When being built all Westerly's were finished with lacquer. It has performed well for 40 years, so I felt it was worth using the same finish. The lacquer is still made today by Morrells and they supply via a chain of trade counters the furniture and wood finishing businesses. Several other owners said the lacquer was very easy to apply and fast drying. Plus at about £60 for 5 litres of lacquer (with catalyst) and thinners, is far cheaper than marine varnishes.
Thank you Andrew. Glad you enjoyed it. I also appreciated you contribution in the other section about the self adhesive foam as I had not come across it before.
Unfortunately I do not have any photos at the moment, lockdown is the reason. In the past I have used bleach on stained wood with great results, but no photos. As soon as I do the bleaching and relacquering, I will post some more photos. When I finally finish the whole interior, I will update the original PowerPoint presentation with lots more photos and information.
No problem, it is so much better than the original foam backed vynol and glue....
Yes, veneers can be bought easily. In fact last week I bought a box of veneer off cuts on eBay for £7.50. Huge variety on offer on eBay, just use the PowerPoint presenetation to confirm whether you have Sapele or Teak and buy accordingly. If you prefer to visit a local company, when lockdown eases, then this one is near to you. Timberline Exotic Hardwoods | Veneers | Marquetry Inlays | Kent, UK
Any veneered plywood has only about 0.6mm of veneer. So yes, you have to be careful. Through trial and error, I found my sole boards had been repeatedly recoated and ended up moving from 180 grit to 80 grit. What is critical when using an orbital sander, is speed control. The faster it moves, the faster it sands - so keep it slow. Watch for build up on the sandpaper as this can mark the plywood, so change the paper regularly. I find about every 7 to 8 minutes is normal. The final advice is to watch the colour of the dust. As soon as it changes from white to brown, STOP sanding. From this point you hand sand in the direction of the grain with 120 grade. Then you start cleaning out any dents and scratches. Finally wipe it down with a damp J cloth as any remaining finish stops the wood from getting damp. Leave to dry and sand any areas that showed any remaining finish and recheck. Remember the time spent on preparation is critical for a better final finish.
The Zoom presentation was recorded and is available to WOA members on the web site. Go to Member Services tab, then Other Member Services and then click on Zoom Meeting Documents. The first item is the talk.
