Am playing around with some Pratt & Lambert 38 Gloss and so far, like it fine. In all the articles that I’ve read about Make Your Own Wiping Varnish, almost all indicate that the mix should be 50/50 varnish/naphtha or MS. Even cut 10%, the mix seems way too thin to me.
So, on to the questions: Why do I need ANY thinner? It seems to wipe on fine straight from the can.
Why is the thinner added? Is it for a quicker drying time? Wipe-ability?
(BTW, the 38 seems to evoke a much more mellow color to cherry than Waterlox, which seems too yellow for me unless preceded with some cherry DO. I am fast becoming a big fan of the cherry DO as a very light wipe prior to varnish to accent/pop the grain.)
Curious as to responses, and thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Rich in VA
Replies
Rich,
The saying - if it ain't broke, don't fix it comes to mind here. I'm no expert when it comes to finishing though. I too am curious what answers you get here.
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Whether it really wipes on well without thinning may require seeing what it looks like on a test piece. Since I cannot imagine that it would be capable of being wiped on, I may question if you have adequately stirred the can of varnish.'
The idea of a wiping varnish is to apply a layer of finish quickly with a cloth and not really "work" that application. If a spot is missed, you will get it on the next pass. It is a foolproof method to apply a varnish without worrying about brush marks, drips or runs. If you got no "pattern" from wiping the undiluted varnish, I again question if it has been stirred.
Yep, stirred well with a nice piece of oak, all the way to the bottom. Not the first can I've ever opened. I'm not rubbing it in, just on........"Since I cannot imagine that it would be capable of being wiped on..."That is indeed the question that I am asking. Why not?Not trying to be difficult here, just curious. Rich
The "50/50" varnish to mineral spirits is not a hard and fast rule. It is instead a starting point for those who are just getting started. In some cases, one might find that the finish will handle better at either a thinner solution or a thicker solution. The more thin one adds, the thinner the resulting film will be and the more coats that will be needed to build to the desired protection.
Remember too, wiping on a varnish is a technique. It's not just substituting a rag for a brush. It's a technique intended to rub on thin coats that are flat without bubbles or brush marks and that dry fast so subsequent coats can be added quickly and so dust has less time to settle onto a surface.
Pratt & Lambert #38 is a light colored varnish because it is made with an alkyd resin and soya oil. Both these components are very light amber so produce a light amber varnish. Poly resin and linseed oil (the most popular and cheapest varnish components)varnishes are a medium amber while Waterlox Oringinal is made with phenolic resin and tung oil. The phenolic resin is very dark amber and the resulting varnish is quite dark.
Howie,Yep, that makes sense.I've read and saved some of your previous notes on varnishes and they were very helpful in choosing the P&L 38. Compared to Waterlox the color just seems, well, more cherry-ish......... I do like the Waterlox, and haven't yet run into the gelling issues that I've read about. I'll check the samples tonight when I get home and see how they did with the second coat. Very light 320 in between, just to knock off the nubs.Thanks.Rich
Rich,
My humble thoughts on the matter.
When I worked in the petrochemical industry we had an ammonium nitrate plant on the site. Most of the contruction was stainless steel. No the 18-8 that is in everything today but good old 316. If you left any carbon steel tools in the building over night they were worthless.
Build structures like platforms, ladders were fabricated from carbon steel. The trick was to slowly build many thin coats of primer. The first 2-3 coats were sprayed on as 10% paint, 90% thinner. The paint was able to find its way into every little gap and to get a very good bond to the steel. Steel painted this way would resist chemical penetration and considerable physical abuse.
Wood is not that much different, but you have to remember one thing. The nice wood you want to preserve was not designed to be exposed to air, sunlight etc. The minute it is exposed it starts to change even deteriorate.
You want your first 2-3 coats to establish an exceptional bond with the wood. After that you are building resistance to the environment. These subsequent coats will then have an exceptional base to bond to.
I did two teak jobs this year. The first I just prepped the surface and applied the varnish from the can. The second I thinned the varnish to about 30% and applied this 3 times. The difference was very noticeable. The first finish looks like a varnished board with no depth or character. The second finish felt and appeared to be part of the wood with depth.
I will be redoing the first job over the winter as these parts will be in an exposed application - sailboat companionway boards.
I will be watching the performance of theses parts compared to others that my client and others are continually maintaining.
Don
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