|
|
by:
Question or Advice:
Environmental agencies are trying to eliminate solvent-based polyurethane "(and all other types of varnish)". Just when we've learned to mix mineral spirits with my varnish it looks like we'll have to learn in a few years how to mix water with them.
Diagnosis, Analysis, Solutions and other Feedback:
You can buy any solvent-based paint or finish in larger than one quart cans. They took that out of the motion picture industry quite a long time ago.
There's just one problem: You can't thin water-based finishes (at least more than 10-20 percent). Adding water spaces out the droplets of finish enough to keep them from bonding with each other. Now if someone would just come out with an effective water-based wipe-on finish... Actually, you can't thin waterborne finish any more than specified on the label. If the label doesn't specify, it can't and shouldn't be thinned.
Solvent-based finishes continue to be manufactured in quarts, gallons, five-gallon buckets, and even 55-gallon barrels and we will continue to have them available for quality finishes for many years to come, even in those areas where they have become environmentally incorrect. It may require a drive, or possibly even the services of UPS and FedEx, but they will be available.
Going beyond the debate centering on water-borne finishes vs. oil-based finishes it is interesting to note that water-bornes -- the great hope for clean air over the last few decades -- are now being supplanted by third generation finishes that are 100% solids, cured by UV, water, or by radio wave (micro-wave). In terms of VOCs and other presumed nasty stuff, these third generation finishes are far more environmentally sensitive even that the now aging water-borne salvation of humanity. Does that mean that woodworkers in the later half of the 21st century will be required to install curing tunnels in their basement shops? Not likely. Arcane finishes of today should survive the next 100-years just as shellac and BLO have survived the last 100, 200, 300 years.
|
|