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Gary, et al...
We recently had a refinish training seminar in our shop updating us to the latest products that M.L.Campbell has to offer. Even tho it doesnt apply to us, one of the items covered was finishing MDF & similar materials.
Using a pad sander the instructor did a once over lightly on the flat surfaces & edges with 120 grit stearate paper. He then switched to 320 grit and did the edges well. Using Clawlock primer unreduced, he put a fairly heavy coat over the panel & edges.
The panel was set aside for an hour, then sanded complete with 320 grit. He then sprayed post catalyzed semi gloss finish over the panel & edges. I was impressed with the results, short turnaround times and lack of fuzzies, hairs and saw kerf showing up.
Gary
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M.L Campbell came to our shop and did the same demo.
I really liked the products, but the dry time was too long for my painters as the campbell stuff is water based. It is also about double the price of what we use.
P.S. Signs need a good UV protected polyurethane which does not soak in as well as laquer based sealers. Interrior I use laquer, exterrior I use UV protected Polyurethane.
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Danny you might be able to answer this (or anyone else). When i was making the wainscoting using mdf I found that the parts of the mdf that was cut into soaked up much more primer/paint and the parts with the paper face tended not to soak in enough and were more prone to running (maybe my spray technique was too aggressive) but is there a combination of primer/paint/sealer/whatever that would allow me to get a more consistent coat between the cut/uncut parts of the mdf?
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Danny...
This is not the water base product, it is a post catalyzed lacquer type heavy body primer. Even in our 90%+ humidity it is ready to sand in an hour to hour and a half, and can be stacked in 2.
I have tried water based products from MLC, SherWil, Target and others, never to get satisfactory results. I have since vowed to never put a waterbased product on wood. "It just ain't right!!" These post cat products are pricey, fortunately for us, our customers can afford the good stuff.
Jack...
You might want to try to apply it thicker. It will lay on top of the machined areas better, not run on the smooth parts, and require less coats.
Gary
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I have also used Clawlock. It is worth trying out if you need to paint MDF.
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I use M.L.Cambells Magnaclaw primer also uncut and it does a very good job . The only downside i have found is the cost. around 145.00 for a 5 gal I guess this is one of the things you get what you pay for?
Danny What are you using that dries faster and cost less?
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Any auto paint store has both catalized and plain good old HBP.
I'm considering of coming out with my own brand of HBP. I could just change the labels, like Cambells has done, and call it "Dr. Crumleys Rootin Tootin Magnafangs" high build primer. Double the regular price and retire.
Joe
www.normansignco.com
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Jack, yeah you cant treat it the same as ply goods. Have to use the "process"
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Use titebond 2 and water mixed about 50/50 60/40 (water to glue) or so and spray it out of a cup spray gun. let it dry then sand smooth. nothing works better or is cheaper. titebond 2 is water resistant when dry.
btw, I've been cutting mdf for over 5 years and I've tried all of the other methods. try the glue.
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Great tip Wes,
I've never tried titebond 2. Is it different from regular Titebond. A few years ago I painted, sealed off, some letters with diluted Titebond and couldn't get paint to stick. That was a disaster. Is this different?
