Varnish anti-skimming product
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Varnish anti-skimming product
Somewhere I recall mention of a product to put in a can of varnish that prevented it from skimming. With varnish prices approaching those of bottom paint I'd sure like to know what this stuff is. Tried "search" to no avail.
Even though I usually ladle out what I anticipate using into a separate container and discarding the remainder I still get skimming in the sealed can and a general thickening of the remaining varnish. A little Penetrol helps with the thickening but nothing seems to stop the skmming.
Any help will be much appreciated.
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Ford Motor Company Of Canada Specifications
Even though I usually ladle out what I anticipate using into a separate container and discarding the remainder I still get skimming in the sealed can and a general thickening of the remaining varnish. A little Penetrol helps with the thickening but nothing seems to stop the skmming.
Any help will be much appreciated.
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Ford Motor Company Of Canada Specifications
Last edited by Andy Denmark on Feb 13th, '11, 03:48, edited 1 time in total.
- Joe Myerson
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- Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA
Plastic cling wrap
Andy,
I don't use varnish much, except for my dinghy oars. This means that I buy one can and try to keep it for several seasons.
One trick, that I think I learned from this board, is to pour off the varnish I plan to use into a small can (luckily we have a cat, and I save catfood cans for this and for mixing small batches of resin).
Then I take a piece of plastic cling wrap, put it into the varnish can and press it down as close to the surface of the varnish as possible, squeezing out some of the air.
Sometimes this works. At other times the skim clings to the plastic wrap and is therefore easy to remove.
Hope this helps.
--Joe
I don't use varnish much, except for my dinghy oars. This means that I buy one can and try to keep it for several seasons.
One trick, that I think I learned from this board, is to pour off the varnish I plan to use into a small can (luckily we have a cat, and I save catfood cans for this and for mixing small batches of resin).
Then I take a piece of plastic cling wrap, put it into the varnish can and press it down as close to the surface of the varnish as possible, squeezing out some of the air.
Sometimes this works. At other times the skim clings to the plastic wrap and is therefore easy to remove.
Hope this helps.
--Joe
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80
"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
- John Vigor
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A capful of thinner
I've always added a capful of mineral spirits or thinner to a can of varnish or paint before sealing the lid.
The thinner is volatile, and drives out the air and oxygen in the second or two before you get the lid on. I have never had any skinning with this method, and the varnish or paint usually benefits from a little thinning in any case.
Cheers,
John V.
The thinner is volatile, and drives out the air and oxygen in the second or two before you get the lid on. I have never had any skinning with this method, and the varnish or paint usually benefits from a little thinning in any case.
Cheers,
John V.
- tartansailor
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- Location: CD25, Renaissance, Milton, DE
Technique
Adding an "anti-skinning" compound means adding an anti oxidant.
That will only serve to slow down the drying.
We do the same portion wise as others have posted, but we store our varnish & solvent based paint cans upside down.
On opening, the "skin" is on the bottom, and fresh varnish is on top, ready to go.
Dick
That will only serve to slow down the drying.
We do the same portion wise as others have posted, but we store our varnish & solvent based paint cans upside down.
On opening, the "skin" is on the bottom, and fresh varnish is on top, ready to go.
Dick
- Steve Laume
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I have done the propane treatment for years. It works pretty well for oil based finishes.
Anything you can do to keep the air away from the finish will work. Transferring to a smaller container, marbles in the bottom until it fills the can, whatever.
Cracking the lid and adding propane is pretty simple, just don't light the torch, Steve.
Anything you can do to keep the air away from the finish will work. Transferring to a smaller container, marbles in the bottom until it fills the can, whatever.
Cracking the lid and adding propane is pretty simple, just don't light the torch, Steve.
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Thanks everyone
These are all helpful and I'll try the propane trick today. There's a lot of varnishing to do and I'd like not to have the varnish deteriorate before it's all gone.
Somewhere, though, I recollect seeing reference to a product that you simply put into the can before closing it that stopped the skimming. That seems like the simplest method if I can find it.
Thanks for the good tips !
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Ford Del Rey History
Somewhere, though, I recollect seeing reference to a product that you simply put into the can before closing it that stopped the skimming. That seems like the simplest method if I can find it.
Thanks for the good tips !
________
Ford Del Rey History
Last edited by Andy Denmark on Feb 13th, '11, 03:48, edited 1 time in total.
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Paint Can Skimming
Hi Andy,
Here is something that I've been using successfully for years . Different companies make different variations of it and in all size cans.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/c ... ingpal.php
Scroll 3rd item down.
Good luck,
O J
Here is something that I've been using successfully for years . Different companies make different variations of it and in all size cans.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/c ... ingpal.php
Scroll 3rd item down.
Good luck,
O J
"If I rest, I rust"
Voting Member #490
Voting Member #490
Bloxygen Works Well
Andy,
I've been using Bloxygen to preserve my varnish, and it works very well. You can get it here: http://www.bloxygen.com/, or at Amazon.
When my quart cans of varnish get less than half full, I'll pour the varnish into pint cans - and when the pint cans get less than half full, I pour it into half-pint cans. In that way, there's a lot less air in the cans.
I've been using Bloxygen to preserve my varnish, and it works very well. You can get it here: http://www.bloxygen.com/, or at Amazon.
When my quart cans of varnish get less than half full, I'll pour the varnish into pint cans - and when the pint cans get less than half full, I pour it into half-pint cans. In that way, there's a lot less air in the cans.
Jim Evans
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Bloxygen -- that's the stuff I was looking for
Thanks, I'll order some tonight
BTW, I couldn't get your link to work so I Googled it -- same URL as the one you posted but this one worked. Go figure?
Thanks, very much for all the input. Back to sanding .........
________
Buy silver surfer vaporizer
BTW, I couldn't get your link to work so I Googled it -- same URL as the one you posted but this one worked. Go figure?
Thanks, very much for all the input. Back to sanding .........
________
Buy silver surfer vaporizer