# Nitrocellulose source in Canada (FYI)



## markxander

I remember seeing this question a lot so I thought I'd post this. Richelieu didn't think my marketing consulting business was the kind of company they were interested in selling to, but someone on their spec team told me I could buy the product I was looking for at Ardec.

So for anyone who is looking for nitrocellulose lacquer, you can get Mohawk Stringed Instrument Lacquer in spray cans, quarts and gallons very easily here: Stringed Instrument Lacquer, Classic Instrument Lacquer .

I paid about $9 shipping for a quart ($23.95), and it looks like it will be delivered to me from Quebec tomorrow or Thursday (courier).


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## cboutilier

Excellent


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## tomee2

I also found quarts and gallons at Home Depot last summer. Watco lacquer. MSDS lists nitrocellulose as an ingredient.
$55 for a gallon. I haven't used it yet and I have no experience with nitro' so I have no idea if it's good or bad.


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## Budda

Good to know.


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## mhammer

Lee Valley started carrying a product which they claim is a suitable water-based substitute for nitro. 

Emtech Water-Based Lacquer - Lee Valley Tools

The write-up notes: "_this lacquer is highly regarded by guitar makers, since it produces a water-clear finish that deepens wood tones without imparting an amber color_".


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## nnieman

Emtech is fantastic.
I was turned into it by a local luthier.

However it is water based so it is crystal clear- no yellowing at all.
It burns in like nitro - each coat melts into the previous coat.
Unlike nitro, it only burns in until it’s cured - so maybe a month.

Nathan


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## nnieman

em 6000 over acrylic lacquer 

Nathan


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## Silvertone

Royal City Paints in Guelph and Hamilton stock nitro but call before hand to make sure they have it. I like it but it takes quite a while to cure, as does Behlens I assume. I have waited 4-6 weeks before buffing out. A friend of mine uses a shorted cure time and regularly buffs out at about 7 days.

I'm planning to build a spray booth in the summer in my shop addition so will be testing a bunch of different lacquers and finishes. I'm interested to try the Emtech stuff. Thanks for all the tips.

Cheers Peter.


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## mhammer

nnieman said:


> Emtech is fantastic.
> I was turned into it by a local luthier.
> 
> However it is water based so it is crystal clear- no yellowing at all.
> It burns in like nitro - each coat melts into the previous coat.
> Unlike nitro, it only burns in until it’s cured - so maybe a month.
> 
> Nathan


Thanks for that endorsement and info. I have a couple guitar bodies I'd like to finish this summer. Nice to know I can buy the stuff with the expectation of a pretty outcome.


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## Lincoln

I've been using Emtech for about 5 years or more. Besides Lee Valley, you can also get it from Wood Essence in Saskatoon. Great stuff, super nice finish and you clean up your spray equipment with hot water! No more pails of nasty thinners and solvents laying around. No fumes, no danger of explosions.

I switched to water base after lighting up my shop for a brief but eye opening "woooof" that started at my furnace and traveled to where I just finished spraying.


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## markxander

Just an update on my Ardec order for those who are interested in this specific lacquer: ordered yesterday, out for delivery in Ontario today


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## tomee2

markxander said:


> Just an update on my Ardec order for those who are interested in this specific lacquer: ordered yesterday, out for delivery in Ontario today


Good to know they'll ship it.


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## nnieman

Let me know how you like it.
I’ve been using watco but it takes forever to dry.
The stuff at home depot is super thick (meant for brushing) and needs to be thinned for spraying .

Nathan


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## cboutilier

nnieman said:


> Emtech is fantastic.
> I was turned into it by a local luthier.
> 
> However it is water based so it is crystal clear- no yellowing at all.
> It burns in like nitro - each coat melts into the previous coat.
> Unlike nitro, it only burns in until it’s cured - so maybe a month.
> 
> Nathan


I'm interested to see how Emtech appears on a tour worn guitar. Most of the reason I like nitro is in the way that it ages. It fails in a more graceful manner than poly.


