Bumpy or Uneven Finish
Q: I recently tried refinishing a drum in green sparkle wrap and was not pleased with the results. I used contact cement but the wrap looks bumpy and uneven. Where did I go wrong?
A: Without seeing the drum, or knowing more about this
project, its difficult to say exactly where you went wrong, but there
are several things that could have caused the results you described.
First, if when you were removing the old finish you also removed some of
the outer ply or damaged it in any way, then failed to fill in and
smooth out the damaged areas, you would definitely get an uneven looking
finish. Or, if you didn't damage the outside of the shell, but didn't
bother removing the old glue, you could expect a bumpy and uneven look
also, because you must start with a smooth, clean surface for the best
results. Lastly, if you did a good job removing the old finish doing no
damage to the shell, and stripped all of the existing glue off, down to
bare wood, and had the outside of the shell as smooth as possible, you
could still end up with an uneven finish if you didn't follow the
directions for the contact cement. In order for the contact cement to
bond properly, you must apply an even coat of the cement to the outside
surface of the shell, as well as the back side of the finish (and the
edge of the wrap that is going to be overlapped). Then, you must let
'the contact cement dry completely, on both surfaces before putting the
wrap on the shell. The wrap will bond instantly upon contact with the
shell. It may seem
tempting to apply the finish while the cement is still wet, so you can
shift it around a little, but you won't have a good bond with the shell,
and you'll probably end up with a wavy uneven finish. The best thing to
remember is just take your time, avoid short-cuts, and follow all
directions and you should end up with a professional looking project.