nccamper
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Post by nccamper on May 2, 2020 3:47:13 GMT -8
I think shellac is easier to repair but doesn't hold up well when wet. Poly yellows slightly over time. On boats they use spar urethane because it is not as rigid as poly. That's what I used on our Forester. The downside, it takes a loooooog time to dry. But I like the look. --- I bought a new cordless Dewalt Router to do the counter top on my Airflyte and I love it. Tomorrow I hope to finish repairing fascia board on our house and get back to my project camper.
You are the second person who has recommended spar urethane. Do you by any chance have a photo of the forester that I can see. These photos were taken a month after applying the Spar. To me, there is not as much mirror-like-shine as Polyurethane but very nice. It holds up better than Shellac but it's not as easy to repair if you bang it up. On the upside, it's much harder to bang it up.
It's also a sticky job brushing it on over your head (but it's to easy apply) and it takes a couple of weeks for the smell to fade as it dries much slower than Shellac. If you're experimenting with old wood and have a scrap/hidden piece, try Penofin Bamboo oil. If you call the company they will send you (small) free samples. Since every piece of old wood looks different when stain is applied, experiment before committing to anything.
A word of warning, this stuff penetrates almost anything. Once used, you're committed. It's not like Shellac that can be sanded off. It will go through 1/8" birch, front to back. I tried it over polyurethane and it went through even that.
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ladywendolyn
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Post by ladywendolyn on May 2, 2020 16:07:47 GMT -8
@nncamper love the photos of your finished trailer with the spar urathane Was it a tinted varnish or plain?
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on May 2, 2020 17:00:25 GMT -8
When we were in the yacht maintenance business in Southwest Florida we sometimes used shellac (waxless) to quickly build up a super smooth finish on things like teak handrails. Unlike varnish you can apply many coats of shellac in a few hours when the temp and humidity are OK. Once we'd get the desired finish we'd apply at least 6 coats of spar varnish over the course of a few days, wet sanding in between. It was a real pain and had to be done over and over again. That said, we never had to completely strip off the finish to bare wood. We'd just wet sand the faded surface and apply a few more coats of spar varnish. Fortunately the interior of a trailer is not even close to being subjected to the harshness of intense sun and salt, so after applying the shellac to achieve your desired look, just a coat or two of varnish will protect it from most issues.
The point is that it is possible to get the amber glow using shellac, and also possible to get the durability of spar varnish, which has UV filtering. The two are compatible if done properly.
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WhitneyK
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Post by WhitneyK on May 3, 2020 6:24:37 GMT -8
A word of warning, this stuff penetrates almost anything. Once used, you're committed. It's not like Shellac that can be sanded off. It will go through 1/8" birch, front to back. I tried it over polyurethane and it went through even that.
WOW! Just Wow! That's some penetration!
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Post by danrhodes on May 3, 2020 6:37:38 GMT -8
nccamper ever try to thin the spar and apply it with a foam hot dog roller? Maybe less messy overhead than a brush?
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WhitneyK
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Post by WhitneyK on May 3, 2020 6:47:43 GMT -8
I think shellac is easier to repair but doesn't hold up well when wet. Poly yellows slightly over time. On boats they use spar urethane because it is not as rigid as poly. That's what I used on our Forester. The downside, it takes a loooooog time to dry. But I like the look.
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I bought a new cordless Dewalt Router to do the counter top on my Airflyte and I love it. Tomorrow I hope to finish repairing fascia board on our house and get back to my project camper.
You are the second person who has recommended spar urethane. Do you by any chance have a photo of the forester that I can see. Sorry to derail this thread, but wanted to chime in for Wendolyn. I used Minwax Helmsman spar urethane (satin finish) on my TD, it's held up well for 8 years and 35k + miles. If you'll notice, it "yellows" the light wood (pine plywood & birch?). I kinda like the results. My wall paneling was just the mahogany side of luan (back when they used to make it that way) I built this one on a budget. (only have $1400 in it, so it's differently paid for itself)
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on May 3, 2020 8:38:47 GMT -8
nccamper ever try to thin the spar and apply it with a foam hot dog roller? Maybe less messy overhead than a brush? I should’ve tried what you’re suggesting. It went on well with the brush but what a colossal mess over my head. It’s been 5 years and my hair still has a spar shine.
