush shirts too - - paint never washes out, but once again ... Watch out for the Blowtorch.........
Fred
http://bikesters.com

 

As Darin said, LISTEN TO RAY! Yes I'm yelling, deal with it. Ray's work will outlast the car he works on. Darin is one of the few lucky one who can get lacquer to work well. I think that lacquer just likes him. How could you not like him, just look at him...

There is another striper in my area who will remain nameless who also uses lacquer and inside of two to three years the work looks like it's fifty years old. Now on a hot rod that might be cool, but it's not so cool on a truck that works as your billboard. Not cool at all.

I used to use spirits and when in high humidity I'd switch to 1-Shot's reducer for the day. Considering how little I use strickly as the reducer, (still using spirits to clean the brush) is didn cost that much more.

I got the odd opportunity to stripe in India, yep the country, and needed something to thin the paint that I oh so illegally smuggled over there and the closest thing that the locals could find was some really rank turp. Thing is, that **** was the bomb. I loved the way it worked but could never get past the smell. I don't know who they let piss in the vat they were mixing that **** it, but it worked like nothing else I'd ever used.

I have tried Smoothie and it ruined my brush, closely followed by my day. I threw away a quart that had about four drops missing. Castor oil is the only thing I'll add other than the reducer dejur.

Ray taught me almost everything I know and I wish I had the time for him to teach me everything HE knows...

Vance

 

I'd be up for a jam at the drags. Ray, you up for a road trip? I know Darin would be.

Vance

 

That was safarinut who wrote that...