Varnish Bubbles

[Boatsb]

I usually have issues with it not flowing. That's counter intuitive.

[SEVEN]

I usually have issues with it not flowing. That's counter intuitive.

With heat it goes on so smooth, self levels, no brush strokes, no bubbles etc

[jrbrein]

With heat it goes on so smooth, self levels, no brush strokes, no bubbles etc

Seven,

How are you heating your varnish?


Jon

[SEVEN]

I pour a few ounces of varnish into a plastic bowl and pop it in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds or until it’s really warm to the touch. I repeat this every 5 minutes as the varnish cools. You will notice when you scrape the excess varnish from your brush it melts back into the rest of the varnish with no bubbles. No need for a second container to drag the excess off. No need to thin your varnish either. The way I did it fifty years ago before the invention of the microwave was to fill an old metal pot 1/2 full with water and place it on a portable electric burner and bring the water to a boil. I then placed a 1/2 filled quart of varnish in the pot and turned the burner to low. This way the varnish once warm stayed warm for the hole job. It becomes a double broiler per say. Microwave is just quicker but takes a number of re- heats to complete the job. Good luck. 🍀

[Tinman]

Back when i was doing varnish work we would mix Penetrol with oil based varnish and paints to flow and self level better.

[SEVEN]

Ah the memories. Now we can’t even buy that product in California. It did work well but took a little of the shine off the gloss.

[bobk]

Are microwave ovens ignition protected? Myself, I'd use Cetol. It outlasts regular varnish many fold.

Bobk

[Tinman]

Penetrol does tone down the gloss, gives more working time for laps on large areas. You can also use it by itself on interior wood and dries to a satin finish. Good stuff.

[SKYCHENEY]

My dock neighbor puts penetrol on his non-skid deck on his Viking