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## copperhead

That watco is nitro lacquer but it is quite fragile compared to the Mohawk Nitro lacquer that you can buy here 
Mohawk Finishing & Touch Up


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## markxander

Mohawk is the brand I just bought from Ardec -- if you want to buy it from Richelieu you need to be a business (and they need to approve your application, which is why I couldn't purchase it from them)


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## Jimmy_D

Some other options include manufacturers who sell to the public either direct or through distributors like Goudey or Chemcraft 
Also - for rattle cans I don't hear people mention Dover Pad who have been around forever and make a very good product - in addition to all kinds of clear top coats they have blush retarder and outstanding toners, their rattlecan amber is excellent for vintage - many of their distributors sell to the public including Steeles Paint in Toronto who have the full line in stock.


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## player99

Do rattle cans leave little spots and sputters like regular spray cans of paint?


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## Eric Reesor

I think most people are starting to shy away from using nitro with lacquer thinners. But then again if you want to build a Gibson tribute with craquelure all you might have to do is cook the guitar finish in higher heat after it is cured and then put the guitar in a dry cold air conditioned room and watch the lacquer magically start to look like an old Gibson, provided you don't cause the wood to explode. First put some dints in the thing and throw a little ash and dirt on it then polish the hell out of it till it wears thin in a few places. Bingo you got an old guitar. Oh don't forget to scuff the heck out of the pick guard and distress the finish on the tuners.
I really like the idea of deliberately distressing a guitar especially if it is Torres tribute like the one my brother built me. Second down on this page. Instrument Gallery That is provided the builder is not trying to deceive the player!


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## nnieman

player99 said:


> Do rattle cans leave little spots and sputters like regular spray cans of paint?


Yes if you are not careful.
It is possible to get great results with rattle cans.

Use two.
Keep them warm. (I set them in the south window)
Don’t use all of the can, only 2/3rds.
The bottom of the can will ruin your work.

Nathan


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## Rick Hubka

nnieman said:


> Don’t use all of the can, only 2/3rds.
> The bottom of the can will ruin your work.


Excellent advice. Thanks


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## pawnie

I just joined these forums after finding this thread. Thanks for posting this info, I've already ordered 4 cans. I've stripped down and prepped my Flying V and was getting ready to paint it with Rust-oleum "specialty" acrylic based lacquer (black colour + clear) but I think I'm taking this back after searching around guitar forums. It's pretty vague what's wrong with it but one person did say "it never really hardens".

Question: the Mohawk lacquer is clear coat only and I can't find any aerosol colour lacquers on the Ardent site. What if I just used the Rust-oleum for the colour coats and the nitro based product for clear? The general consensus on various forums I read is that nitro lacquer goes over acrylic just fine, and as long as the clear coats get nice and hard, I can't see this approach being a problem.

Any advice on either my approach or where to get some suitable and readily available black lacquer? I'm running out of time weather-wise since I'll be painting in the garage with doors open. Thanks for any advice.

Edit: I forgot to add a note about how frustrating it can be to find the right products for this. Case-in-point, follow this link if you want a chuckle:



https://www.homedepot.ca/product/varathane-super-clear-finish-clear-lacquer-in-gloss-clear-319-g-aerosol/1000686145



The graphic shows a can of Watco lacquer, the product info says Varathane (even though it said Watco in the product search that brought me to this page) and to top it off, if you scroll down to the customer reviews, there's someone from Rust-oleum responding reviews. What a world.


