Wooden Boat People

By McKenzieDriftBoat.com

Buffing out varinsh

Does anyone have any experience buffing or rubbing out varnish. I sprayed my drift boat and can't seem to avoid orange peal in the finish. I have tried brushing but I get runs. I get a run free job with the spray system but can't avoid the orange peal. I know Festool has a system for sanding and buffing oil and varnish. The problem with that is, if you could find it you need to take out a second mortgage to buy it.

Any advice?

thanks Al

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by tungsten on November 1, 2015 at 5:59am

Wet sand between coats with maybe 320-500 grit then after the last coat work your way up to 1500-2000 then just wax it like you would your car.

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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on November 1, 2015 at 6:37am

Al, I can introduce you to some guys at a local auto paint store that helped me out.

Rick

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Permalink Reply by Al Strom on November 1, 2015 at 8:20am

Thanks Rick, I'll take you up on that

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Permalink Reply by Al Strom on November 1, 2015 at 8:14am

Thanks for your reply tungsten,

I was told not to wax varnish. That didn't make sense to me, I know you can buff a clear coat on a car and wax it, Isn't varnish a clear coat?

I have about 6 coats of varnish on the boat sanded with 320 between coats. The last coat has heavy orange peal. Should I start with 500 and go through the grits and wax.

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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on November 1, 2015 at 9:47am

Al, here's video on getting rid of orange peel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fNtQOcHDHU

Ignore the comedy at the beginning. I have basically all those supplies from 3M. 1000, 2000 grit wet dry paper, buffing compound, pads, waffle pads, buffer, swirl remover compound, final polishing compound etc. Let me know if you want to try it out.

Rick

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Permalink Reply by Gregg Maddock on November 1, 2015 at 2:59pm

What kind of varnish are you using? What type of brush and how are you cleaning it? Did you gently stir the varnish before using it? Starting with thin initial coats cut with thinner and then working up to a final coat with no thinner.

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Permalink Reply by Al Strom on November 1, 2015 at 4:51pm

Thanks for responding Gregg

I think I did most things right. I used Pettit's Captains varnish with their thinner/brush cleaner. I have a can mixer from Rockler, it's very easy to use, I never get bubbles when I use it. As for the brush, I used both foam and badger hair. I clean with captains brush cleaner. I thinned by 10% for the first coats and no thinner for the last coat, that's when I got the runs and sags. I sanded with 320 paper between coats.

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Permalink Reply by Phillip Westendorf on November 1, 2015 at 6:17pm

Al,

Tungsten and Rick have it "right", just one other thing I have found works for me. I use a 1 1 /4 Diameter Mohair Roller (Wooster 4 1/2 x 1/4) to apply the Varnish. If you apply it this way do a two-three sq ft area at a time and while it's still wet tip it with a clean dry 2" wide brush to eliminate the micro surface bubbles. Make sure you continue to keep a wet edge as you move along the boat.

I get the rollers from a local wallpaper and paint supplier. They are two for $5.00. Don't use foam rollers as the varnish's solvents will affect them.

3M Polishing compound (2000) grit does a nice job after the wet sanding when applied with a powered polishing wheel.

When using varnish, don't use it out of the can. Run it through a paper filter into a clean plastic container or roller tray. Never put unused varnish from the container back in the can.

Dorf