Sea Sprite 23 #670 "Heritage"

[ebb]

Chance, you do such nice work, it's a pleasure to witness the progression(s).

I've been using Epifanes for brightwork that is going to be hung on the boat soon. Its great stuff and produces a beautiful finish. It has a sister companion that is even easier to use and builds up coats faster (woodfinishgloss).
It does require thinning with a system thinner....I allow myslf just one thinner or addfitive. When I find
a hardware store variety, or I'm tipped about it, will certainly use that one. Varnish is varnish.
How recoats go on is also part of the parcel and should be direct and easy to do.

I've used LeTonkinois on other trim along side of the pieces done with E.
Cannot tell the difference between the two varnishes. At eight coats each on mahogany, honestly can't tell the difference between the two.
Epifanes is a technical tung oil varnish creature made with a number of solvents, aliphatic hydrocarbons and cautions about breathing its vapors. Goes on great. Has a great rep for UV resistance. IE recoat time.

Tonk is high temp boiled linseed and tung oil whose instructions for use is to apply with brush or spraygunm and clean with white spirits
- which I assume can also be used to thin the varnish but there are no instructions on thinning. There is one full day between coats. Don't need to sand. But you sand like maybe we all do because that's the only way to knock the anomalies flat.
Both varnishes repeat valleys, hills and fisheyes thru many coats, so to get ahead sanding is the only way to go.
Scotchbrite pads might or might not work depending on what you want to achieve. Epifanes varnish requires each coat sanding like all traditional varnish - but you can skip with LeTonkinois. I'll stick without creating dust.
Feel that Tonk is a more casual, friendly, ole-timey, forgiving material.

Tonk is a tougher varnish as it ages, claims equal or better UV resistance. Has no aromatic or chloronated solvents in it.
About this product ALONE, You can breathe it (not the spray, of course) and touch it without
causing liver damage.
It's easier to add a maintainance coat, as the season changes.
Probably an easier varnish to keep and use on board.

White spirits, mineral spirits, is a petroleum distillate. Don't want to breathe the stuff.
Odorless spirits is the same material further refined to remove the harmfull aromatics. Might be easier/safer to haave around the boat and shop.

I think LeTonkinois should be explored by us varnishers and talked about here in the Forum.

[Chance]

Thank you Ebb.
I'll look into Tonk as an option.

When the fastener heads are visible, I like to "Clock" the heads. That is, to ensure that the slots align with one another and are in keeping with the symmetry, in this case they were aligned athwartship. Perhaps a trivial detail to some, but for those that are keen on attention to details, I think it matters, plus it looks nicer.

Here's today's shots:

[ebb]

ATTENTION! IT's in the details. It's no accident!
And it's thumbs up to later craftsmen who see what others miss - and whistle because they knows it means a job well done. Didn't know the expression, until now, thanks!


[Just happened to flash on MaineSail's Book of Better Butyl Booping -
and I'm not going to go look the article up this moment - assume that everybody's seen it -
but THERE is one gent who believes in DETAIL......
You know, it's where he's showing us in Jiminy Cricket eyeball photo close ups exactly how to load up a flatheadmachinescew to make butyl work when putting stuff together for the long term.... deck fastenings, new windows, trim.

But can't recall if his attention to detail soldiered up screw slots and the flats of hex nuts on cabin ports and stanchion bases? -
I think I wood have noticed!

SO, from now on I'm gonna have to check out Whozit's philips heads to see if they are clocked in Xs or +s ! ! !