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## nnieman

pawnie said:


> I just joined these forums after finding this thread. Thanks for posting this info, I've already ordered 4 cans. I've stripped down and prepped my Flying V and was getting ready to paint it with Rust-oleum "specialty" acrylic based lacquer (black colour + clear) but I think I'm taking this back after searching around guitar forums. It's pretty vague what's wrong with it but one person did say "it never really hardens".
> 
> Question: the Mohawk lacquer is clear coat only and I can't find any aerosol colour lacquers on the Ardent site. What if I just used the Rust-oleum for the colour coats and the nitro based product for clear? The general consensus on various forums I read is that nitro lacquer goes over acrylic just fine, and as long as the clear coats get nice and hard, I can't see this approach being a problem.
> 
> Any advice on either my approach or where to get some suitable and readily available black lacquer? I'm running out of time weather-wise since I'll be painting in the garage with doors open. Thanks for any advice.
> 
> Edit: I forgot to add a note about how frustrating it can be to find the right products for this. Case-in-point, follow this link if you want a chuckle:
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/product/varathane-super-clear-finish-clear-lacquer-in-gloss-clear-319-g-aerosol/1000686145
> 
> 
> 
> The graphic shows a can of Watco lacquer, the product info says Varathane (even though it said Watco in the product search that brought me to this page) and to top it off, if you scroll down to the customer reviews, there's someone from Rust-oleum responding reviews. What a world.


For black use duplicolor.
It is acrylic lacquer.
Canadian tire & parts source have it.
You can top coat with nitro - just let it cure first.
I usually leave it for 2 week to 4 weeks.

I don’t like rustoleum.

Nathan


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## pawnie

nnieman said:


> For black use duplicolor.
> It is acrylic lacquer.
> Canadian tire & parts source have it.
> You can top coat with nitro - just let it cure first.
> I usually leave it for 2 week to 4 weeks.
> 
> I don’t like rustoleum.
> 
> Nathan


Thanks. I did a test spray with the Rustoleum yesterday and I didn't like how it looked and I don't trust that I'm up to this method of finishing to an acceptable level so I went ahead and got some Tung Oil and I like how the first couple of coats worked out. I really like the natural mahogany top finish too and was thinking seriously about it already and this experience pushed me to go that way. 

Thanks for the response.


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## Alleyezond

What about for the colour paint? (Sorry, if it's a dumb question. I've tried to do some searches) Where do you get nitro in colours such as sonic blue?


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## Silvertone

Alleyezond said:


> What about for the colour paint? (Sorry, if it's a dumb question. I've tried to do some searches) Where do you get nitro in colours such as sonic blue?












Great Lakes Custom Colour

Cheers Peter.


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## ClashCityRocker

Alleyezond said:


> What about for the colour paint? (Sorry, if it's a dumb question. I've tried to do some searches) Where do you get nitro in colours such as sonic blue?


2 Versions available here: Sonic Blue and Sonic Blue Lite
Www.oxfordsupply.ca


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## Alleyezond

ClashCityRocker said:


> 2 Versions available here: Sonic Blue and Sonic Blue Lite
> Www.oxfordsupply.ca


The lite version looks like it might be exactly what I’m after! Thanks a bunch!! I wonder why these sites don’t come up on google searches...


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## Vally

Just seen this oh Halifax kijiji
Nitrocellulose Lacquer for Guitar Finishers Aerosols and Tins | Guitars | City of Halifax | Kijiji


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## Vally

I guess I should of read a little further 😐


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## copperhead

New source in Canada 








Nitrocellulose Guitar Lacquer & Finish - Oxford Guitar Supply


Oxford Guitar Supply specializes in nitrocellulose guitar lacquer made in Canada. Our nitro lacquer is matched to classic guitar finishes by Gibson, Fender & others.




www.oxfordsupply.ca




This is exciting ... enjoy


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## player99

Is the heritage cherry red what I would use to match my Gibson SG?


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## ClashCityRocker

player99 said:


> Is the heritage cherry red what I would use to match my Gibson SG?


Hi there, yes this color can get you either a vibrant Cherry finish or the deeper Heritage Red that are common on SG's - just depends on how many coats you apply.
Looks great Clear Coated in gloss or satin - cant go wrong really.
Don


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