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I started prep for my Z stripe. Tomorrow I hope to prime and paint.
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ladywendolyn
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Post by ladywendolyn on May 3, 2020 17:08:21 GMT -8
I spent the weekend continuing to strip off the old finish in my trailer. Picture scraping bubblegum off the bottom of chairs for hours... only less fun. The original environmentally friendly stripper was a no-go. I ended up having to buy something more traditional and likely toxic. So I’m wearing a respirator and gloves up to my elbows. Really strong stuff... on a positive note ** I’m totally protected from Covid19 while I’m doing this. 😂 I also bought a new toy this weekend. When I joined this group in 2015 after buying my first $800 non fixable, paint heavy trailer (which I got rid of), little did I know that someday I would find myself with more tools than any guy I know around me.. ... but seriously, I want to use it to cut my floor tiles and a few other finishing projects so hopefully after a few YouTube training videos I’ll be good to go on it!
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on May 4, 2020 8:27:50 GMT -8
Hubby repaired a leak in the water heater yesterday and left for Hamlet this morning to reinstall It. We are both looking forward to a hot shower after a day working in the forest next week.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on May 4, 2020 13:40:53 GMT -8
Ladywenlyn, the Spar I used was untinted.
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Some people have questioned whether I wear a mask and gloves. My wife is sending this out as proof that for once in my life I'm following the rules...sort of following the rules.
10 hours of prep and clean up and one hour of painting.
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ladywendolyn
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Post by ladywendolyn on May 4, 2020 18:07:01 GMT -8
The mess continues as I strip the old varnish off. It’s actually inspiring to see the reveal of the real wood without the years of weird faded chalky varnish. I definitely want to show off the wood grain rather than diminish it as they did when they built it and used the chalky toner. In this photo below you can see the difference between the revealed wood above the window and the old cloudy finish below. It looks almost taupe in color. I also made the decision to replace the veneer in three places in the trailer where the damage was simply too much to deal with. I am fortunate that my birch paneling had grooves cut into it so there is a natural line to cut out the bad veneer and put in the new. Has anyone replaced veneer in their trailer? I’ll take any tips I can get.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on May 5, 2020 5:52:11 GMT -8
The big Z reveal...
Unwrapping the paint job is one of the most rewarding parts of a restoration. Really fun. I used my leftover PPG paint from our 62 Forester but I needed new hardener and primer. Expensive, but amazing paint. I'll use a Hammered Paint (dark gray) on the hitch and rear bumper.
My wife knows how to make things airtight with masking tape. I think all this talk of repairing rotten wood and making a camper safe is overblown. My wife can make a camper rock solid with 6 rolls of tape and a roll or paper!
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on May 5, 2020 18:07:29 GMT -8
nccamper, it never ceases to amaze me that a detail like this adds such a nice touch. It looks great. I never had the courage to try learning spray painting. I'm pretty good with the foam hotdog rollers (as long as you don't mind a little, or a lot of orange peel!) I try to rationalize my lack of perfection by saying things like, "I like to be able to go boondocking in the sticks without worrying about scratching the finish."
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on May 5, 2020 18:44:23 GMT -8
...I never had the courage to try learning spray painting... It's really easier than you think. Even auto paint isn't complicated. Add 4 parts this to 2 parts that. Once mixed you have several hours to spray. Nothing to it.
The big thing about painting is the timing if you're outside. You need 60-80 degrees, not much wind, no pollen, no rain for 24 hours, and you have to pick the day several days in advance because the prep takes 20 times longer than the painting. As you're doing prep you're obsessively checking the weather. My wife hates the build up to paint day. I basically stop talking because I'm so focused.
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on May 5, 2020 19:04:35 GMT -8
My wife's cousin sprayed Awlgrip on yachts in South Florida. One of his most memorable lines when it didn't look like he was doing much was,"I'm waiting for the dew to dry."
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