Glen-L.com

Hi all...
Bob Lemay again, I have a problem with my varnish. I've applied it to various parts inside the squirt, like the control panel, the slat style seat( made up of 40 pieces of 3/4 x3/4 mahogany), and of course the dash. These have all been coated first with 3 coats of west system 105 and 206 fast hardener. These have all been lightly sanded. They were then all cleaned with denatured alcohol on a rag, then tack clothed. I then applied the varnish with a varnish brush, dipping it into the thinner, as I worked , to have it flow on very smoothly. That was one week ago. Today, after many all night , electric heating sessions, on this wood, it is still tacky!! I mean stick to your hands, when you pick it up!! I realize that it doesn't matter if you use the 206 or 207 hardener, but why won't this varnish dry?????????????? How frustrating!!!!! It took a very long time to fabricate the parts that I mentioned, and I thought this would be the easy part. I hope this doesn't happen to the sides and the top. On another note, as the frustration of the varnish made me walk away from it for a while , I coated the bottom of the boat with Supermarine primer and "Ablaze" color top coat. Nothing could have been easier. What great products. Completely dry by the next morning. HELP WITH THE VARNISH PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!
Thank-You Bob Lemay

I am not sure of the process of dipping your brush into the thinner after dipping the brush into the varnish. Personally I have only applied thinned varnish all in one unit enough to make it work okay. at this point I would take a rag with mineral spirits and attempt to clean one slat for now which will be a messy job and see what you actually have, just a bunch of gummy substance probably. But I don't think you have a choice given all the time and attempt to dry the pieces and its still not dry.

How long was the epoxy allowed to cure before you applied the varnish?
To be safe you should wait 2 or 3 weeks depending on the weather.

Rich

I'll try mixing the thinner with the varnish on one test piece. Should I add a little Japan drier? The epoxy has been on for at least one month.... Thanks for the help.
-Bob

Hi Bob,

I cannot post a direct link (automatically goes to home page), but go here then click advice and common problems.
http://www.epifanes.com/home.htm

Throughout the site they recommend that you thin by up to 50% especially on the first couple of coats. Too thick of coats can trap solvents and prevent drying.

_________________
Jeremy

Hope is NOT a plan.