Finish advice please

[Bud_Wilson]

Cap'N Jake Patience is a virtue, but damn it's hard to wait. On the bright side just look at how much more knowledge you have on this than you did last week. Live and learn, die and forget it all. Bud.

[capt jake]

OK, Dipstick has a few spraying questions.

What, exactly, causes orange peel? I spray the first few seat planks and all is fine. Then the last few have slight orange peel. I clean the gun after each use. I even thinned the product a tad more this time and added an extra ounce of Penetrol. I am presently mixing 18oz of product, 2 oz Penetrol and 4 oz thinner (I was doing 20, 2 and 2). I have played with backing off teh pressure, but the product just doesn't seem to go on as uniformly.

This coat went on better, though I did have a few sags. Most of them I was able to take care of and blend with a finger, one on the deck took a quick response with a fan to hold it and shrink it. It seemed to work pretty well as that sag is barely visible now. I have to re-sand the back seat again, I think I missed it from last nights episode.

It looks almost done, but have to apply more coats where I had to sand (wet and dry with mineral spririts and 320). I hope that Monday's coat will be the final one. I hope, I hope.

[capt jake]

Well, over the course of applying the pst esveral coats, I have come accross a few things.

1 - Air movement directly after application seems to lesson the orange peel.

2 - After I am done spraying, if there is any product left, I pour it back into the can. Thus, the product is in fact getting thinner on each application. It seems that I should have been thinning it a bit more from the beginning. The lat coat is nearly perfect. I guess tha '4 seconf rule' of dripping it off of the stir stick is fairly accurate.

1, possibly two more coats and I will be done!

[Frank Hagan]

Just remember ' date=' every coat is just an interim coat. In under a year of UV exposure you will be recoating right?[/quote']

He's in the Pacific northwest ... they don't have UV up there!

Besides, his boats are so fine, they use them as furniture rather than as boats.

[Guest Oyster]

LOL!! Frank. Capt. I guess you have enough experience now for that new build of the reproduction Chris Craft.

[capt jake]

I don't think I will be building anything for a while after this one, though the BJ24 is still tugging at me.

As far as the UV, I have had the Weekender finished for 4 or 5 years and it looks as good as the day it was launched (actually better ). Boats are store indoors and only left in the water for a few days at a time. The WE was varnish, but this poly should withstand more abuse (which it will get) than varnish.

[Hirilonde]

Varnishing is therapeutic. If it weren't no one would spend the time it takes to do it right. Enjoy each coat and revel in the last one!

[Barry Pyeatt]

Biggest challange for Capt. Jake was convincing the spouse that the Weekender and trailer really did need to sit inside the entry way. The new French doors made access easier. But the grandkids do get to play Pirate on it (in their stocking feet.) Nothing like climate controlled storage to keep that fine finish looking good. :roll:

I will have to admit, his finish work is superb and it is holding up extremely well. But with his shop space and storage it really makes a huge difference. Very envious of that. :wink:

[capt jake]

I'm feeling abused now. If you don't stop, I'm gonna take my toys and go home! :shock: Not really.

I just got done applying the 5th coat of the clear finish. All is well, though, wouldn't you know it, this is the coat when the little dust guys decided it was time to come out of hibernation. :shock: Although not too bad, there is a bit of it on the deck.

I ended up with just shy of a quart of product left. If this coat turns out looking ok this afternoon (which I think it will) I am going to call it good.

[Guest Oyster]

I am surely glad that I live in nomans land, where a few of you guys are unable to wonder on over and scrutinize any paint of varnish work around this joint. I would really be the one that takes my toys and leave for sure. Heck I know something thats even worse. The worse thing about any of your guys visit would also be that you would take some dust back with you and shake it off in your shop and then you would blame me for the dirt thats in your topcoats for sure. Maybe I should put up that no trespassing sign afterall, especially for your left coast fanatical furriners. :wink:

[capt jake]

I have PLENTY of dust in the shop. I should put out a sign "FREE DUST".

[Craig]

In the sun down here you can't even keep paint on them let alone varnish. None of the poly stuff lasts a full season and Rust_O's new marine varnish lasted just one year. Six coats and the top of the new sprit looks like hell already. If it ain't covered its gone!

[capt jake]

In the sun down here you can't even keep paint on them let alone varnish. None of the poly stuff lasts a full season and Rust_O's new marine varnish lasted just one year. Six coats and the top of the new sprit looks like hell already. If it ain't covered its gone!

You're really not helping me. ;) LOL At least I live in an area with a 'little' less UV and sun.

[Charlie Jones]

You seem to have discovered this yourself, but the PRIME cause of orange peel is that the product is too thick. If it orange peels, thin it some more and shoot thin coats.

And of course, how thin depends a lot on temp and humidity- you just have to try til it's right.

[capt jake]

You seem to have discovered this yourself' date=' but the PRIME cause of orange peel is that the product is too thick. If it orange peels, thin it some more and shoot thin coats.

And of course, how thin depends a lot on temp and humidity- you just have to try til it's right.[/quote']

Too bad for me that I found that out on about the 3rd coat. I know next time. :shock: :oops:

[capt jake]

BTW, I ended up rolling and tipping the seat tops and was totally impressed with this procts ability to self level. With the slight bit of orange peel I have on the deck, I may sand it and roll and tip that, but it is not that bad, so I will contemplate for a bit.

Nothing to do but watch the paint dry...

This one is deceiving, the color of the wood is the same.

[Guest Oyster]

And pray tell us why in the world do you continue to ask US about varnishing and finish work? :wink: :shock: Thats beautifulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!! Will it fit in those double patio doors, or have you measured them yet? :wink: And you won't need to purchase any glass to go across the top of it to repeal water stains now.

[Craig]

Mike yu know this Hoser has a spray gun hid in that shop some where!!!

NICE WORK Jake!! She looks wonderful.

[Brian Walters]

Wow, Absolutely beautifull work Jake! That is somthing to be proud of for sure.

Brian.

[capt jake]

Mike yu know this Hoser has a spray gun hid in that shop some where!!!

NICE WORK Jake!! She looks wonderful.

Yup, it is sprayed. Only way I could see of getting the multiple coats on in a reasonable amount of time. It is 5 coats, each one sprayed on a consecutive day. It took about 1 1/2 hours for each coat.