Ive spent the last four days sanding, and I'm almost ready to start applying some min-wax helmsman spar urethane. Can I add pigment to it? I suppose i can just do a test...
Tinting urethane?
- Thread starter Boomhauer
- Start date
Do yourself a BIG FAVOR....... Skip the min-wax helmsman :twisted: and get some Captains Spar Varnish. 
I have never ... that is .. NEVER .. had the min wax stuff hold up. All it wants to do it peel away from anything I put it on while the Captains stays where I put it and does the job.
It has taken me 30 years to learn this and at times I still go back to the min wax and shortly after that I hate myself for doing it. I did not say I was smart ... just deperate at times , because of that I have the entire inside of a wood (ribed ) canoe to sand and revarnish............ Not anymore, I have learned my lession ......no way will I ever use that min wax stuff anymore. :twisted:
Chuck.
I have never ... that is .. NEVER .. had the min wax stuff hold up. All it wants to do it peel away from anything I put it on while the Captains stays where I put it and does the job.
It has taken me 30 years to learn this and at times I still go back to the min wax and shortly after that I hate myself for doing it. I did not say I was smart ... just deperate at times , because of that I have the entire inside of a wood (ribed ) canoe to sand and revarnish............ Not anymore, I have learned my lession ......no way will I ever use that min wax stuff anymore. :twisted:
Chuck.
Hmmmm...
Ive been told by a local builder, that the stuff is great.
I bought some yesterday, I guess I can return it... I have to get this boat done as I'm leaving for a two week trip on Thursday. :?
I just went to a paint shop, and they said "no go" on the tinting.
Ive been told by a local builder, that the stuff is great.
I bought some yesterday, I guess I can return it... I have to get this boat done as I'm leaving for a two week trip on Thursday. :?
I just went to a paint shop, and they said "no go" on the tinting.
I think I can get the Z-spar at west marine.
Are there any "tricks" I need to know? How is the UV protection? How quick can I re-coat?
Sorry for all the questions...
Are there any "tricks" I need to know? How is the UV protection? How quick can I re-coat?
Sorry for all the questions...
If I was selling min wax and on a commission I would tell you the same, but as a wood boat builder I can not say that , will not say that , would not say that. It is JUNK.
Use the min wax then when you get back sand all of it off and use something a lot .. LOT BETTER. Personally I would trash it, or take it back and get some Captains Spar Varnish. You might have to find it at a boat yard or marina.
As far as I know (which is not a lot) you cannot add tint to varnish.
If your boat has been glassed ... you can paddle it for some fun before you varnish it.
Actually it is better to do that 30 days after the boat was glassed to let the epoxy totaly cure. Then when you return , sand (lightly) and varnish it. The varnish is a protection against the UV rays from the sun.... A week or so out having some fun will not destroy the epoxy.
Captains has two different ones .... Z spar Captains 30 and Z spar Flagship 45 SPF protection , your choice on which one. I use the Flagship because I am in the land of sun , heat and humidity. ( I think I have the SPF numbers correct)
Re coat is after it gets dry .... about 24 hours.
Chuck
Use the min wax then when you get back sand all of it off and use something a lot .. LOT BETTER. Personally I would trash it, or take it back and get some Captains Spar Varnish. You might have to find it at a boat yard or marina.
As far as I know (which is not a lot) you cannot add tint to varnish.
If your boat has been glassed ... you can paddle it for some fun before you varnish it.
Actually it is better to do that 30 days after the boat was glassed to let the epoxy totaly cure. Then when you return , sand (lightly) and varnish it. The varnish is a protection against the UV rays from the sun.... A week or so out having some fun will not destroy the epoxy.
Captains has two different ones .... Z spar Captains 30 and Z spar Flagship 45 SPF protection , your choice on which one. I use the Flagship because I am in the land of sun , heat and humidity. ( I think I have the SPF numbers correct)
Re coat is after it gets dry .... about 24 hours.
Chuck
ok Thanks for the advise.
The boat has been glassed for a few months, and Ive put about 40k on it.
Its already showing a LOT of fading.. So UV protection is a must before my trip.
get er done!
The boat has been glassed for a few months, and Ive put about 40k on it.
Its already showing a LOT of fading.. So UV protection is a must before my trip.
get er done!
I tried to find the exact SPF between the Captains and the Flagship but it is not on the web or on the cans in the workshop , use to be !!!!!!! I am working from memory on the amount of the SPF for each. The Flagship has more then the Captains does but both work quite well.
The one Pirogue I made before the hurricanes last year was varnished with the Captains inside and outside. When the storms hit I used it as a water collection device, it was full and overflowing, without any damage to the varnish. I figured if it was out of the shop then if it was full of water it would not be blown anywhere by the storm.
The redwood pirogue was varnished with the Flagship and needless to say it still looks like new. Use it for a week, come home and if it is needed a light sanding, some varnish and the scratches are gone.
Two hours for the varnish to dry then recoat in 18 hours ... according to the info on the cans. I hold off for 24 hours... can you see that I am in a RUT.
Chuck.
The one Pirogue I made before the hurricanes last year was varnished with the Captains inside and outside. When the storms hit I used it as a water collection device, it was full and overflowing, without any damage to the varnish. I figured if it was out of the shop then if it was full of water it would not be blown anywhere by the storm.
The redwood pirogue was varnished with the Flagship and needless to say it still looks like new. Use it for a week, come home and if it is needed a light sanding, some varnish and the scratches are gone.
Two hours for the varnish to dry then recoat in 18 hours ... according to the info on the cans. I hold off for 24 hours... can you see that I am in a RUT.
Chuck.
I like Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane (Clear Gloss)
I've had Helmsman on one boat for 6 years and will revarnish this spring.
Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane (Clear Gloss)You can buy this everywhere and the prices run between $4 on sale to $11 a quart, with $7 being about average. (This was in 2000). Shipping would cost that much alone for varnish by mail. Some of the true varnishers using Captains, etc. don’t think Minwax Helmsman give quite the shine and I don’t have anything to compare mine to, but the shine looks pretty good to me. When you add in the availability, cheap cost and quick drying time, made it a compelling buy for me.
Varnishing was a real mystery to me so while I was building my boat I was watching the kayak building bulletin board for tips on varnishing from the different members. I put several of their ideas together that worked for me without having any varnishing experience. I used a MinWax polyurethane varnish that dried in 4 to 6 hours, so I could get a complete coat on in a day, hull and deck, and one day I did two coats with no sanding between coats. I had 7 total coats. I use Rehd’s method of hand wiping, which went on very fast and easy and virtually eliminated runs. About 15 minutes wiping time. I use Bounty paper towels dipped in the varnish which didn’t tear up and leave a residue. I use Rob Mack’s idea of not using above 220 wet grit sandpaper between sandings. That give a mechanical bond to the last layer of varnish and knocked off any high places in the varnish, yet I didn’t spend a lot of time doing needless sanding. The last coat was Rob Mack’s use of a foam brush to get a thicker last coat and then tipped of with that brush to eliminate runs and bubbles. I wore throw-a-way rubber gloves so there was never a mess from the hand wiping of the varnish. This system worked out well for me.
John
I've had Helmsman on one boat for 6 years and will revarnish this spring.
Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane (Clear Gloss)You can buy this everywhere and the prices run between $4 on sale to $11 a quart, with $7 being about average. (This was in 2000). Shipping would cost that much alone for varnish by mail. Some of the true varnishers using Captains, etc. don’t think Minwax Helmsman give quite the shine and I don’t have anything to compare mine to, but the shine looks pretty good to me. When you add in the availability, cheap cost and quick drying time, made it a compelling buy for me.
Varnishing was a real mystery to me so while I was building my boat I was watching the kayak building bulletin board for tips on varnishing from the different members. I put several of their ideas together that worked for me without having any varnishing experience. I used a MinWax polyurethane varnish that dried in 4 to 6 hours, so I could get a complete coat on in a day, hull and deck, and one day I did two coats with no sanding between coats. I had 7 total coats. I use Rehd’s method of hand wiping, which went on very fast and easy and virtually eliminated runs. About 15 minutes wiping time. I use Bounty paper towels dipped in the varnish which didn’t tear up and leave a residue. I use Rob Mack’s idea of not using above 220 wet grit sandpaper between sandings. That give a mechanical bond to the last layer of varnish and knocked off any high places in the varnish, yet I didn’t spend a lot of time doing needless sanding. The last coat was Rob Mack’s use of a foam brush to get a thicker last coat and then tipped of with that brush to eliminate runs and bubbles. I wore throw-a-way rubber gloves so there was never a mess from the hand wiping of the varnish. This system worked out well for me.
John