Nitro as sealer on distressed build HELP!

[justrythym]

What is you guys opinion on the minimum number of coats of lacquer on a distressed build? In terms of protection and some shine. Thanks, JR

[HoGo]

What is you guys opinion on the minimum number of coats of lacquer on a distressed build? In terms of protection and some shine. Thanks, JR

I think you are not talking about distressed but rather "rustic".
In my book distressed is made to mimic old instrument. In most cases they have most of the varnish still on only some wear patterns or weathered places here and there. So to make distressed you start with more or less the same varnish as new (perhaps with some additives for color and/or some cracking) and then do some extra work to mimic use and age.

[j. condino]

The best "relic" jobs have a perfect finish to start with and then the distressing is done.

[Mandoborg]

James, remember when Bob Ross did his ' bravery ' test where he'd paint this beautiful scene, then put a huge brown tree right down the entire thing ? I always looked at ' relicing ' in the same light ! You go through all the trouble to lay down a beautiful finish..... then purposely destroy it to make it look ' better' !! Not only that, you get to charge MORE for it !!! Gotta love it !!

Jim

[Richard500]

A spray coat of lacquer (from a gun, not a can), can be almost any thickness, so number of coats is meaningless. If the work is horizontal, for example, you can really put on a great deal. Choice of solvent, air temperature, line pressure, and other factors determine how ‘wet’ a coat is and therefore initial gloss. In the auto restoration world, the “twenty coats of hand-rubbed” was not an exaggeration, as the objective was a very flat, very glossy paint.
Distressing a finish is often done in the furniture world, and goes all the way to using a shotgun or a bag of chains. Metal parts can be buried, chemically patinated, and ground to simulate wear. I guess it’s sort of ok if you’re trying to blend in a repair, but on new stuff...(expletive).