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Thread: Rub - Varnish Application

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Gardnerville, NV
    Posts
    486

    Default Rub - Varnish Application

    What are you using to apply varnish when
    rubbing on varnish? I read somewhere to
    use a coffee filter but it created a mess
    of lint on the rod. I've been luckiest
    with an all polyester fabric. What's your
    secret for the near glass coat (aside from
    a dipping tube)?
    "I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy nobody but him, and him only that catches more fish than I do." Izaak Walton
    God Bless and Tight Lines ----*<(((>< ~ ~ ~

  2. #2

    Default

    Try a sponge applicator. It won't leave brush marks. Also use more than one coat with very light sanding between coats. Be sure to tack cloth after sanding or steel wooling. Use light coats of varnish. The second or third coat of varnish will look like glass. This method in lieu of dipping.

    Good luck
    Steve

  3. #3

    Default

    Try applying the first few coats with your fingertips.

  4. #4
    Guest

    Default

    Don't know how it would work for refinishing a rod, but when I varnish furniture pieces I use a badger hair brush. They are expensive, but properly cared for, last a long time. They leave a glass like finish with no brush marks.

    REE

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Gardnerville, NV
    Posts
    486

    Default

    I like the idea of using sponge, finger and
    currently do sand lightly in between. Have tried the brush technique with a fine brush but still lines/strokes.
    I recall that DLEO sands (2000 grit?) after application and then gives it a final wax polish (brand?). Have you guys seen some of his work? Amazing.

    ------------------
    God Blesses!
    A wing & a Prayer! ----*<(((><~ ~ ~ ~
    Quinn

    [This message has been edited by Wednesday Caster (edited 15 March 2006).]

    [This message has been edited by Wednesday Caster (edited 15 March 2006).]
    "I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy nobody but him, and him only that catches more fish than I do." Izaak Walton
    God Bless and Tight Lines ----*<(((>< ~ ~ ~

  6. #6
    Guest

    Default

    Don't know about Dleo, but in Wayne Cattanach's book he says he uses a wax he makes up. Here's the formula.

    Wayne's Microwave Rod Wax

    1/8 Ounce Beeswax
    3/4 Ounce Lemon Oil
    1 Plastic 35 mm Film Canister
    1 round wood toothpick

    Place the beeswax and lemon oil in the film canister and nuke on high for 5 minutes until the beeswax is dissolved, Stir after two or three minutes. Stir the mix for one minute then let it cool. Cap the container and keep it with your rods, along with a piece of cotton flannel. Gives the rod a nice luster and a great lemony smell. He says the wax has a consistancy of soft fly floatant.

    I use a similar mixture on wood furniture that I build. Good stuff.

    REE

    [This message has been edited by NoahsBoyz (edited 15 March 2006).]

  7. #7

    Default

    hey guys, I actually built a dip tank because number one, it is so much faster in getting to that glass finish, and #2, its was just too easy. If you are going to hand rub the finish on, you can get a really nice finish with a lot of elbow grease....

    hand rub 2 or 3 good base coats on then buff lightly with steel wool, then reapply until you got see the finish starting to build up with no voids. let it cure several days. It takes varnish a good 30 days to really cure hard enough to work unless you have a drying cabinet. After it is cured...WET sand with 2000 or 2500 grit automotive grade or jewelers grade sandpaper. then use a turtle wax swirl and grind remover compound to get the lustre back, followed by a buffing with 3M's Finesse-it III, and finish it off with either Waynes wax or find some of the TownTalk Orange wax, that stuff is killer....

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Gardnerville, NV
    Posts
    486

    Default

    Noahzboyz,
    I think that rod wax is for regular maintenance of the shine. I am looking for the initial application of the varnish. Thank you still.

    DLeo,
    Thanks again for letting out some professional secrets.
    Quinn

    ------------------
    God Blesses!
    A wing & a Prayer! ----*<(((><~ ~ ~ ~
    Quinn



    [This message has been edited by Wednesday Caster (edited 15 March 2006).]
    "I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do; I envy nobody but him, and him only that catches more fish than I do." Izaak Walton
    God Bless and Tight Lines ----*<(((>< ~ ~ ~

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Bennington Vt USA
    Posts
    168

    Default

    I also use a dip tube, easy and nice finish. But I am now rubbing in a urethane varnish on a pair of cherry burl reel seats. Started w/ 3 coats , one a day, of boiled linseed oil. Then using Minwax gloss 50/50 w/ thinner, I rub on a coat again one a day. Using a clean piece of old t-shirt I lay it on heavy and rub it out thin. 0000 steel wool the next day and repeat. Rub on finishes are by nature THIN coats built up slowly over time. It is the best solution for the cherry burl , since it has numerous tiny pits. By using the rub on method I am able to fill those pits, one tiny layer at a time , and the daily steel wool application prevents a heavy build up of varnish on the rest of the seat. When the last coat is done and the seats are smooth I expect to rub it out w/ rottenstone and oil and wax w/ Butchers.
    AgMD

  10. #10

    Default

    Thanks Quinn, but farrr away from professional. the pro's have it down pat and it's them sharing their secrets on forums like this that help me to improve my skills. The real pros, Ron Kusse, Walt Carpenters, Allen Thramers, Rich Margiotta's, Mike Brooks, Matt Loomis, people like that, are eager to help hobbyists like me and I don't mind sharing what I have learned from them.

    AgMD - do you stabilize your inserts? I got some stuff from Mike Brooks a couple of years ago that is used for impregnating bamboo and I found out that it works GREAT on inserts, jsut takes a while for it to cure. I like the handrubbed appearance of inserts. I got one from Mike McFarland for that glass rod that I just built and it looked like glass. Going to try your hand rubbed method, sounds like a pretty solid process.

    [This message has been edited by dleo6446 (edited 16 March 2006).]

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