EIGHT COATS? Are you looking for excuses to avoid sailing?

Nope, you have to have a base of at least 8 coats of varrnish to make
it worthwhile. Any less, and it's just going to flake off and you'll
be back to bare wood before you know it. Cetol is three, so it's
easier, but you get "the look". Get a copy of "brightwork"(can't
remember the author's name right now)... it's the bible on marine
finishes.

On Mar 6, 10:39 pm, wrote:
Similar to the thread topic, I am wondering what is advised for coating
a wood steering wheel?

I bought this off eBay and it is NOT one of the decorative wheels with
the brass hubs. this has a bronze hub that fits my Edson pedestal and
appears to be mahogany. It's quite weathered and I've stripped all the
remaining varnish off. (There wasn't much left anyway).

I have a sunbrella type cover for wheel/pedestal/compass so this will
not be left out in the elements when not in use.

What would be good coating options? I'm not looking for classic yacht
perfection. In fact I'm willing to trade perfection of finish off in
return for less effort in coating.

So far I have two suggestions:

1) Coat 2x with product from rotdoctor.com then 7-10 coats of varnish.
(the wheel is not rotted. But this fellow says the product is a great
sealer).

2) Use some sort of sealer or filler to even out surface, then coat 3-4x
with West epoxy.

Any thoughts or other ideas welcomed.

(My address is phoney due to spam)

I would recommend Epifanes "rubbed effect" varnish. Looks very nice,
not a high gloss, but has a good grip (since it's a wheel) and
protects well.

"Keith" wrote in message
ps.com...


EIGHT COATS? Are you looking for excuses to avoid sailing?

Nope, you have to have a base of at least 8 coats of varrnish to make
it worthwhile. Any less, and it's just going to flake off and you'll
be back to bare wood before you know it. Cetol is three, so it's
easier, but you get "the look". Get a copy of "brightwork"(can't
remember the author's name right now)... it's the bible on marine
finishes.


Ten or twelve would be better but I settled for eight on my handrails.
Looks very good. It didn't take that much time and handrails were the only
exterior wood on my C&C. My latest boat has a lot more exterior wood (which
I like) so it will be taking up a fair bit of my time initially. Once its
down I expect to only touch it up every once. Should never need to be
stripped.

"Gordon Wedman" wrote in message
news:d1XHh.31243$Du6.18646@edtnps82...

"Keith" wrote in message
ps.com...


EIGHT COATS? Are you looking for excuses to avoid sailing?

Nope, you have to have a base of at least 8 coats of varrnish to make
it worthwhile. Any less, and it's just going to flake off and you'll
be back to bare wood before you know it. Cetol is three, so it's
easier, but you get "the look". Get a copy of "brightwork"(can't
remember the author's name right now)... it's the bible on marine
finishes.


Ten or twelve would be better but I settled for eight on my handrails.
Looks very good. It didn't take that much time and handrails were the
only exterior wood on my C&C. My latest boat has a lot more exterior wood
(which I like) so it will be taking up a fair bit of my time initially.
Once its down I expect to only touch it up every once. Should never need
to be stripped.


We have about a 5 month sailing season here in Green Bay area, so I start
with 6-8 coats of varnish over two coats of Penetrol. Spring prep includes
one topcoat and I'm good til the next season. Over a few years, coats build
up.

On Mar 7, 10:25 am, Charlie Morgan wrote:
On 6 Mar 2007 18:59:57 -0800, "capt.bill11"
wrote:





On Mar 6, 1:24 pm, Charlie Morgan wrote:
On Tue, 6 Mar 2007 10:58:41 -0600, "KLC Lewis"
wrote:

KLC: "Nor does it have to be "scraped and sanded off every
time you want to refresh things." Scuff the surface, clean, apply
varnish topcoat, Bob's your uncle."

Not true. You might get away with that for one extra season (if you
have carefully kept everything covered with that lovely blue canvas -
which you have already told us is necessary for varnish because it
offers very little protection of its own)

Total BS.

I agree, that's why I called him on it!

No, I called it first, on you!




Here are a couple of things you don't know: Clear Varnish may contain
some form of UV protection or stabilization for the_varnish_itself,
but does almost nothing to keep the underlying wood from being damaged
by the sun. That's why you have to strip it all off every few years.
The wood has still taken a beating.

You're back peddling now. First you said : "which is why you have to
scrape and
sand it off every time you want to refresh things."
Now it's every few years.

Are your thought processes really this disjointed? Or are you simply
being intellectually dishonest?

Say that again. Only this time, look in the mirror.




To protect the wood REQUIRES some level of opacity, and the more
opacity, the more protection. That's why you have to cover all your
wood with canvas. I don't cover any of mine. That's because my wood is
protected by the finish. Yours is not.

Canvas are used to prolong the life of the varnish. And extend the
time between recoating. Not so much to protect the wood.

Doesn't matter precisely what the canvas is for.

It does in the context of the discussion we are having. Talk about
intellectually dishonest.


It's needed when
varnish is used, and not needed if you use Cetol.

Canvas will prolong the life of either finish.

On Mar 7, 10:28 am, Charlie Morgan wrote:
On 6 Mar 2007 18:47:58 -0800, "capt.bill11"
wrote:

On Mar 6, 8:03 am, Charlie Morgan wrote:

Then again, real varnish
doesn't do much to protect the wood at all, which is why you have to scrape and
sand it off every time you want to refresh things. That's pretty hard on the
teak, which weathers under the varnish and then gets sanded!

CWM

Based on the above, you have never used varnish. Or at the very least
have no idea how to use it correctly.

According to whom? You? That's a knee-slapper!

No, it's based on your own words in reguards to the subject at hand.

On Mar 8, 11:48 am, "Keith" wrote:
EIGHT COATS? Are you looking for excuses to avoid sailing?

Nope, you have to have a base of at least 8 coats of varrnish to make
it worthwhile. Any less, and it's just going to flake off and you'll
be back to bare wood before you know it. Cetol is three, so it's
easier, but you get "the look". Get a copy of "brightwork"(can't
remember the author's name right now)... it's the bible on marine
finishes.

Cetol lasts much longer at 6 coats. at least here in south Florida.
But since you don't have to sand between all those coats it still
faster to apply than varnish.

And remember Rebecca lives in the PNW as I recll. So take her words
with a grain of salt if you live in the south.

On Tue, 06 Mar 2007 22:39:35 -0600, wrote:

Similar to the thread topic, I am wondering what is advised for coating
a wood steering wheel?

I bought this off eBay and it is NOT one of the decorative wheels with
the brass hubs. this has a bronze hub that fits my Edson pedestal and
appears to be mahogany. It's quite weathered and I've stripped all the
remaining varnish off. (There wasn't much left anyway).

I have a sunbrella type cover for wheel/pedestal/compass so this will
not be left out in the elements when not in use.

What would be good coating options? I'm not looking for classic yacht
perfection. In fact I'm willing to trade perfection of finish off in
return for less effort in coating.

So far I have two suggestions:


1) Coat 2x with product from rotdoctor.com then 7-10 coats of varnish.
(the wheel is not rotted. But this fellow says the product is a great
sealer).


2) Use some sort of sealer or filler to even out surface, then coat 3-4x
with West epoxy.

Any thoughts or other ideas welcomed.

(My address is phoney due to spam)

I have a couple of mahogany wheels. I like them varnished.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK