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Author Topic:   Removing Dust Nibs from Varnish Finish Coat

OldKenT posted 04-01-2015 03:50 PM ET (US)
After sanding, sealing, and varnishing all of the mahogany on my 1988 SUPER SPORT 13 should I try to remove the dust nibs that inevitably find their way to the final coat of wet varnish? When building furniture, I use pumice and then rottenstone with rubbing oil to remove dust nibs and to bring the finish to a very silky smooth high gloss, but this is my first effort at refinishing mahogany on a boat, and it seems counter-intuitive to me to try to do that to thwart seats and the console. Yet, I have read at other sites that some use Finesse-it (which I used to clean up the hull) or other products to clean up the final varnish coat. Doesn't seem quite right to me. Am I missing something here? I think I have read every reference article and posting on this web site without finding an answer to this question.
jimh posted 04-02-2015 09:42 AM ET (US)
I don't think you are missing anything. Here is why: generally the purpose of applying varnish to a wooden seat on a small, open, 13-foot boat is not to create a finish that is comparable to fine furniture or art objects, but, rather, to just protect the wood from intrusion of water and UV-radiation. There are some advocates of dressing up the wood on a Boston Whaler boat to rather high standards of finish, as might be found on interior woodwork on a fine yacht or on the top of a piece of fine furniture, but I, personally, would not obsess about the level of finish on a thwart seat. You'll have just as much fun on the water with your 13-foot Boston Whaler with a few, small imperfections in the varnish on the seats, and perhaps even more fun than if they were perfect, since you won't have to worry all the time about ruining their perfection.
tedious posted 04-02-2015 10:25 AM ET (US)
Ken, no reason to agonize about the decision - it's a personal choice. If you want to put the time into achieving that perfect finish, go for it! If you'd prefer to spend more time on the water, and less time finishing, that's cool too. Rubbing down the finish is certainly not going to do any harm, or reduce the durability.
I did not go to the trouble of rubbing the varnish finish on my SuperSport 15, mostly because I don't know how. I concentrated on getting a nice buildup and gloss, with no obvious flaws. I get lots of compliments, and the finish has held up well.
If I had your skills, I might well take the time to get that perfect finish - something to be proud of! But it's totally up to you - your boat, your choice.
Tim
OldKenT posted 04-02-2015 11:51 AM ET (US)
Thanks greatly to you both for your input. Your voices of experience have reassured me.
BTW, I used Pettit EZ Wood Sealer for the first two coats, and like it a lot. It basically is a pre-thinned version of their Flagship 2015, which I used for the final coats. It provides a very nice base for the varnish. On furniture, I just thin the first few coats of varnish, as many others here have suggested, but I called Pettit tech service to ask the difference between these two approaches, and was told that either way would get to the same result. After using the sealer, I agree.
tedious posted 04-02-2015 02:48 PM ET (US)
Ken, I used Flagship on my wood, thinned for the first couple of coats. I also found that it was really thickening up as I got to the end of the job and the bottom of the gallon, and I was having trouble getting it to lay down flat, so I thinned the very last coat slightly as well.
Tim
OldKenT posted 04-03-2015 08:18 AM ET (US)
Tim,
I agree that thinning is always a good option with varnish, and necessary in warm weather. Lots of thin coats are much better than a few thick ones with varnish because, unlike lacquer and shellac, the separate coats of varnish lay on top of one another and do not form one bonded coat of finish if you allow each coat to dry fully before applying the next. Thanks again for the reply.
Ken

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Author	Topic: Removing Dust Nibs from Varnish Finish Coat
OldKenT	posted 04-01-2015 03:50 PM ET (US) After sanding, sealing, and varnishing all of the mahogany on my 1988 SUPER SPORT 13 should I try to remove the dust nibs that inevitably find their way to the final coat of wet varnish? When building furniture, I use pumice and then rottenstone with rubbing oil to remove dust nibs and to bring the finish to a very silky smooth high gloss, but this is my first effort at refinishing mahogany on a boat, and it seems counter-intuitive to me to try to do that to thwart seats and the console. Yet, I have read at other sites that some use Finesse-it (which I used to clean up the hull) or other products to clean up the final varnish coat. Doesn't seem quite right to me. Am I missing something here? I think I have read every reference article and posting on this web site without finding an answer to this question.
jimh	posted 04-02-2015 09:42 AM ET (US) I don't think you are missing anything. Here is why: generally the purpose of applying varnish to a wooden seat on a small, open, 13-foot boat is not to create a finish that is comparable to fine furniture or art objects, but, rather, to just protect the wood from intrusion of water and UV-radiation. There are some advocates of dressing up the wood on a Boston Whaler boat to rather high standards of finish, as might be found on interior woodwork on a fine yacht or on the top of a piece of fine furniture, but I, personally, would not obsess about the level of finish on a thwart seat. You'll have just as much fun on the water with your 13-foot Boston Whaler with a few, small imperfections in the varnish on the seats, and perhaps even more fun than if they were perfect, since you won't have to worry all the time about ruining their perfection.
tedious	posted 04-02-2015 10:25 AM ET (US) Ken, no reason to agonize about the decision - it's a personal choice. If you want to put the time into achieving that perfect finish, go for it! If you'd prefer to spend more time on the water, and less time finishing, that's cool too. Rubbing down the finish is certainly not going to do any harm, or reduce the durability. I did not go to the trouble of rubbing the varnish finish on my SuperSport 15, mostly because I don't know how. I concentrated on getting a nice buildup and gloss, with no obvious flaws. I get lots of compliments, and the finish has held up well. If I had your skills, I might well take the time to get that perfect finish - something to be proud of! But it's totally up to you - your boat, your choice. Tim
OldKenT	posted 04-02-2015 11:51 AM ET (US) Thanks greatly to you both for your input. Your voices of experience have reassured me. BTW, I used Pettit EZ Wood Sealer for the first two coats, and like it a lot. It basically is a pre-thinned version of their Flagship 2015, which I used for the final coats. It provides a very nice base for the varnish. On furniture, I just thin the first few coats of varnish, as many others here have suggested, but I called Pettit tech service to ask the difference between these two approaches, and was told that either way would get to the same result. After using the sealer, I agree.
tedious	posted 04-02-2015 02:48 PM ET (US) Ken, I used Flagship on my wood, thinned for the first couple of coats. I also found that it was really thickening up as I got to the end of the job and the bottom of the gallon, and I was having trouble getting it to lay down flat, so I thinned the very last coat slightly as well. Tim
OldKenT	posted 04-03-2015 08:18 AM ET (US) Tim, I agree that thinning is always a good option with varnish, and necessary in warm weather. Lots of thin coats are much better than a few thick ones with varnish because, unlike lacquer and shellac, the separate coats of varnish lay on top of one another and do not form one bonded coat of finish if you allow each coat to dry fully before applying the next. Thanks again for the reply. Ken