Universal Clear on Wood Boats

[Barry]

Guys, thought you might enjoy these pictures, one of our customers restores the old Chriscraft wooden boats, one in the picture is a 1932, he uses Universal clear with 4-8 coats of clear.

I grew up with these boats and lost two of my friends when I was around 13 in two different explosions, that these boats were rather famous for that back then gas vapors had a hard time getting out of the engine compartment.
When this guy sprayed his first boat he had never sprayed any automotive paint before, went out and bought a sata RP and we did paint gun and phone in hand lesson's for about a year, 5-6 years ago.

 

[strum456]

That is really cool Barry. I have always wondered about using your clears on wood. I did a dining room table last year with Helsman's spar urethane (made by Minwax). The finish came out ok, but I am not thrilled with it. I'll have to post some pictures when I get to it.

I was thinking for indoor projects, if I use your Production Clear, it would probably be much better than Minwax or Deft polyurethane. Would I be correct?

 

[danp76]

Wow, looks great!

 

[jcclark]

I use Universal clear on my tops all the time.

 

[Barry]

Nice job the other,JimC!

Strum, we have a number of high end cabinet builders that use the universal and sometime epoxy if they are using a color.

 

[strum456]

JC,

Wow, that looks good! How many coats does it take on a top like that?

 

[strum456]

Barry,

Is UV clear overkill for something that is going to be inside all the time? Couldn't I use one of your other clears and save some $$$?

 

[form406]

what kind of prep for the wood? i work am good friends with george lucas' personal carpenter. right now he is building a 24 foot table with chairs for 400K for a big ceo. ill show him these pics. we also made a custom front door for me and i used minwax poly... i wish i would have used uv on it!

 

[strum456]

Form,

I'm thinking the same thing too. I wonder if I can sand down some of the Minwax on my table and put SPI clear on it?

 

[jcclark]

I use Minwax stain and it seems to be ok, I do let it dry thoroughly, like 5-7 days,
before clearcoating.
I usually spray 3 coats then sand it smooth and spray 3 coats or more and
sand again to level. Some woods take more if they're an open pour like oak.
Oak really needs a good grain filler first then it's not as bad.
But for a high sheen finish, it's usually a "formal" style piece so I use a wood
like cherry, that's a tight grain wood which takes less clear to level it.
But really, it's just like doing your car.

 

[bmenard]

A Chris Craft is very high on my list of future projects! Good to know about the UC compatibility.

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

works excellent on gun stocks as well

 

[Barry]

In case some of you are interested like Bob pointed out here are a few places the universal is being used.

Bow manufacturers
Gun Stock refinishers
Professional hockey helmets
Junior high, high school and college football helmets.
Wood baseball bat manufacturers.
Fishing lures - three manufacturers.

 

[jcclark]

Don't forget furniture/cabinets on that list

I'm completing some chess boards with Universal on them.
I don't know what category that would be.
(I'll clearcoat anything that stays still)

 

[C10chas]

(I'll clearcoat anything that stays still)

LOL

 

[Jim C]

here are a couple projects i did with spi clear. one is a teak corner w/ ebony handles i made some years back and the other are the stairs in my house back when it was being built. both are done with flattened turbo clear.

 

[C10chas]

Nice work Jim, multi-talented I see!
Did you spray the stairs?

 

[strum456]

Nice work Jim! Are the ends of those treads returned? If they are, you did a great job, because I can't see the joints.

I have been messing around with Deft and Minwax too long, it is time to start using some good clear. I was thinking of trying Turbo for my wood projects. What are your thoughts on this, vs the other SPI clears?

 

[Bob Hollinshead]

I've done a quite a few gun stocks, numerous tables and cabinets, deer plaques, trout net handles, hunting knife handles-all came out just beautiful and holding up well. Doing wood I usually clear to fill the grain, sand, reclear, and repeat as necessary and buff or rub. Incorporate some candy dye in between rounds of clear and you can make some plain looking wood look exotic. I've got one rifle that was done with three candy coats in overlapping leaf patterns that looks cool-the wood shows right through.

 

[strum456]

View attachment 438View attachment 439

These are both Helsman's Spar Urethane (made by Minwax). I really wish I used SPI, especially on the table. I had no idea so many people where using it on wood. I even asked about using SPI on wood when I was placing an order years ago. Whomever I talked to said it would probably be better to use clear meant for wood. I have to say, that is the only bad advice I have ever gotten from anyone at SPI.