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Winter Buildoff 2022: Still A Diva
- Thread starter TerribleTim68
- Start date
I use Minwax wipe on poly. I cut 1”x4” strips of old T-shirt and fold it over a bunch as an applicator
Okay, maybe I'll try something other than the foam brush. I've got 3 coats on the whole thing thus far and it's very rough feeling. I need to let this cure for the day (last coat was late last night) and then do some sort of level sanding to de-nib it before applying any more.
I use 400 to take the scruff off. Fold it over several times so that it doesn’t deflect or curve, causing you to dig
Yes it was the Varathane Ultimate water based stuff before I ran out and it became absurdly cost prohibitive in canada. I thinned it with floetrol instead of water as per recommendations on the giant waterbased finishes thread and it worked really well. The saman stuff doesn't play as well with floetrol, so I use water to thin it when spraying. Wiped on I use full thickness as it's curing action is so much different than solvent-based stuff.
So one thing I noticed as I was applying this stuff. I've never done a water-based wipe-on poly before. I've never done an oil based poly either. I've only ever used the 2K in the spray can, but it's rain season here so that's not happening (I have to spray outside, no booth). This stuff went on fine for the first coat, but then you could tell it had sealed the grain some because all subsequent coats have been very...runny? Like, you apply it and it wants to really move. You can tell the wood isn't soaking it in already after that first coat. It's almost uncontrollable if you try to put too much on at a time and wants to just run and drip all over. I have to be very aware of how much I'm applying, and the foam brushes don't help in that regard. I think after I buff off some of the scruffiness I'll try applying with the blue shop towels and see how that goes. I don't know how many coats I want to apply either. I just want to be able to buff it to a high gloss, so my gut tells me I need to build some thickness so I don't just burn through it with the buffer (however I decide to go about that step, still haven't decided). I dunno, we'll see tonight maybe.
You guys who are already done with your entries are stressing me out! You guys who are just now gluing up are stressing me out. Pretty much all you guys are stressing me out!
You guys who are already done with your entries are stressing me out! You guys who are just now gluing up are stressing me out. Pretty much all you guys are stressing me out!
I've never used water based wipe on, but I did refinish a neck with oil based and got it pretty smooth with a satin finish. Basically a bunch of coats (5-6) then flattening with super fine sand paper and then imitation steel wool between the last 5-6 coats. I used blue shop towels and it turned out nice
With the color I would want to be good and sure I had enough coats o' clear on before sanding. I'd start by only very mildly addressing flatness like only sanding bigger runs at first before starting a full flattening regiment between coats.Sweet! Thanks @Reedt2000, that's the kind of info I was looking for!
Lots of thin coats. Thick coats run, drip and cure poorly, none of which you need.
Test your "blue shop towels" on a scrap first to be sure they won't disintegrate and make you swear more. Though I guess Reed had success with them - unless they were same color but different than yours? Test. It can save profanity you might need for something else later.
T-shirts from the rag bag are kinda standard.
And stop stressing. If you make the deadline (still more than a month away) great. If not, what does it really matter? Likewise for other folks. It's a bit of fun, not Deathrace 2000. Stressing, and then rushing because you are stressing, will just make things go wrong and it will go slower. If you walk into the shop and your head isn't screwed on straight, walk right back out until it is. Go do something else. Weld big van-piercing spikes onto your wife's Jeep, say...
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Have I mentioned how badly I want that Renewal Compressor?
Seriously tho, I don't have a compressor and that thing is calling to me late at night like a siren..."Tim! Tim!......Come get me Tim!"
This literally made me
On a good note, she's been feeling much better ever since I snapped those pics of the van. Funny how the mind works.
As others have said, foam brushes are right out! Tend to leave bubbles.
For the water-based stuff, a good Purdy brush works great. But I wouldn't bother with a brush for the Wipe-On Poly (not water-based). Blue shop towels work fine, but you will get fuzz in the finish. Of course, the ubiquitous old t-shirt seems to work very well.
For the water-based stuff, a good Purdy brush works great. But I wouldn't bother with a brush for the Wipe-On Poly (not water-based). Blue shop towels work fine, but you will get fuzz in the finish. Of course, the ubiquitous old t-shirt seems to work very well.
Funny you mention that. I actually own some Purdy brushes from my days as an employee of a painting company. They hired me as an in-house drywall finisher. Union shop and the bylaws stated they couldn't have painters doing drywall work, because that's for the drywall union. So they hired me to skirt the rules. Interestingly enough, in the 18 months I worked there, I never did any drywall. But they did teach me how to do residential/commercial paint and I also spent a ton of money on painting tools that I rarely ever use.
Funny you mention that. I actually own some Purdy brushes from my days as an employee of a painting company. They hired me as an in-house drywall finisher. Union shop and the bylaws stated they couldn't have painters doing drywall work, because that's for the drywall union. So they hired me to skirt the rules. Interestingly enough, in the 18 months I worked there, I never did any drywall. But they did teach me how to do residential/commercial paint and I also spent a ton of money on painting tools that I rarely ever use.
Yup, many moons ago, before I "moved indoors" I did all kinds of construction from framing to roofing, drywall and "hanging itch" as they used to call it. However, the Purdy comes from the art-school-degree-having wife, who uses nothing but!
Likewise, lots of painting tools that I never use...
Edit: I also used to spray finish in a cabinet shop, hence my reluctance to use that stuff now.
I remember when I was buying my first brushes, I asked the guys "What's good?" and they all said "Don't buy anything but the Purdy brushes! They are the only ones that don't leave hairs in your work. All the others, the bristles fall out." Ever since then I've been very anal about paint brushes.
Okay, not being happy with the whole foam brush thing or the hanging it from the ceiling thing, I switched gears. We'll do a coat on the back like this -
And then we'll flip it over for a coat on the front. We're also using a nice Wooster brush. My Puffy brushes are all really big 3" and don't fit in the jar to dip in the poly. Anyway, it already looks like it is leveling better.
And then we'll flip it over for a coat on the front. We're also using a nice Wooster brush. My Puffy brushes are all really big 3" and don't fit in the jar to dip in the poly. Anyway, it already looks like it is leveling better.
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I may just let this chill until tomorrow before I flip it over. As much as I want to put a nice coat on the front, I need to find some restraint here.
I did run some 400 grit over it to smooth out the scruff. I'm hopeful this coat won't really need that. I really hate this part of the build, just because it takes so long and it's kind of tedious.
I did run some 400 grit over it to smooth out the scruff. I'm hopeful this coat won't really need that. I really hate this part of the build, just because it takes so long and it's kind of tedious.
Am I the only one who prefers the back to the front? (Stop sniggering).
I mean, great job on the burst and everything, but that wenge man!
I mean, great job on the burst and everything, but that wenge man!
