On the subject of varnish... Le Tonk Crazing

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dur

dur

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www.gaff-rig.co.uk
Sorry to do this to you but...

I have been using Le Tonkinois for a couple of years and I am finding patches where the surface of the varnish has crazed. For the most part it does not appear to affect the integrity of the surface but I imagine it would if left. I have exchanged emails with the importer who has been very helpful. All the usual suspects have been checked and I think it is coming down to either: recoating too soon; or putting the coats on too thickly; or possibly sun / heat in these areas.
The problem has occurred on the front of the Douglas Fir mast near the bottom, the very top of the iroko rudder and the top of the ash tiller. The only other place is on one side of the rudder just above the waterline. Here the crazing has broken the varnish rather than just marking the surface so will have to be stripped back to wood.

Has anyone else come across such problems with Le Tonk?
Has anyone used the stuff further south than the south coast of England?

I would like to get to the bottom of the problem if I can otherwise I will just go to Epifanes like every one else.
 
I have seen minor surface crazing in epifanes, in the meddy, due to the sun beaming down on it, happens to me quite regular, I just flat and add another coat or three.
 
That's exactly how mine looks when the sun has got to it. I think you need to sand out some of the cracks, maybe not all the way to bare wood again, then build up some more coats all over, not just on the spots where it's crazed. But on the mast, you may just need to sand and patch the worst, or it's mast down time and a complete job. Keep a weather eye on it and put a coat on when it starts to look dull.
 
Slightly off topic (sorry).
I've just put a coat of Le Tonk on my floor boards. Next day I went to apply a second coat but this just "floated" on the surface, rather like water would do on glass. Now, I admit I didn't sand between coats (the instructions suggest a very very light snading betwen coats) but I wouldn't have expected that to make such a difference.

Has anyone had a similar experience?
 
Did you use any type of thinning agent when you applied the varnish! The only other time, apart from sun deterioration, I have seen that happen is when White Spirits was added to Le Tonks??

As already suggested rub down and a couple of more coats!

Tom
 
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I think you need to sand out some of the cracks, maybe not all the way to bare wood again, then build up some more coats all over, not just on the spots where it's crazed

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I did this when I first had the problem last year (on the rudder). Didn't have to sand far and put a couple of coats on again. The picture of mast crazing was after two seasons with no apparent problems after the first season. I don't really expect to get more than 2 seasons without recoating but had hoped for it to hold up slightly better.
 
I think I used white spirit to thin the first coat but definitely none of the 6 or so subsequent coats. The problem appears to be on the last coat or two but maybe something in the white spirit upsets the surface later on. It is true that Le Tonk say that there is no need to thin for brush application. I don't think I used any on the rudder though and have the same problems.
Interesting the uniform way the marks run on the rudder: http://www.gaff-rig.co.uk/rudder_side2.jpg
 
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I went to apply a second coat but this just "floated" on the surface

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I had something similar on a spar. I had put a four or so coats on, one a day for four days with a light sand between each coat. Then when doing the light sand on the fourth prior to the final coat, it started peeling off. It appeared not to have taken at all. I had to sand that coat off completely. I never did figure out what happened but didn't have any more problems.
 
Even with twelve coats on, if I leave mine more than a season, without a light sand and a couple of coats, it statrts to go like that, constant mainteneace is the answer, addmitedly I am in the meddy, which does wear the varnish!! But it is a pleasure not a chore to put a couple of coats on with the sun on yer' back and a cold beer close to hand!
 
But it is a pleasure not a chore to put a couple of coats on with the sun on yer' back and a cold beer close to hand!

OK, OK, we get the picture.............. not as challenging as doing it in the rain with a tarp covering the work though is it! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
No, I remember trying to do that myself in Dartmouth! Varnishing when I should have been sailing!! Well to be honest not just Dartmouth, but northern europe!
 
I had the same problem a couple of years ago on boom as if there was a coat of grease or white spirit on boom got over it by rubbing it down. spoke to Murkin the importer the next time I saw him he said he had a batch that had this problem!!
The varnish on the boom is still good though. (Previous boat)
 
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he said he had a batch that had this problem!!


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Hmm. Wonder why he never mentioned it to me.

I suppose I should go back to Schooner or Epifanes. Trouble is stripping and re-varnishing is one job too many!
 
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