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As some may know I live on a caribbean Island and importing cans of chemicals is not an option for me.
I have found a local paintstore that sells Watco clear wood finish as a brush on Lacquer. After some research it appears that this is in fact Nitro and Im wondering if spraying it might be possible?

If I'm correct (and that's a big if), brushing lacquers basically are thinned out versions of lacquer, or in some other way treated so that the lacquer will flow out better, so that the brush strokes will disappear. I think they also have more retarder in them to give the lacquer a longer cure time to also aid in this.
I don't see why you couldn't spray it. I'd try it on some scrap and see. MHO.

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Mike

The only thing nescessary for evil to thrive is for good men to do nothing.

Deft sells their lacquer as a brushing lacquer because of some regulations that make it more expensive or difficult to sell it as a spray version. But, you can thin it and spray as a friend confirmed through the company. I bet this stuff is the same.

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http://www.CostaGuitars.com
PMoMC

I have sprayed Deft brushing lacquer with no problems. Took a little longer to flash of, is all.
This was a long time ago & I don't have any notes on how much I thinned the stuff, but I remember it being very forgiving.
I did find that Deft took a long time to harden up & even after months, it was noticeably softer & more easily scratched that the Mohawk lacquer I use now.

Yes, you can spray Watco lacquer. Thin it just enough to get it through your gun and lay out nicely. I do about 15% by volume. Give it plenty of cure time, six weeks is good. Watco doesn't have the same plasticizers (flex agents?) as instrument lacquer so keep the finish thin or it might (will) crack.

Yes I have done it. Add thinner until it will spray. But be aware, This practice is completely illegal as far as the EPA is concerned and could get you far more than you bargained for depending on where you live and if they decide to make an example of someone.

It will remain softer than most other spray lacquers. Deft is the worst...even the rattle can stuff stays very soft for many months.

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Brian

You never know what you are capable of until you actually try.

https://www.howardguitarsdelaware.com/

Really?!? What a bunch of crap. Ugh, the EPA just really gets under my skin

Being in the Caribbean, I don't think Steve needs to worry about the EPA.

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Jim Womack

"Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for. "
Will Rogers

Thanks for the replies..Im going to get some and try it.
I was wondering why there was no spraying version of the product.
You are right Jim. If the E.P.A. came down here spray Lacquer would be the least of their worries
Their heads would probably spin right off!

Many finishes are sold thick with warnings on the labels not to thin. This is not because thinning is not something you might want to do to improve application or because it will somehow harm the end product, but because it will increase the solvent to solid ratio, running it then afoul of the regulations ... were it not for the regulations you could thin pretty much anything with the appropriate solvent to get the application characteristics you prefer, and the end result would be just fine;)

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If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason. - Jack Handey

If you could add some plasticizers you could improve its resistance to crazing and weather checking, but being in the caribbean this might not be a problem.