General Finishes biannual meeting and classes

[RDMuller]

I had the pleasure of attending a biannual meeting of General Finishes here in Indianapolis this week for 1 1/2 days.  There were about 30 different classes and we can only pick 9 sessions of 1 hour each.  What a cool program.  About half of it was taught by their employees and the other half by dealers and customers.  I am completely rethinking the role of water-based finishes as far as paints is concerned and am also thinking about it for stains and topcoats,

My notes and pictures should be put together over the next couple of weeks.  I will put a link in here eventually to where I put them.  That company is doing a whale of a job putting stuff on Twitter, Facebook and the rest of the social media sites.

Their number one message --- CALL US FOR SUPPORT

 

[Bob D.]

It would be nice to collect all the Q&A on finishing, I know I could use help.

I dislike finishing, partly because I don't have enough experience with it I think, and the
rest is I just don't like doing it. I'd rather be building than applying stains, paints, or shellac
or other finishes.

If I would find a good class locally that offered help with finishing I would take it.

EDIT> due to topic split.

 

[tjbnwi]

It would be nice to collect all the Q&A on finishing, I know I could use help.

I dislike finishing, partly because I don't have enough experience with it I think, and the
rest is I just don't like doing it. I'd rather be building than applying stains, paints, or shellac
or other finishes.

If I would find a good class locally that offered help with finishing I would take it.

EDIT> due to topic split.

If you have a question post it. I and others help as much as time allows.

Tom

 

[Pnw painter]

I'm curious to know more about why you're re-thinking the role of water based finishes? Can I assume that you're implying that water based finishes still have a ways to go to catch up to their solvent based equivalents?

Either way I'm looking forward to your link. I'll also have to check out General Finishes social media sites.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RDMuller]

I am rethinking water-based finish in terms of the results obtained.  They are better than I thought.  Also, there are new resins being developed that seem to be allowing formulators  to discover some much improved product the last few years.  There are 4 key companies developing these who market them to the companies making the finishes we use.

Product names and classifications are being marketed in some very "loose" ways.  Most of us think that "lacquer" is nitrocellulose based product and conversion varnish is that.  Now an acrylic urethane blend with newer technologies in it is being marketed as "water-based lacquer"  because it is "lacquer-like" in handling and final result appearance.  Oh boy, it's getting even more confusing.

But this has been going on for a long time ---- a product called Deft was for all practical purposes marketed as "Magic in a Can" rather than nitrocellulose lacquer with lacquer thinner and enough retarder to make it brushable.  Eventually they put the word lacquer on the can.

In some ways I am almost scared to write anything about finishes as someone will accuse you of being very wrong and misinformed.  The rules are really not written as to what stuff can be named and called.  I think I am safe in calling something water-based or solvent-based if I have looked at the dilution and cleanup directions.

In the meantime, I suggest we all name the manufacturer, the product name, and maybe even the year of manufacture as these things are changing on the fly when we make posts.

 

[Neal W]

I am becoming a big fan of General Finishes.  ON my last project I used their high performance top coat.  It sprayed very nicely. 

I'm currently working on another project and used their milk paint, which isn't a traditional milk paint, so they say.  It sprayed on very nicely, dried very quickly, went on smoothly, it was so nice to use. 

I'll apply the high performance topcoat (water based polyeurathane). 

Granted I'm a true noob when it comes to finishing things but I really like the general finishes products I have used thus far.

 

[sancho57]

I just completed a staining and finishing class this was put on by Mohawk finishes. All hands on taught by the Factory rep  store employees who were specialist , It included water and solvent base finishes both Mohawk and GF , wipe on and spraying. I tell ya I learned a lot especially about finishing schedules and glazes and tones. It was from 0800-1530 and gave out a lot of info.

I highly recommend folks to take a finishing class they have progressed so much you should take one annually or at least every couple of years. Technology moves fast.
They are going to offer a furiture repair class late Oct . I took one just before I went to the UK about 4 years ago. During the finishing class the rep also demo'd some techniques and products to repair finishes. Man things have advanced since I took the class.
I have no affiliation with Mohawk or the supplier that put on the class.
But for any of my So Cal brothers who are interest in taking a class its in the OC here is a link to the supplier,
https://woodrepairproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1-day-Finish-Class-5.13.2017.pdf
https://woodrepairproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Touch-Up-Class-7.30.16.pdf