Universal Clear on Wood Boats

oak is very grainy so you really need to brush the first coat on so it goes in the pores. first coat was mixed and a slight amount of dye was mixed in to slightly enhance the grain then the rest was sprayed with a small amount of dye in that as well. as much as i go up and down the stairs, 4 years and i see no wear in the clear. the doors and trim in the house are done the same way but i did not use spi for that. that is all conversion varnish from a co. called lenmar. nasty stuff but a awesome product. the color is not actually a stain. very rarely when i need to add color, the wood is sealed and color is applied over. basically a candy finish over the wood. the corner cabinet is just clear over teak. imo, if you are going to be brushing anything on then you want the slowest stuff you can get. universal or euro clear with the very slow activator will be great. i found the turbo clear to just be way too fast for this. fine for spraying though. i don't use turbo around here anymore.
 
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i finished the carpentry on the door with hand made blades and used layers of minwax with dye and flattener in them, and used minwax with dye on the screendoor i bought. any woodwork next is getting spi clear. it never crossed my mind about the gunstocks, awesome!

and by the way jim wow you are multi talented, that cabinet is very impressive. the shop i made the door at makes all their own router blades, uses old german tools and that nasty conversion varnish, old school.
 
thanks, i just come from a woodworking family. i have done that stuff all my life. this painting thing is just something i started about 10 years ago. started out as a just a hobby. glad it worked out because i was sick of working on boats.
 
when i made the door it was an opportunity to learn fine woodworking. they guy has carvers there too. it was a great experience, but it didnt turn me on like painting. but they have a nice paint booth i can use anytime! i want to turn him on to spi clear.
 
My application is for some high end redwood. Very Large Panels.

I never sprayed before but have HVLP gun (divilbiss flg3 gravity feed 1.3mm tip so I will have to dilute a bit) and two compressors one 6HP and another 4HP hooked together and just got this fine sander and the abranet sandpaper.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...0591824780&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

My research led me from spar varnish to car clear, of which I have some DuPont ChromaPremier® (7175S, 12375S, 72200S, 12305S) which I never had time to spray on my car; and then from rereading about that to spi product.

Anyway I am not sure about the base coat and as I live in California if I need the 2.1.

I use a varnish (1/3 phenolic resin based varnish, 1/3 naphtha or acetone, 1/3 tung oil) now to seal/finish but its not as gloss as I would like. I want a high gloss but not to thick of a coat (probably mutually exclusive), so epoxy is kinda out.

I'm kinda not sure where this product fits in, its a two part urethane? Where is it on this chart (catalized?)

http://home.earthlink.net/~wooddude78/woodlib1_16.html


So what do I use for the "soak in" coat (obviously SPI product coats the surface)?
Or do you just use the SPI brushed and thinned for the base?
Whats the best to use to thin this product. Ill probably apply it even thinner then most.
What do I need to buy for a high gloss clear final coat?
Am I only limited to the 2.1 in California?
Can you put urethane over phenolic (like Waterlox or Epifanes product)? I would assume you could put SPI over polyurethane products like mini-wax wipe on poly.
 
Most of the wood people if staining apply say the mini wax one day and clear the next.

If you are just clearing, then you apply two unreduced coats of clear and let dry overnight, sand and re-clear, this stops the soak in.
 
Barry,

Thanks for posting wooden boat pictures!

I am very satisfied with the UV clear on the boats. It is the best repairable clear finish I have aver used for Wooden Boat Restoration. It is easily touched up. I can apply in one day, using the UV clear, what takes me a week or more, to apply with a brush.

My finishes are applied over a traditional hand brushed finish. I sand the Mahogany to 80 grit with the grain, carefully to remove all cross grain sand scratches. You can sand finer, but for Mahogany, it really is a waste of time IMO. I brush apply a oil-based paste wood filler and stain (mixed to the consistance of a thick house paint). When it starts to dry, wipe off with clean rags, against the grain to fill grain first, and then lightly with grain to uniform the color. Let dry overnight.

The next day I thin, amber colored polyurethane varnish (20 percent). Brush on and let dry overnight. Follow by another 5 or 6 coats of full strength varnish. Sand betweed coats with 320. I rarely sand the first three coats, as you don't want to sand through the stain. I use red scotch brite, on the early coats lightly. I level after 6 coats or so with DA dry. Wet sand for show boats, to avoid da swirl marks. If I had all the time in the world, I would wet-sand , for a better job...probably same grit, or a little finer, on build up. Some boats do require more coats. Grain does not have to be completely level, as the UV Clear levels well. Swirl marks in the build up virtually disapper, after the clear is applied.

I have used all popular marine top coats, such as Z-spar, Pettits, Epifanes, Awlspar, West Marine, Spar Varnish, Jet Speed, or Whatever you like. I do not prefer Minwax, but I have used it in a pinch...I do not use any water base.

The above is my foundation for the UV Clear. I only use the amber varnish over the stain to attain a rich uniform, amber color, that the stain provides.

I usually spray 3-4 coats clear in one day. I sand with 320 the next day to level surface. I then, spray 3-4 more coats of clear. Let dry overnight. Sand with 600, then 1000, then 1500 wet. Buff with Presta Cutting Creme, followed by 1500 polish. I use a Makita buffer with Presta Pads.

This is really a basic production approach, that most of my customers would be satisfied with. It is the best Bang for their Buck.

Best Regards, Todd Rissberger
 
Lots of good info there Todd. Whose Polyurethane product do you use for the varnish?

You have no problems as to long term use using the polyurethane as a soak in coat as compared to purhaps an highly thined epoxy? The SPI two part urathane provides more then sufficient water proofing on its own?

Sure it says a lot about SPI quality if you prefer it over Awlspar which is probably twice or more the cost ....

If cost was no consideration would you use any other products then you discribed (as you mention best Bang for Buck)?
 
I would bet there's epoxy resins and polyester resins available that would also work for the intial fill coat.
 
my problem with wood has been gassing . the consoles get a lot of sun . lacquer bubbled, as did urethane's . the 2 part polymer that i used worked good but would soften in sun then harden up in the shade. i use a lot of exotic woods and some gass out worse than others.
need to do a test i guess . my thoughts are to over reduce for a deep soak.
 
i live on the edge of a canyon with northern exposure back by trees... i am always in the shade so wood that isnt finished well rots quick. ove been thinking about using universal on my next custom redwood fence... overkill?
 
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