Applying le Tokinois

Stemar

Stemar

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My cockpit locker lids were finished in le Tonkinois and lasted really well until something gouged a chunk out and moisture got into the ply and spread, lifting the finish. I've rubbed them down and am ready to start varnishing, but I'm less than gifted with a paintbrush, so my efforts with le T. look good on top, where the surface is flat, but invariably end up with blobs hanging off the edges.

What am I doing wrong, and how do I avoid the dreaded blob?

TIA
 
I have that problem, too. I find that you must not be too quick to declare the job done and put away all the tools. Squeeze as much varnish out of the brush as you can and then wait around for a while. As the blobs form, you can smear them off with the still wet brush. I guess we are both putting too much varnish on in the first place, though.
 
I am a Le Tonkinois convert and never had any bubbles. A quick rub down and apply a few coats.

It is brilliant, does not stink the place out for days and evaporate unlike that International Woodskin I tried a few years back, complete waste of time and money.
 
The secret of applying any paint or varnish is to not load the brush too heavily. Dip it in, about 10-12 mms then lightly draw both sides, one after the other, over the edge of the tin, so as to remove any surplus. When you have painted a small area in one direction with the initial amount of paint in the brush, draw the brush across the wet surface in a perpendicular direction,lightly, with the brush held correctly, (the mid-part of the handle between the thumb and your first and second fingers, and with your ring finger and little finger supporting the rear of the brush, in the region of the metal ferrule), so as to remove any brush marks/potential runs.
Load your brush again and start your next section a distance out from the wet edge of the first section you have painted, working back towards said wet edge. Continue like this, in small sections until you get to the end, always ensuring that you don't allow the existing edge to dry before you have painted back into it. The brush should always be held in such a way as to have the bristles pointing below the horizontal, so that paint/varnish only wets the lower third of the bristles and does not creep up into the ferrule. At all costs avoid trying to speed up the job by slapping on dollops of the paint/varnish.
If you have managed to keep the roots of the bristles free of paint you will find it much easier to clean the brush with the relevant solvent, thus saving some money and also contributing to a cleaner environment.
I got all this from the AA Manual of DIY, way before YouTube was even a hint of a possibility!
 
Stemar, I agree with the too much on the brush suggestion.

Tonk needs several (i.e. many) coats, starting with a thinned (very best white spirit) and boiled linseed oil. This soaks in to the wood and lays the foundation for the elastic nature of Tonk.

Subsequent coats of Tonk and the best white spirit or real turps, gradually reducing the turps content. Probably about 10 coats the minimum.

Each coat must dry completely (good air flow to evaporate the volatiles) before the next one. When you have the layers completed, touch up is a matter of quick brush over coat.

It may be easier to become a Buddhist and enter a state of nirvana while using Le T.
 
Thanks all. I've always been more of a splosh it on and spread it out painter, which could explain my failure to get smooth edges...
sarabande said:
Probably about 10 coats the minimum.
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The tin says a minimum of 24 hours between coats. I can only do one side at a time, so that's a minimum of 20 days, assuming I've nothing better to do with my life. Good job I don't go back in until April!
 
Yon Sarabande..... sheesh! He's just doubled my workload on a new solid oak front door. :mad:

It's not the application of Le Tonk which I find unpalatable. It's the tedious rubbing-down with half a dozen different grades of wet n' dry..... and ScotchBrite pads.
 
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Sandy said:
I am a Le Tonkinois convert and never had any bubbles. A quick rub down and apply a few coats.

It is brilliant, does not stink the place out for days and evaporate unlike that International Woodskin I tried a few years back, complete waste of time and money.
Click to expand...

That’s interesting. My experience has been almost exactly the opposite. I used Le Tonkinois extensively on a restoration project (8 coats onto well prepared timber) but found it failed within two years on all the surfaces exposed to direct sunlight. I reverted to Woodskin which served me well on my last boat and is looking good so far on the current boat.

I do admit that LT is gorgeous stuff to work with and yes, I did use their (supposedly) UV resistant version.
 
zoidberg said:
It's not the application of Le Tonk which I find unpalatable. It's the tedious rubbing-down with half a dozen different grades of wet n' dry..... and ScotchBrite pads.
Click to expand...

Just think of the Added Value to Zoidberg Towers , and the excuse that you can't weed the garden for a couple of hours as you have another coat of Tonk to put on.......
 
Having tried most of the others, I am a convert to Epifanes RapidCoat:

"Rapidcoat, offers quick and easy wood protection without the hassle of sanding between coats. Almost identical to it's companion product, Rapidclear, the only difference is that Rapidcoat is lightly tinted giving the finish a rich warm color. Its a one-component wood finish based on modified alkyd/urethane resin. Epifanes Rapidcoat can be used for renewing weathered areas prior to applying a varnish system or as a full system for those requiring a quick and easy semi-gloss finish with maximum durability, U.V. protection and longevity. Rapidcoat provides an enhancing coat that bonds extremely well to teak and other oily woods, preventing discoloration and emphasizing the natural grain of the wood. It has great water resistance and flexibility. Only four to five coats need to be applied under most conditions and Rapidcoat can be applied every 5 - 6 hours. Maintenance is easy. Simply clean the surface and re-apply when needed. "
 
+1 for Epifanes Rapidcoat. While it is thinner than the high gloss product, you can put more coats on over a season. No need to rub down ... although I do about every three coats as I like to feel that i have done a worthwhile job :cool:
 
Arcady said:
I reverted to Woodskin which served me well on my last boat and is looking good so far on the current boat.
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My Woodskin "evaporated" in a season. I was extremely disappointed given the excellent reports about the product that I had read. I came to the conclusion that it does not like salt water and air.
 
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