Posted by Rick Denney on August 25, 2000 at 11:03:57:
In Reply to: Laquer finish posted by Grungy tuba on August 25, 2000 at 10:06:24:
I'm not a professional, but I've painted a few things, and I've watched others.
The pros first buff the horn to look really good. Then, they degrease the heck out of it, maybe even using a hot-gas degreaser. The wax used in buffing compounds must be absolutely, totally removed--no lacquer will stick to it.
Once the horn is absolutely clean, they will hang it in a spray booth, and spray it with lacquer. Best on the reports I've seen (from Matt Walters back in those archives), the air-dried lacquer has the least chance of affecting the sound. They will use a compressed-air-driven sprayer to get a really even coat.
If I were painting a bicycle or a car, I'd use several thin, wet coats to get a good gloss. This may be overkill, though, for a clear-coat on brass. But the coat must be wet enough to be glossy without being so wet that it runs. Hint: This takes experience.
Then, the finish will be "baked" on in a drying booth. The bet drying booths use heat lamps (no flame!) or electrical elements, and are thermostatically controlled. I don't know what the temp setting ought to be, but it really, really must be lower than low-temperature solder.
(CG tells me a story of a friend who built a drying booth, but the thermostat was faulty. They heard a crash--the first horn's solder had run out the pieces were lying on the floor. Oops!)
Rick "How much does a pro charge?" Denney