CONTINUOUSWAVE

Taking advantage of the Corona virus lockdown and getting the varnishing done.

2 more coats of foam brush applied Epifanes (sanded 320 between coats) followed by 2 coats of sprayed urethane clear with a 10 min flash dry between coats. Clear is about 1 mil per coat and really brings out the gloss and smoothness. I'm debating whether I should buff as well.









It's ready to install and my son will assist.

D-

Seriously, Mackey.

Between you and Bob, you are killing it!!

We are not worthy.

Phil T wrote:Between you and Bob,

He's buying paint this week. I may drive up there and shoot the primer for him and then he will roll and tip the topcoat.

D-

I'm currently restoring my wood parts. How much dry time are you allowing for the Epifanes before you sand?
And how much are you thinning the Epifanes for the foam brush app?

L78steve wrote:I'm currently restoring my wood parts. How much dry time are you allowing for the Epifanes before you sand?
And how much are you thinning the Epifanes for the foam brush app?

first coat was thinned about 30% and I don't use the same thinner they recommend, instead I use an reducer from automotive paints that speeds up the dry time, but still always wait 24 hours between coats. First coat was pretty thin, all subsiquent coats were thinner 10 - 15%. When dry, a sanding of 320 gritt was performed and the next coat laid down.

A good trick is to place the foam brush in a ziplock back and place in the freezer when you finish. If the foam brush is a quality unit, you can get 3 coats of varnish from the same foam brush before tossing and starting with a fresh one. They don't actually freeze and the cold prevents the varnish from drying and one in use again then soften right up in a few mins.

D-

Thank you for the advice. I have been waiting several days between coats due to slow drying and not being able to sand while sticky.

L78steve wrote:Thank you for the advise. I have been waiting several days between coats due to slow drying and not being able to sand while sticky.

Sorry Steve, I omitted one small factor that affects my dry time. My garage is heated and I keep it at 75 degrees which gives me a 24 hour re-coat time window.

D-

ASIDE on heated garage: our house used to have a heated garage, although the garage was not really insulated at all. The heating cost was excessive, but in a Michigan winter, the heated garage was also a problem for older car engines, day c.1970. If you started the car on a cold winter morning in the warm garage, once you backed out of the garage and into the 10-degree-F outside ambient, the car would stall and be hard to restart until the automatic choke re-adjusted to the sudden temperature change.

But I get the impression your heated garage is more of a boat workshop than a place to park automobiles.

COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC: what is planned for the old mailbox? Conversion to a center console on an aluminum skiff?

jimh wrote:ASIDE on heated garage: our house used to have a heated garage, although the garage was not really insulated at all. The heating cost was excessive, but in a Michigan winter, the heated garage was also a problem for older car engines, say c.1970. If you started the car on a cold winter morning in the warm garage, once you backed out of the garage and into the 10-degree-F outside ambient, the car would stall and be hard to restart until the automatic choke re-adjusted to the sudden temperature change.

But I get the impression your heated garage is more of a boat workshop than a place to park automobiles.

COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC: what is planned for the old mailbox? Conversion to a center console on an aluminum skiff?

Hi Jim - garage is insulated R19 and the worst part was the insulated garage doors. When the wind blew, you would see daylight as the door would pull away from its weather seal on the outside. I tried everything to adjust and it was better, but not ideal. The game changer was a kit I installed on each door where the door track has bowed out areas where each door wheel guide travels and it pushed the door tight against the seal and also includes another seal they provide. Now the wind can flow as much as it wants and there is zero daylight through the deal. Even on the coldest days, you can hold your hand by the door and not feel the cold coming in. I can't recommend this product enough.

https://thermotraks.com/

The garage does serve as my playroom for getting projects done, but one stall is made available for my wife during the months of frost and snow. This keeps the peace at home.

The mailbox is a volunteer project for the Sandown NH Fire Dept and I'm refinishing this in Red, White and Blue and they will place in front of the firehouse for retired American flag disposal. Once they collect enough flags, they will have a flag-burning ceremony with the local Boy Scout troop. I'm spraying with Alexseal at no cost since I have a relationship with that Fire Dept through a family member. The best part is the local boatyard shut down there paint operation and gave me about 20 gallons of various Alexseal colors, so it's not costing me anything but time.

D-

The mailbox for flags to be disposed is a very nice idea. I recently replaced the wind-tattered flag that flew for many years on the stern staff of my boat. I know old flags not supposed to be thrown into the garbage for reasons of flag etiquette and respecct . Maybe your local project could expand to nationwide coverage.

Most American legions and VFW's have flag disposal at their posts. Most you have to go inside and ask. I am the local go-to guy for flags. Hardest part is keeping people for mistaking it from a garbage can even though it clearly says flag disposal.

Actually, the flag disposal at Fire Depts is already widespread, maybe not in your local region, but I've looked at hundreds of designs and think I'm going to come up with my own.



Speaking more of flags and opening up on a little history, here's a few pics from when I lived on Iwo Jim in 89-90 while stations at the USCG Pacific Loran-C station 9970. We were the master station for the largest geographic coverage areas. In our off time over the year of isolated duty, we'd explored the island history and WWII artifacts.


Here is the American Memorial on Mt Surabachi that resides next to the Japanese Memorials.


This is the memorial in front of the exact point the flag was planted. I'm happy to say it's still there, despite the volcanic ground movement and erosion. I see that the USCG station and transmitter has been consumed by the jungle since its closure in 1994.


This was a sandstone carving made by one of the US service members that was part of the occupation of the island after the war.


One of my departing gives from my duty was an offical US flag that was certified to have flown over the White House and on Mt Surbachi Iwo Jima.

D-