Varnishing technique..

[Bill]

What is a good way to clean up after sanding in-between varnishing coats. I've used dry brush, water etc. I was just wondering what other methods, like mineral spirits, alcohol etc. might be used and why. It's no big deal, I'm not really having any problems I just thought I'd get some opinions while working on the project...

Thanks,

Bill

[Barry Pyeatt]

I use a shop vac with a brush on the end of the hose to clean up the sanding residue and then wash it down with a damp lint free cloth. Then wipe it dry with a terry cloth towel.

After it dries completely I always use a tack cloth to pick up the remainder that is left from the other steps. (Amazing what is still there and comes up on the tack cloth.) :cry:

(A lint free cloth soaked in mineral spirits mixed with 1/4 turpentine then wrung out completely works just as well. and can be kept in a zip lock bag.) :wink: Lot less expensive!

If you don't have one, I would recommend an exhaust fan (Box fan will do) to put in an outside window when you are sanding and working, it will pull a lot of that airborne dust outside. You can put a furnace filter over the fan on the inside to catch the dust particles and it keeps the fan cleaner. :wink:

You might direct this at our resident sanding and varnishing expert....Capt. Jake! :roll:

[Frank Hagan]

Ive been using fast drying polyurethane lately, so it makes it a bit easier. I'm such a slob that varnishing has always been a problem.

I use mineral spirits as the final wipe after sanding, then using the shop vac like Barry says. Because my shop is so dusty, I usually take a break after using the shop vac because of fine stuff in the air that it has kicked up. Then a wipe with mineral spirits, and the next coat goes on.

The final coat is the only one I get obsessive about. If the part is small enough, I take it into the bathroom (no dust, it closes off fairly tight from the rest of the house, and my wife never uses that bathroom so I'm safe from Konrad-like incidents!) In the shop, I'll clean up, wait, then start in just in time for the garage door to open and stiff breeze to blow through.

That's why I'm getting to like the fast dry polyurethanes. I know they aren't traditional, but I end up with much less stuck in them.

[Bill]

Looks like I'm on track...The shop vac does kick up a lot of dust even though it's picking most of it up. I have a few tack rags (bought) in some zip locks. I may try the homemade version though. I have the all the stuff needed. Iv'e been a bit more careful in scheduling the Shop-Vac/Laundry/sanding operations on alternate days of varnishing. It tends to slow down the process, but, I'm sort of impatient so it keeps me in check and will probably produce a better finished result anyway. I may also run a few experiments with the fast dry poly. I like to clear-coat with epoxy first, for a barrier, so I doubt what I use on top will really make any significant difference other than ease of use and smoothness. Frank, what type have you been trying out? I played around with some helmsman spar urethane. Funny, you can't really tell the difference between that and my Epiphanes Varnish. The Epiphanes is a little longer in the oil and supposedly can flex a lot more so it may be better on boom/spar/mast etc. as far as wear. I have also found you need to thin the Helmsmans out quite a bit on the first coats too. (Epiphanes and all the others also recommend it on new wood). It's a tough call sometimes. So many people recommend so many things. The thing is, quite a few of the problems, if there are going to be any, don't really show up until a year or more later. I'm quite sure I'll use various methods so we shall see.

thanks for the info guys..

Bill

[High C]

Practical Sailor recently did a varnish comparison test. They found a surprisingly good varnish in West Marine's store brand Skipper Varnish. If at least three coats were applied, it equaled or beat anything else for lengevity. I've used it on the teak on my Hunter for a couple of years and am very pleased with it. I'm not super careful, either, though I do use real china bristle brushes. They level so nicely.

My Weekender site:

www.jtservices.net/boat.htm

[Bill]

I just found some 3 inch brushes (Natural) at a surplus and salvage place up here. Got a fantastic deal on them. Tried one out and they really do seem to help a lot. unfortunatly they only had 3 inch and I really need to get a one and a two inch.

We do have a Guinea Pig but, she squirms too much when I try to duct tape her to a stick. Guess I'll have to spring the cash for the brushes.

I was starting to get excited about reading the Varnish reviews, until I saw the "Purchase Article" button after the first paragraph. And yet another toll booth on the Information Highway!

Thanks for the info though. I'll be making another trip to the West store in a few weeks and do some chatting with them about the results they might have seen...

Thanks..

Bill