Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm looking for a couple of new funnels for straining lacquer and filling my gravity gun cup. Lots of different kinds of plastic out there. I've used many plastic funnels over the years, but always wondered about possible reactions to the plastic and lacquer. Any recommendations or definitive knowledge about available plastic funnels? I know stainless works, but have not found any quite the size I want.Thanks, Bob

_________________
“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Nylon would be non-reactive with lacquer. I also think any funnel made for gasoline would work. So funnels from an auto parts store should be fine. There are Chemical Compatibility Charts available that show which plastics work with different chemicals. I will look around and post one for you.

https://www.terrauniversal.com/blog/chemical-compatibility-chart-plastics/

The chart indicates that teflon would be the only plastic that would not be reactive to all solvents but that would be hard to find and expensive. Keep in mind that the short term exposure of the lacquer to the funnel would minimize any possible effect. In reality, the solvent will do more damage to the plastic than the plastic will to the solvent. Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

I’ve had lacquer thinner in polyethylene squeeze bottles for a year or so with no problems. A quick look for lab funnels on Amazon shows lots of options.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Bob, did you find these stainless steel funnels? They range from 2 oz to 64 oz.
https://www.mcmaster.com/funnels/metal-funnels-6/

_________________
Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Well I've never worried about this issue before, so sounds like I'm over thinking it. Thanks for all the replies. Have a great week!-Bob

_________________
“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Some finishers use disposable paper cones with mesh strainers:
https://www.amazon.com/TCP-Global-Strai ... B000PA09V0

Clay- I use those, but usually inside of a more rigid funnel. Thanks, Bob

_________________
“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

I've had guns with nylon cups as well as with aluminum cups. Seems like if the gun itself is using these materials then either would probably be OK for a funnel.

Dave

Hi Bob,
A friend of mine used the strainer cones without a funnel by perching them on the lip of the quart cup and filling it slow enough to where the material didn't rise much above the filter screen. He was using a siphon feed gun and probably didn't fill the cup to the top. I guess most gravity feed guns don't have as large a cup so that might not work as well with them.

I’ve always just used disposable paint filtre cones. They sit pretty well on my gravity gun for the time it takes to fill it up. Then it gets turfed. Adding something else to clean and/or transfer dirt never seemed like a good idea.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Guess that's one of the reasons I moved to the PPS system. With the filter being built into the disposable cup liner, there's nothing extra to clean or transfer dirt. Just pour the finish into the PPS container and go. No additional filtering necessary. Wish I had moved to PPS much earlier.

Dave

Clay and Tim, Those paper filters fit into the loop on the standard size stands made for holding HVLP turbine guns.Sometimes though I just need to use a funnel.

Jim, Those SS funnels are nice. Pricey. thanks.

_________________
“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

https://www.amazon.com/Jeteven-Strainer ... ljaz10cnVl
this is what I use
I made a holder for it. I get my finish in 5 gal cans and can pour out into gallon and qt jars. All filtered and ready to go

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Thanks John

_________________
“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Nylon or low/med density polyethylene funnels work... Dollar Store (now the $2 Dollar Store...soon to be $5 Store) funnel sets are made of the later and hold up for years in normal use.

_________________
For the times they are a changin'

- Bob Dylan