Are catelyzed urethane and uv poly the same thing?

[fregly]

Trying to understand more about finishes.

[Slimt]

Catalysed (aka hardner for clear) mixed with Urethane. As all sprayables have. Except spray bombs.

All urethane paints are uv . There basically a poly (plastic) finish.

Just about all paint products that would be exposed to sun light have a ultra violet protection in the mix.

The uv protection is to keep the finish from deteriorating or fading from long term exposure from the elements.


Unlike nitro where there is no catalyst. Where it stays soft and can deteriorate quicky

[fregly]

Originally Posted by Slimt

Catalysed (aka hardner for clear) mixed with Urethane. As all sprayables have. Except spray bombs.

All urethane paints are uv . There basically a poly (plastic) finish.

Just about all paint products that would be exposed to sun light have a ultra violet protection in the mix.

The uv protection is to keep the finish from deteriorating or fading from long term exposure from the elements.


Unlike nitro where there is no catalyst. Where it stays soft and can deteriorate quicky

Thanks Slimt

[J Patrick]

….I think we’re talking about a catalyzed finish where a a hardener is mixed with the lacquer just before it’s applied….compared to a UV cured finish which is a process that involves irradiating the finish with high intensity uv rays to dry and harden the finish…like the way you would use this system…

https://www.cureuv.com/collections/u...sh-starter-kit

[Slimt]

There is a additive that can be added to the lacquer to set it to a hard finish. But Ive never seen it applied unless its in the satin finish guitars.

I am a automotive painter by trade. 40 plus years of cars guitars, aircraft.

[John Arnold]

Not the same. UV poly usually means polyester. Polyester fiinishes have a long history on Asian guitars. They can be catalyzed with a chemical catalyst, or with UV light. Polyurethane is a different thing. The confusion arises because of the use of the term 'poly finish', which means nothing. In most cases, the 'poly' finish on a guitar is polyester. Pre cat lacquer is yet another type of finish. Conventional lacquers cure strictly by solvent evaporation.

[MC5C]

Nitro technically doesn't "cure", it just dries. Other kinds of lacquer can be catalyzed or not, and if catalyzed can be pre or post catalyzed. Pre-cat is applied straight from the can, and after a period of time (couple of days usually) it cross-links chemical bonds to cure - after that time it's inert, you can't spray more coats and have them chemically bond, but you can abrade the surface and spray with a mechanical bond. Post cat is a hardener/catalyzing agent that is added just before spraying (example is adding hardener to epoxy, or MEK to polyester resin) that actives a chemical process of hardening and cross-linking curing that usually achieves a very hard durable surface. these dry really quickly, and then a chemical change happens that is the "cure". In both cases In both cases, you're looking at a couple of days to sand/polish, rather than weeks with Nitro.

As far as products I've used, EM 6000 isn't a catalytic lacquer but they sell a post catalyst additive for it that you can add, they also sell a pre-cat product that is quite similar. Brite-tone (made by Crystalac) is an excellent purpose made for instruments pre-catalyzed finish.

There is a polyurethane finish that cures (again, "cure" means a chemical change) in the presence of ultra violet light. It was magic, industrial only for a while, now they sell it for refinishing floors and all sorts. You can spray and be able to assemble, polish, whatever, within minutes. I have heard that Taylor has been using this finish for some years.

That's all I got on finishes.

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by MC5C

Nitro technically doesn't "cure", it just dries. Other kinds of lacquer can be catalyzed or not, and if catalyzed can be pre or post catalyzed. Pre-cat is applied straight from the can, and after a period of time (couple of days usually) it cross-links chemical bonds to cure - after that time it's inert, you can't spray more coats and have them chemically bond, but you can abrade the surface and spray with a mechanical bond. Post cat is a hardener/catalyzing agent that is added just before spraying (example is adding hardener to epoxy, or MEK to polyester resin) that actives a chemical process of hardening and cross-linking curing that usually achieves a very hard durable surface. these dry really quickly, and then a chemical change happens that is the "cure". In both cases In both cases, you're looking at a couple of days to sand/polish, rather than weeks with Nitro.

As far as products I've used, EM 6000 isn't a catalytic lacquer but they sell a post catalyst additive for it that you can add, they also sell a pre-cat product that is quite similar. Brite-tone (made by Crystalac) is an excellent purpose made for instruments pre-catalyzed finish.

There is a polyurethane finish that cures (again, "cure" means a chemical change) in the presence of ultra violet light. It was magic, industrial only for a while, now they sell it for refinishing floors and all sorts. You can spray and be able to assemble, polish, whatever, within minutes. I have heard that Taylor has been using this finish for some years.

That's all I got on finishes.

So.. you're finished, right?

[EZYPIKINS]

Hey Slimt:

I'm also a retired auto painter.

When I retired, I was using a primer that was UV activated.

You could spray, hit it with the UV light, and be sanding in 5-10 minutes.

Made the process faster but it would wear out an old guy. A young guy could make allot of money with it.

But not many young guys want to work that hard. Sorry.

The Urethane in the factories, are becoming more and more UV activated. Eliminating the need for an oven. Hence saving money.

[cdkrugjr]

There are lengthy tomes on wood finishing directed at woodworkers that will give you more detail than you ever cared to know.

Check a good library or a specialist woodworking shop.