decisions decisions decisions!
Good points, all.
So what about grain fillers? capt. dave mentioned it to me.
Also, the doors are a raised panel affair, so want to use some good glue. They are still in pieces as we speak, due to some shoulder surgery.
I've looked at the Epifanes info. on a site, and they say to thin 50%, then 25%, and so on, light sand between coats. Haven't seen anything about grain fillers.
Now we go from cetol to epoxy, grain fillers, varnish...
So nobody has ever used good old Waterlox? Been around for about 75 yrs., has lots of tung oil, which the chineese used 700 yrs ago to waterproof their boats.
Also capt'n Ebb: any more info./pics of outboard well? Still working on ideas to get the lid to close on a yamaha 9.9/remote control. I'm still in awe of the work you've done.
EPIFANES Thinner for Paint & Varnish: a cautionary tale
As stated above, the directions say;
Quote:
EPIFANES Woodfinish, thinned 10% with EPIFANES Thinner for Paint & Varnish
Posting to this old thread, after the requisite search, is to testify to the importance of the word EPIFANES before the word Thinner in that simple sentence.
DO NOT do AS I HAVE DONE, and substitute WEST Marine thinner!!!!!!!!
I have now sanded my companion boards three times to bare wood, and wiped with various solvents to remove the traces of the EPIFANES that was laced with West Marine thinner (which says 'for varnish' in the title by the way).
Apparently it contains mineral spirits, which are haunting my wonderful EPIFANES finish and causing it to; fail to set, gum, and the first time (when it was mixed directly) even to crinkle like a crinkle finish. :eek:
This tale of woe is not offered to elicit sympathy, for I should not have disregarded the directions, but rather as a cautionary tale.
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no wonder price of lumber went up!
Mike, thanks so much. I am even more humbled. And without words. You must feel very proud. Are you still involved with the project--rigging, fitting out? To think that a guy with your experience is an Ariel sailor, well, here's to you! Says a lot for our little yacht!
I took some photos of my coamings, and my custom covers before going for an awesome sail this morning. It had to be the most perfect outing yet. About 70 degrees, 15 knots, a few gusts to 20 to keep me awake, and just beautiful. I was trying to see if i could tell any difference in performance with the Nissan 5 hp 2 stroke long shaft. Admiral's idea. (And it will be good for locking through the dams.) Other than that, don't see much need for it. Anyway, i don't have a speedo, so couldn't tell much difference actually. If anything, she seems more stable on a downwind run. Didn't hobby horse around like usual. And that could have been my imigination, or different conditions too. She still seems to sail great with it in the water, so maybe she'll forgive me for opening up the well. Hope so. She sure sails great.
So what's this thread? lol Kinda wandering all over the place here. Sorry all.
Anyway, here's a few pictures of the coamings, and my little puney stern. Puney and pretty! Even with the outboard. ugh
Oh yeah, the exterior wood. I can't decide what to do with the bolt heads. I think i'll just leave em exposed. They're only counter sunk about 1/8". Didn't measure the coaming thickness, i'm guessing 5/8 to 3/4. Now i got all the rest to do! I like sailing better than varnishing though, so might get done, might not! Working on a sound system now, i gotta have some tunes out there, especially when i'm all alone! :cool:
Thanks again for the link and pics. That is so awesome! IF i ever get back that way....
coamings-again and Epifanes question
I'm replacing my coamings-someone crashed into Mischief last summer while she was sitting on the mooring and smashed one of the coamings. I consider myself lucky that that was the only damage. Anyway, I have 2 gorgeous new pieces of mahogany cut to fit and I'm starting to consider the varnish.
I used to use Epifanes but I remembered reading somewhere (I could swear it was here) that it doesn't last so for the last couple of years for some smaller projects I switched to the Interlux Schooner varnish. I think it lasted longer but that could be wishful thinking. I'm also looking at Pettit Z-spar, which is a bit more expensive, but if their copy is to believed, worth it.
Interlux is way thinner than Epifanes so it was hard to get used to.
Any new opinions on which is best? I noted all the praise earlier in this thread for Epifanes, so now I'm confused. Not unusual.
brightwork juggling in my garage
My cabin trim look like propellers mounted on 8 penny nails that were pounded through some old front door woodwork trim. Cabinet drawers stand on their own, as long as I remember to walk around them, instead of through them when I leave for work around 5:30am (I exit through the garage). Cabinet doors pose as Modified Alkyd Resin laden mobiles suspended from 50 pound test fishing line swaying in the aromatic breezes of Exempt Mineral Spirits. Those pesky hatch covers will receive the required 12-20 coats per side and sometime in 2009 they will be introduce to Hull #100 with a pomp and ceremony Elton John will be proud of. Yes, my family is packing up and leaving for Nantucket. Yes, I will feel some guilt as they are leaving. (but they constantly and selfishly complain about fumes permeating throughout the house), (what fumes, I ponder). Yet I know when I summons them to return home in 2009 they will dance with glee on the marina green proudly proclaiming that bright work belongs to my husband and father. Yes, we helped him to its completion.
The Florida sun is brutal...
And with all of the wood on the Commander I have been giving a lot of consideration to what finish to use for all my new brightwork.
While Epifanes is certainly on the list of options, I would like to hear what others think about System 3 LPU clear gloss over epoxy seal coat. Has anyone tried this for the brightwork? Are there any informed opinions out there about how well it would or should work?
The website link...
http://www.systemthree.com/projects-...tdoor-wood.asp