Vectric Newsletter

[Mike Kelly]

This months Vectric Newsletter Customer Case Study is on fellow member Andrew Coholic.

This is a good read, check it out.

Congrats Andrew

[Bob Eustace]

Wonderful stuff and totally well deserved!

[Ajcoholic]

Thanks!

I still remember being at the AWFS show in the summer of 2011 talking to the guys at the Shopbot booth, checking out Vectric and checking out my options... that and lurking here :D

I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever, with the choice of machine, or software to run it!

AJC

[Simops]

Have to echo the comments made......to do all that in just a year with such quality reflects a talent that most of us (well myself anyway) struggles with:D

BTW that wall unit looks great.....did you use vinyl wrap or is it painted?

Cheers

Mike

[Ajcoholic]

Have to echo the comments made......to do all that in just a year with such quality reflects a talent that most of us (well myself anyway) struggles with:D

BTW that wall unit looks great.....did you use vinyl wrap or is it painted?

Cheers

Mike

Mike, there are two things I dont do in my shop (no offense to those who do, I just choose not to) - work with melamine and use vinyl wrap doors. All my solid color stuff is generally built the same as my wood cabinets, ie, veneered case/solid framing/solid doors, drawers, etc. I generally use hard maple for my paint grade stuff. Maple veneers and solids. For finish, I use a Canadian manufactured post catalyzed lacquer for my clear and colours. I get the manufacturer to tint it to whatever colour I need, the same as paint. Also I get to select the sheen. Very nice product - durable and the finish is much better than "paint". Been dealing with the same company for nearly 30 years (well, me for 19 or so, my father before that)

[Simops]

For finish, I use a Canadian manufactured post catalyzed lacquer for my clear and colours. I get the manufacturer to tint it to whatever colour I need, the same as paint. Also I get to select the sheen. Very nice product - durable

Andrew I hear ya ;). One thing I got to get my head around still is the absolute minefield of different finishes out there plus to complicate things further there are distinct language differences between North America and Australia. You have so many different products and names for them, which are frankly in most cases not available here or if they are they are named totally different. Our population is about 10% of North America and so choice is not great.

One example that I'm still trying to get a definitive answer to is what you call Mineral Spirits! The jury is out here. I read all the different answers on the Woodwork Forum and I'm still no closer:eek:

Anyhow that is my rant for now......

Cheers

[Ajcoholic]

Andrew I hear ya ;). One thing I got to get my head around still is the absolute minefield of different finishes out there plus to complicate things further there are distinct language differences between North America and Australia. You have so many different products and names for them, which are frankly in most cases not available here or if they are they are named totally different. Our population is about 10% of North America and so choice is not great.

One example that I'm still trying to get a definitive answer to is what you call Mineral Spirits! The jury is out here. I read all the different answers on the Woodwork Forum and I'm still no closer:eek:

Anyhow that is my rant for now......

Cheers

I know some companies call catalyzed lacquer, "conversion varnish". It is the top of the furniture finishes IMO in North America. Three lacquers are commonly sold here. Straight nitro-cellulose, pre-catalyzed, and the post cat. Post cat (named since you add the catalyst just before spraying, and have a limited time to use it up) is what I have used exclusively for several years. It is also recoatable at any time (unlike some pre-cat lacquers which will react if you try and respray a few months after curing) and the unmixed shelf life is years, vs months for pre-cat. That makes a difference since some colours I buy (always in 20 litre pails) I end up having some left over, which I can save a use for work down the road. I am paying about $200 for a pail of clear lacquer, and upwards to $400 for coloured, depending upon the colour. Reds are some of the more expensive.

To my understanding, mineral spirits is the oil-derived equivalent of turpentine (which is obtained from wood) common name here is Varsol... which is one common brand here. It is a pretty slow evaporating solvent, used to clean and thin a lot of oil based stains and paints, etc. Its oily and has an oily smell.

[Simops]

Andrew, never heard of catalyzed varnishes clear or tinted! I'll contact my Trade paint supplier and see if they know of it. Is it a 2-pack?

From what you say about mineral spirits sounds like our mineral turps. Turps is used to thin and clean oil based paints and brushes. It has a distinct odour and oily feel....think it's the same????

Another one I'm trying to find about is what you guys seem to use called Naptha? Wikipedia calls it also Shellite, which we use here to fuel camp stoves!! What do you guys use it for?

Cheers

[ssflyer]

Hi Michael,

We use it for camp fuel and Zippo lighters. :D
Actually there are some differences between "white gas" (Coleman fuel), and lighter fluid - mostly in the distillation process and additive like paraffin, rust inhibitors, etc.

It is also a good solvent - dries quickly with little residue, but contains carcinogens, like other petroleum based products...

[bobmoore]

Congratulations Andrew. You have a very nice shop. Are you a one man shop or do you have employees?
Bob

[GlenP]

Hey All. Kudos Andrew on your achievements and to your success. You earned every bit of it my friend.
Bob I think Andrew is a one man shop....and Andrew if you are hiring let me know. I would join your team any day of the week. Wish we were closer than we are. Keep up the good work and for goodness sake please post a pic of your shop during a project when there is some sort of wood shavings or dust on the floor. Your making most of us look bad. ;)
I will be the first to admit I have shop envy.:)

[myxpykalix]

Your making most of us look bad. Glen you are mistaken...
HE is the oddball here, not us...
How many of you keep a messy shop?
How many keep a clean shop?

I REST MY CASE...:D

[GlenP]

Well my shop is not perfectly clean or organizes but by no means is it messy. I get upset if shop is too messy. **** laying around drives me nuts. When I redo my dust system this spring I can keep up to Andrew as far as dust and stuff. Have addition going onto shop to give more room. Won't be big enough...they never are.... but more room is always better.

[cabnet636]

If my shop were clean, I would be out of Business !