Varnish application Roll on tip off

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Ed Houston
Posts: 56
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2004 7:13 am
Location: Seabrook TX just south of Houston

Varnish application Roll on tip off

Post by Ed Houston »

Hi All

Some time ago I re-painted my 26' sail boat and used a technique called roll on tip off, I wanted to try this technique on my Propsector Ranger for the varnish, well I am happy to report the results are as outstanding as they were on my Pearson sail boat.

I read about this technique in a book (wish I could remember the auther) Fine finnishes, I think was the name of the book.

Essentialy using the finest finnish foam roller available you roll on the varnish/paint in a cross hatch fashion working about four to six feet at a time, then with a dry brush bearly touching the surface you brush in long horizontal strokes, the brush knocks any bubbles and roller marks out and leaves the most amazing finnish.

Ed
Dave G
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 8:17 pm

Post by Dave G »

Ed

Your technique is a very good way for applying varnish!

I found some very small foam rollers, about 1 1/4 " x 4" that take a veryspecic handle. They were just at a home improvement store but they work very well, and are cheap enough to toss at a regular interval. One thing to watch out for though on brushes. Make sure the bristles are set in epoxy. The marine finishes are so sticky that they will pull the bristles out of a typical house painting brush. I paid $ 40.00 for my last one and it was still JUNK. I even flicked the bristles before using it for 45-60 min just to throw off any loose ones, and still averaged a dozen or so in evey coat. Rolling on and tipping off solves some of the problem because the brush isn't actually applying the finish. Just try not to overbrush or you will lose some of the gloss. Also can use a foam brush to tip off, just go slower to control any bubbles from the brush itself.

Dave G
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Bryan Hansel
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Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Grand Marais, MN
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Post by Bryan Hansel »

I tried this on my last kayak and I'm sold on this technique now. I don't know why I never did it before.
Oshan OkaPini
Posts: 19
Joined: Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:57 am
Location: Jackson, Mississippi

The Varnishing

Post by Oshan OkaPini »

I put the final (3rd) re-coat of varnish on my Freedom 17 last weekend using the roller technique. I used the roller/foam brush tip off on the second coat and found that many bubbles remained in the surface while the varnish was beginning to set-up making tip off very difficult. The temps that day were in the mid 80s and was probably a major factor. I resanded and rerolled, this time thinning the varnish with paint thinner per the manufacturers recommendations. Temps were in the mid 70s with 70% humidity to slow the drying time even more. The varnish went on very smoothly and this time I got that glass-like surface that makes us canoe builders smile and go ooooh.

Great technique when finally done right. :smile

Norman in MS
Right now, there is no cure.
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