On 23-Aug-14 11:03 AM, Daniel Rich wrote: Daniel, I haven't tried the heat gun approach to removing old varnish. When I refinished my teak, I just removed it with my scraper, by now I'm skilled in its use. If the heat gun loosens it up faster, and in larger quantities, that would be the way to go. My scraper method is labor intensive, but when you have all winter to "play" with your boat, do you really count the hours spent on the project? When I started stripping the coat of latex house paint from my derelict ComPac 16, MURPHY was looking over my shoulder and grinning. The first square foot of latex paint peeled off very easily. I thought this will be easy.... The rest was welded in place and could only be removed, very laboriously, square inch by square inch. MURPHY won again! Enjoy your job. When you are finished and it all gleams again you can puff out your chest and say, "that's my refinishing work". Connie
OK, helpful. Now with your method, you simply scrape as the first step without stripping or heat gun?
D On Aug 23, 2014, at 8:19 AM, Conbert Benneck <chbenneck@gmail.com> wrote:
On 22-Aug-14 5:40 PM, Daniel Rich wrote: Hi Daniel,
It works fine on the tops and sides of handrails.
The problem is getting at the undersides and the inside curved ends of the handrail.
I have various other "scraping" tools that I use to reach those parts and locations - and if you don't have such tools, then you'll have to revert to using sandpaper for that 5% of the handrail. The scraper does the other 95% easily.
The teak toe rail is easy to do. It has flat surfaces on the outer and on the inner sides that you can reach easily with a rectangular scraper.
Connie
That looks interesting. Now the wood I am talking about is the toe rails and hand rails. These are small long pieces of wood with various curves. Would a scraper work well for that?
D On Aug 22, 2014, at 3:36 PM, Conbert Benneck <chbenneck@gmail.com> wrote:
On 22-Aug-14 5:08 PM, Daniel Rich wrote: Hi Daniel,
Wood workers /cabinet makers use a rectangular (curved ones for rounded things are also available) scraper for finishing the surfaces of their work. (See Rockler or Lee Valley Tools for scrapers)
A rectangular scraper is a high precision cutting tool, and can be used instead of sandpaper. The sharp edge makes a clean cut (by decreasing the pressure you exert on the scraper you can take off minute wood shavings) and you can see and feel the wood surface to check on what you are doing..
The main trick to using one is to create, and maintain, a proper cutting edge. When the cutting edge starts to get dull, you put it in a vice, give the edge (s) a few strokes with a fine mill file; then use a hard rod ( smooth end of a drill bit) to turn a very slight burr on the edges. That is then your new cutting edge.
See FINE WOODWORKING magazine's website for sharpening "How To videos..."
The scraper is easier to use than sandpaper. It doesn't create dust that has to be carefully removed before you can put on a coat of varnish, just very fine shavings (which are a function of the sharpness of your cutting edges) and leaves no residue on the surface.
I have used them for years to redo teak work on my boats.
Connie
Man, I love this list. Always helpful guys.
OK, so with the heat gun I just carefully heat the old finish and scrape, and it should come up? Then, the oxalic acid, do I make a mixture or slurry of some kind? When sanding with 120, given the curves etc. do I just tear off a piece and use my hands? Or do I use a block of some kind to hold the paper? I am really a noviceÂ…
Daniel On Aug 22, 2014, at 3:05 PM, Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
word of warning when using oxalic acid ... it _will_ remove galvanizing from a trailer. use lots of water as if you allow the acid to sit for long it can also damage gel coat.
go to a hardware store to get oxalic in powder form as it is inexpensive. the 'teak cleaners and brighteners' you see at West Marine (or similar store) are just overpriced oxalic acid. i have small box of dry oxalic ... maybe 8 oz ... it is still 1/4 full after about four years of use.
always clean the wood using a pad AGAINST the grain. a toothbush really helps to get into the tight corners. if you go with the grain you remove all the softer wood leaving the hard grain 'standing up'.
i've done a lot of work on teak. my family boathen growing up was a Cheoy Lee ... a boat 'infested' with teak.
-- :: Dave Scobie :: former M15 owner - www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - www.m17-375.webs.com
On Fri, Aug 22, 2014 at 3:56 PM, Wilson Frye <fryewe@me.com> wrote:
> Hot air gun and plastic scraper to remove the old finish. Bleach out the > wood with oxalic acid and then neutralize with baking soda solutionÂ…use > Scotchbrite pad as needed to clean the deeper grain. Sand with 120 grit. > Finish with the finish of your choiceÂ… > > On Aug 22, 2014, at 4:36 PM, Daniel Rich <danielgrich@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Montypals: >> >> My teak brightwork is looking rather sorry on my M15. I think it had > some kind of cetol coating on it. In any event it is quite weathered. I > would like to clean it up and finish it if possible. DoesnÂ’t need to look > showroom great, but some help here. >> So, what is the process? Do I chemical clean it first somehow? And then > regarding sanding it, I assume I mask the areas off and hand sand somehow? > What is the process there, and what kind of sand paper? Finally, when > properly prepped, what would be a simple coating to paint on there? I have > never done anything like this before. >> By the way, recent short blog post in Kestrel at my usual place. New > sails though! > http://danielsailingandcycling.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/sailing-in-my-favori... >> Daniel Rich >> M15 #208 "Kestrel" >> danielgrich@gmail.com