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About Greg Scholl
Expertise
Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects,Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings,wood species recognition,usage,etc.

Experience
Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Sold, built, serviced, setup Home,Industrial and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools, and offered instruction on use and care as well.I even have some Trade show Demo experience.

Organizations
none at this time.

Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how"), local newspapers as well

Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars by Major tool manufacturers, Delta, Powermatic, Performax, Porter Cable, Skil/Bosch to name a few.

Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT.(the Antiques capital of CT.)
Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.), local Museums and Historical Societies.

You are here: Experts > Hobbies > Woodworking > Woodworking > Trouble applying Marine Spar Varnish

Woodworking - Trouble applying Marine Spar Varnish

Expert: Greg Scholl - 11/8/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi. I have been applying many coats of varnish to different types of wood. I sand between coats and use a tack cloth. Most of the time I have the annoying dust particles but my question is: Why does the varnish, when applying with a high quality brush, only twice now bead up like it is being repelled by the wood. It is so weird. I am doing everything exactly the same each time. Use mineral spirits for the brushes and to thin the varnish a little. Work only in clean mild conditions. Could it be the tack cloth leaving a film on the wood? It happened today on four different pieces of wood and this was their third coat I was applying. I even brought out a brand new brush and poured a new batch of varnish in a dust free paint holder, and it still beaded up.I hope I gave all the details clearly.
Thank you in advance,
Rich

ANSWER: Hey Rich, was this bare, unfinished wood? Did you stir the varnish really well before decanting it? Is this new varnish? A tack cloth shouldn't have any effect...they're designed not to contaminate a surface...

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Greg..thank you for fast reply...Not bare wood...It was the third coat with sanding between coats. Stirred Varnish very well without causing bubbles. Varnish was used the day before with no problem..The best analogy I can give of the symptom is if you put water on an oil spot on the driveway, it beads up..It's not that extreme but it is enough to be able to see it happening. I am doing everything the same way each time.

Answer
But did you start with a clean bare surface, what I'm trying to get at is if there was any old finish, wax, oil, grease, etc. under your varnish,because what you're describing sounds like reticulation due to wax or silicone contamination.This can come up from under a finish when the solvents in the wet film hit the contamination.......what product is this and how old is it?

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