Thinning Bohning lacquer 2nd question added

[Stone Knife]

I have some Bohning white laquer for my crown , I did not get the thinner with it can i thin it with laquer or MEK? Or should i wait and get the Bohning thinner.

[Cupcake]

I think the Bohning thinner is the best to use but I have experimented.

Regular lacquer thinner will not work.  MEK is nasty stuff.  I have use Xylene with good results but I think Toluene would be better.  My guess is that Bohning thinner is a mixture of these two solvents.  There is also a product called "Goof Off" that is xylene and toluene and I have found this to work.

I have decide it is best to stick with the Bohning, but in a pinch...

Kevin

[cajuntec]

I've experimented also... costly experiments.  Use the Bohning thinner.  Bohning is identified as "Lacquer", but I've been told by someone at Bohning that the product is actually "acid based".  I don't quite know what that means, but I do know that I didn't get the results I wanted with regular lacquer thinners which are readily available locally.  I threw out that batch and started over.  Would have been much cheaper just to buy the Bohning thinner from the start, and that is what I would recommend.  

Kevin is right about MEK... that's some nasty stuff.  But so is the Bohning paint to begin with.  Make sure you are in a well ventilated area.  My wife hates when I use the stuff.  Even with the garage door closed, the smell somehow seeps into my house.  I really need to get a detached workshop at my next house!

If you aren't in a huge rush, order and wait for the Bohning thinner.  You will probably be much happier with the results.

All the best,
Glenn

[Rick Perry]

I have used regular laquer thinner for years and never had a problem with it ......... I just crown dipped a couple of doz. cedars with white Bohning Fletch lac and thinned it regular laquer thinner I bought at the farm supply store . ................  

[cajuntec]

I don't think all Lacquer Thinner is the same, and that is where you may run into problems.  I never really took the time to compare chemical makeup of each, but I do have cans of the Lacquer thinner I used, along with a can of Bohning Thinner.

The brand I used is "Klean-Strip", and it's Medium-Drying.  On the Caution Statement, it lists: Alcohols, Esters, Glycol Ether, Ketones, Methanol, Petroleum Distillates and Toluene.

On the Bohning can, it lists one item in the Caution Statement - MEK.

There are different types/grades of Lacquer thinner.  The one I have is "Medium-Drying".  I would suppose the chemical makeup or quantities of each chemical would be different depending on whether it was fast drying, slow drying, medium drying, etc...

All the best,
Glenn

[ishiwannabe]

I lost about half of my saturn yellow laq. by trying different thinners. I finally got bohning thinner from 3R.

[lodestar]

Hey Gang,  I've tried all the stuff out there and there is only one that works it just soo happens that it also thins that glue that they make.. Cost $9.00 for a quart as opposed to $14.00 and you can pick it up at your local paint store like scherwin williams,home cheapo or sears..   You want to know what its called?
          Methyl Ethyl Keytone Or MEK
Lets just keep this our little secret, We would'nt want our freinds at Bohning to find out

[Jack Denbow]

What Cajuntec said. It would be best to use the Fletch-Lac thinner.

[lodestar]

Trust me on this one guys I've done the research. It won't clump or gel up like your normal thinners It just so happens to be made for vinyl paints and that is just what all bohnings products are. Trust in your fellow Trad Gangers I wont steer you wrong. Furthermore if your using bohnings products you are already using MEK. Whats the differance.....Jason

[Smallwood]

yep, (mek) methyl ethyl ketone (sp?)
works as good a bohning for 1/3rd the price.

[Stone Knife]

I have some MEK, what ratio should i use?

[Smallwood]

I pour my bohning into a clean cup, and then mix in the MEK until i get a 10-15 second drip time on a test shaft, then pour it into the dipper.

[M60gunner]

I would only try a test amount myself. The bohning is a vynil based laq. We used it years ago to make glass jar lids like on Skippy Peanut Butter.I aways had a good supply of white paint and thinner.

[lodestar]

Go for it, mix it up. Like smallwood says, that is what bohning suggests. It wont ruin your paint as long as its MEK..