InteriorVarnishing of Boat

[Poignard]

I should think bronze wool would be ideal but I can't find a UK supplier. Seems to be readily available in the USA.


http://www.steelwool.biz/Bronze_Wool.htm

 

[Seashoreman]

I have been stripping/staining/varnishing and french-polishing for about 30 years and am very suprised at the approach some people seem to take to this job. I use 320 grade silicone-carbide paper which is self-lubricating, abrading the surface is only required to key a new coat and with Epifanes you dont even need to do this. 40 grade I would only use to roughly shape a lump of wood or concrete. I dont want to sound rude but surely the first grating and scraping must have told you to STOP!
Also soaking wire-wool in Nitromors is asking for trouble. Follow the directions, apply a good coat, leave for 10 mins, apply a thinner coat and gently run a scraper over surface, another thin coat and clean off with medium wire-wool. I do get a concession to buy the 'strong-stuff' which I admit makes the job less labour.
The only reason you would rub a surface with 0000 wire wool is to leave a matt finish to french-polish prior to waxing. It will not flatten varnish prior to another coat and will leave any bits of dust, etc showing much worse than using fine paper.
As an amateur I would forget trying to veneer onto an old surface.
Its not rocket-science, mostly practical common sense. There must be a book about preparation before varnishing?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I use 320 grade silicone-carbide paper which is self-lubricating, abrading the surface is only required to key a new coat and with Epifanes you dont even need to do this.
Also soaking wire-wool in Nitromors is asking for trouble. Follow the directions, apply a good coat, leave for 10 mins, apply a thinner coat and gently run a scraper over surface, another thin coat and clean off with medium wire-wool

That's exactly the approach i've used on my recent marathon varnishing mission, doing the entire interior of a (heavily wooden) 45'er.... and it works!

Only thing I've found is that the new Nitromors formulation doesn't need 10mins to work, and indeed, often dries in 10 mins (which makes it a bugger to clean off).... I've been leaving it for no more than 3 or 4 mins after experimenting with different times....

 

[pmagowan]

I found the nitromors works well if applied quite thick and kept damp with cling film, but perhaps you could use a greenhouse plant sprayer. I did not know epifanes could be applied without scratching the previous coat. If true it would save me many hours of work, or perhaps this only applies to internal rather than external varnish.

 

[Seashoreman]

pmagowan your inbox is full. Epifanes Rapidclear dries in two hours and needs no rubbing down between coats, even after a few days. It has a semi-gloss finish and doesnt seem to colour the wood. I stripped all interior wood (teak) this winter and finished with 2 or 3 coats, very pleased with result. Although I did lightly rub a few pieces that picked up some dust, no problem. Can be used exterior. They must have specs on a website.
Sorry to drift and have no intension of getting into a varnish debate!!Ha.
Dont fancy the idea of yards of cling-film wetted with nasty and dangerous stripper. Do like Pheonix says, get it off quick and do a couple of coats. Trust me, I use gallons of this stuff a year!! Try Paramose from Rest Express. Good for furniture finishing, excellent company!!!

 

[Humblebee]

We were given a tip by a french-polisher friend to use 0000 wire wool to cut back varnish.....we did it but would not do so again! All of the steel dust ended up on white grp and quickly turned a lovely rusty orange colour! Doesn't wash off either, seems that brasso does the trick but a long slow job

Oxalic acid will do the trick for you. Mentioned many times on this forum and I can personally vouch for its efficacy. Either buy it as crystals on Ebay and make your own solution or buy Y10 at chandlery.

 

[KAM]

I inherited a similar problem where the previous owner had sanded through veneers. I found that it was possible to mix up brown paint to a very close match and apply that to the damaged area. Once several coats of varnish have been applied it is very difficult to spot.

 

[Bosunof]

We were given a tip by a french-polisher friend to use 0000 wire wool to cut back varnish.....we did it but would not do so again! All of the steel dust ended up on white grp and quickly turned a lovely rusty orange colour! Doesn't wash off either, seems that brasso does the trick but a long slow job

Try oxalic acid that will do the trick (B&Q Teak garden furniture renovator)

 

[chimere382]

Thank you very much Kam - yours is actually a solution - which is what i asked for in the first place! Thanks again and wish me luck!

 

[nimbusgb]

40 grit on a boat? Ouch!

I'd re veneer all the doors in the set. But then i did re veneer the entire inside of Cariad ....... A mahoosive job!