ok, so we kind of buggered up the boat by trying to spray the final coat of varnish; needless to say this did not work as well as we had intended it and left many alligator type marks over the whole thing.
so now we are not only faced with the daunting task of sanding it down again to smooth but applying more varnish as well.
my question is how fine is too fine of a grit to use for the final coat(s) of varnish? we have two test areas going, one with 2000 grit and the other at 400 grit, both are acceptable, but the 2k is obviously more smmoooooth than the 400 but is it too fine, will the varnish still stick to the 2k?
2,000 grit is getting into polish levels of finishing and way too fine, if looking to remove imperfections as large as I think you have. 400 is also quite fine, but acceptable. Most folks don't need to go past 220, to produce results they can live with, 280 if you're real picky. These wouldn't be "show" finishes, but most don't have the willingness or skill to take a finish down to these levels. I don't think there's enough "tooth" at 2,000 for good adhesion, to answer you question.
I spray varnish pretty regularly and the only real trick is to work warm and thin it down enough to remove the stippling effect, created by the sprayer. HVLP guns are the way to go of course and most HP guns can be adapted to HVLP use. The amount of thinner is dependant on ambient conditions during that particular spraying session, but you'll get a feel for it after a while.
I have removed small surface imperfections by micro polishing. It's not easy to do (very easy to burn or scratch), but can save redoing a large varnish job if your careful.
Ahoy,
Did I ever misread the title to this posting! I had thought too fine would be a reference to a beautiful ship or maybe a gorgeous woman. Maybe in some convoluted and legal sense, the posting may yet apply to things nautical, but I rather think I've been had again.
Sandpaper, we're talking sandpaper and true grit. Paul Riccelli offers some good advice, some very practical advice, but Bill, let me offer a suggestion or two as well.
As fine as frog hair, that's what you want that boat to look like. After all, that particular boat is more amphibian than fish. By that I mean even the photo shows her on dry land. Fine as frog hair must be the standard.
. . . and as water tight as a frog's butt . . . .
we have sanded the entire boat down with 120-150, then hit it with the 220 and then 400. so all of the prior goofups are GONE. we are going to apply the varnish with a bager hair brush; we threw the ones i had gotten from Ace Hardware away (we tested with the bager hair and the varnish went on much better). after a few coats with sanding with 400 we are going to sand with 2000 and apply a final coat. as mentioned before we tested on an area of the boat had had NO problems with adhesion, also it was fun to watch, the varnish appeared to be spotty, but a second brush stroke and it VANISHED, leaving a very nice smooth finish which i think we will be very happy with. i just hope that the spots where the varnish was sanded to differnt levels will disappear as well; i don't think they will but it will still look great.
Bill are you wet sanding with the 2k? If not you should be.
i can't wait to see it....be there SATURDAY MORNING - don't forget to pick me up from the airport BILLY
a.
how could i forget to pick you up. i love picking you up with such cheesy lines like "
hey baby" and the likes.
i will be at the airport at 9:20, don't dress nice
I'll see you both at Bruce's a bit after 10! I never dress nice. 8)
GREAT ! Can't wait to see you again Craig! And I hear Barnacle Jim will be there toOOo!!
can't wait!
a.