International Woodskin... Falmouth area?

[KevO]

Hi all,

Am 'imming and amming' about stripping back all the interior varnished/lacquered woodwork on my Hustler. There are several scruffy patches, nicks and dinks, watermarks from old leaks etc and a main bulkhead that has just enough black mottling to get on my wick and will REALLY do so once the lovely new upholstery is fitted. I'm completely refitting the heads compartment (shoe box ) and rewiring right through so I sort of feel like 'in for a penny, in for a pound'.

But what to put back on and no... I know starting a thread on varnish is gonna be like starting one on anchors, defaced blue ensigns or MMGW but I like the sound of International woodskin. I would actually like to see some in the flesh so to speak before committing though. Has anyone in the Falmouth area used it and would they be prepared to let me see it? (F'nar F'nar... )

 

[vyv_cox]

A long way from Falmouth but I have some experience of it. In Greece last year I met a man who had used Int Woodskin on his exterior timber some time before. It looked superb, despite a year or two in the weather. Back home I bought a tin for the spars on my motor sailer, where it has done an excellent job but they have not yet seen the outside weather, still hanging in the workshop. I have just finished my cockpit locker lids, they look good but won't see the boat until later in the week.

It is remarkably easy stuff to apply, flattens off well and looks great,

 

[Zagato]

Ditto, great stuff, no bubbles just slap it on, mine has lasted well after one season, no signs of deterioration, did 4-5 coats. It used to be called something else which was widely respected and used!

I know a guy that used it on his garden furniture 5 years ago and it's still good. Gives a slightly deeper glossy colour than in the pics - very nice.

 

[KevO]

I like what I'm hearing although not looking forward to stripping it all back to bare wood... 'specially with the kids party green jelly stuff that Nitromors tried to pass off as paint stripper that I tried this weekend

 

[Zagato]

I sanded all the old varnish off from the Drascombe - took 2 days on and off for the whole boat using a Bosch orbital sander and Dremmel for the tricky bits then a quick run over with fine paper to get really smooth. The painting part is the nice bit, I've used varnish before and it's PITA with bubbles, curtaining etc. Woodskin was a great relief just to be able to slap it on. It says it needs 24 hours in between coats but you can do one in the morning and one in the evening if the weather is OK. I did mine last March so it wasn't tropical!

 

[pampas]

Hot air paint stripper and scraper, will got 99% off in a reletive short time.

 

[KevO]

Hot air paint stripper and scraper, will got 99% off in a reletive short time.

That's the plan... With some chemical assistance in hard to reach areas. I might have to fib on a EU form to order some stuff that actually works

 

[Caer Urfa]

Ditto, great stuff, no bubbles just slap it on, mine has lasted well after one season, no signs of deterioration, did 4-5 coats. It used to be called something else which was widely respected and used!

If my memory serves me well it used to be called Sikkens Cetol . International paints took them over and rebranded it and called it Woodskin..

I use it and it is excellant stuff , but it does run if you try to put too much on at one time.

If you have a run on gel coat get it off asap otherwise it's hell of a job!

Mike

 

[Zagato]

I found it to be quite run resistant and I wasn't being careful, slap it on and spread it out. I suppose any paint/varnish will run if you put loads on! It was March however so not too warm...

I have just flicked through a one year test of Woodskin in one of the sailing mags in a newsagent - it came out well

 

[christhefish]

Hi all,

Am 'imming and amming' about stripping back all the interior varnished/lacquered woodwork on my Hustler. There are several scruffy patches, nicks and dinks, watermarks from old leaks etc and a main bulkhead that has just enough black mottling to get on my wick and will REALLY do so once the lovely new upholstery is fitted. I'm completely refitting the heads compartment (shoe box ) and rewiring right through so I sort of feel like 'in for a penny, in for a pound'.

But what to put back on and no... I know starting a thread on varnish is gonna be like starting one on anchors, defaced blue ensigns or MMGW but I like the sound of International woodskin. I would actually like to see some in the flesh so to speak before committing though. Has anyone in the Falmouth area used it and would they be prepared to let me see it? (F'nar F'nar... )

I have used this when it was branded as Sikkens cetol easy to use and it lasts well you should get two coats on a day weather permitting,mine has been on three years and still looking good [2 coats] with minimal preperation just a light rub down and clean with white spirit

 

[KevO]

How critical is the strip back to bare wood? Obviously on a couple of panels I have to go right back in order to clean underlying stains down with oxalic. But is it a case of having to get every last possible molecular trace of previous coating off absolutely everywhere ?

 

[theoldplucker]

For years I have used a cabinet scraper for getting varnish off. Just google cabinet scraper and lots of information for sharpening/burnishing.

 

[alahol2]

How critical is the strip back to bare wood? Obviously on a couple of panels I have to go right back in order to clean underlying stains down with oxalic. But is it a case of having to get every last possible molecular trace of previous coating off absolutely everywhere ?

You don't have to get every molecule off but if you leave even a small unbroken skin anywhere it will show through the cetol as a light patch. It's a real pain when you think you've finished and then find a light spot when you start varnishing.

 

[Zagato]

Yes better to get it all off. I have used ordinary horrible, bubbling, curtaining varnish like Ronseal etc before and when you come back it has peeled where you have painted over previously remaining varnish

Try sanding with an orbital, it whips it off in no time, beats mucking about with messy paint strippers, hot burning burners and scraping. Leaves a nice smooth finish so no scrape marks also. Careful also with Nitromors/Paramose etc. I got some on my eye lid 3 years ago and it's a constant itchy irritation, makes my eye lid swell, have to use Hydrocortisine on it to sort it out (acid basically!) - not great. I've never been one for masks/goggles etc but if I go anywhere near Paramose again I am boiler suited/masked up like an astronaut!