Category Archives: waterborne

My First Twenty Years

2024
AL#151 p.40               
Jay Anderson                                                                                           

▪ Innocently attending a James Taylor concert, an Art major learns to his surprise that guitars are made by people. It’s an epiphany that changes his life. He has a day job as a building contractor, but he transitions to a full-time maker of fully functional musical sculptures. Along the way he finds himself established as the fun “uncle” of talented group of young musicians. Mentions James Taylor, Jim Olson, Brian Sutherland, Jenn Bostic, Dave Fenley, Pablo Picasso, Emil Ernebro, JLD Bridge Truss System, Don Kendall, pyrography, Harry Fleishman, Kevin Aram, Charles Rufino, Chris Herrod.

Waterborne Solutions

2003
AL#73 p.24               read this article
Mike Doolin   John Greven                                                                                       

▪ Finding good water-based instrument finishes becomes more important as luthiers (and various state and federal government agencies) become more health conscious. The authors are both Portland people, and by trying different materials and application techniques and then combining their discoveries they have made big leaps toward finding the perfect alternative to lacquer. With 9 photos.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s fifty best articles published before 2010.

The Case for KTM

2002
AL#72 p.22               read this article
Michael Turko                                                                                           

▪ A number of well-known luthiers have switched to this finish, including the speed-builder John Greven. In the author’s experience it’s quick, easy, rivals nitro lacquer in appearance, and is non-toxic, a winning combination for sure. With 3 photos.

Product Reviews: Asturome ES/RV Detail Spray Gun

2002
AL#72 p.60   BRB6 p.486            
R.M. Mottola                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer examines the Asturmes ES/RV spray gun and finds that it’s the answer to the finish problems he’s found, and at a reasonable price. With one photo.

Working with Water-based Finish

2001
AL#68 p.24   BRB6 p.280            
John Kitakis                                                                                           

▪ Kitakis has a long history of jobs in wood finishing, so when he finally made the jump to water-based finish (in his case CrystaLac) he knew what he was doing. Working with CrystaLac isn’t quite the same as working with lacquer, but the author makes a good job of clearing the off-spray. With 5 photos.

Questions: Crystalac

1999
AL#59 p.59               
Eric Aceto                                                                                           

▪ Inquiries on switching to water based lacquer after developing an allergy to low toxic lacquer, Crystalac in particular.

Review: Spray Finishing by Andy Charron

1998
AL#54 p.57   BRB5 p.477            
John Calkin                                                                                           

▪ The reviewer decides that the book should be of use to anyone who is about to purchase their first spray gear, but that other sources of information are more lutherie-specific.

Sources: Glues and Finishes

1997
AL#51 p.54               
Cyndy Burton                                                                                           

▪ Burton lists 2 pages of suppliers and manufacturers of finish and glue, and offers more than a page of useful tips gleaned from many luthiers.

This article has been nominated as one of the Guild’s best articles published before 2010.