Check out my brightwork

[lumberdude]

Now please be kind, cuz I'm kinda proud of how it's turning out.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid28/ped205f340077f44f62bb13773e779f23/fe04ef2d.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid28/p395ec0b50aa46a2d001d3a072a133e58/fe04ef25.jpg

[HizzenanHern]

Wow!

(Took another look at the close-up shot of the crack -- any problem with that streak of darker wood along the bottom?)

[dasboat]

Beautiful work Dude.She is a dandy!

[whb]

Outstanding

What did you end up using for the finish. Is there epoxy underneath.

Howard

[lumberdude]

I went "old school" and just used straight valspar marine spar varnish. Didn't thin the first coat or anything. I checked on the directions on the can and they didn't recommend thinning, so I didn't.

[Concordia41]

Congrats on a job well done! (You know it's good when you can see your reflection in the picture...)

[Roger Stouff]

Wow.

No, what I really mean is...wow!

Like, WOW.

Excellent work, Lumberdude. I only hope mine comes out have as good! http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

Wow...

Regards from the Rez,
RS

[NormMessinger]

My My!!
or as Nero Wolf would say, "Satisfactory, Archie"

--N http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif R M

[lumberdude]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I owe most of it to all you people anyway, seeing that I never opened a can of spar varnish before this, and everything I am learning is coming from this forum.

Some would say I'm in trouble, but I haven't been let down yet! http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

[Chadd Hamilton]

Dude, your brightwork looks fabulous! You are making some very good gains on this project and I'm looking forward to seeing her fishished. Great job.

Chadd

[nedL]

Looks fantastic! Good to hear you went "old school" - I think you may be glad at some time in the future, if you own her long enough.
Seems like you have lots of advise on the "transom crack", but I will add my .002. You migh just leave it as it is for now. You may be suprised & see that it disappears when she is dropped in the water & soaks up a bit.
Any thoughts on remote steering?




[This message has been edited by nedL (edited 01-07-2002).]

[Tim B]

Lovely, just lovely!

Sounds like you have got alot of good advise about the crack on the transom. Relax, take afew deep breathes. I've had the same reaction when i've found cracks in 'Make way' also. They close up quickly once the humidity increases.

-tim

[ken mcclure]

"Kind of proud?" Just "KIND OF PROUD?"

You should be a LOT of proud!

Great job!

Ken

[Ed Harrow]

"Poppie" and Uncle Dick would sure be happy if they turned out something like that. Me too!

[dasboat]

YOU are in trouble!
Think this is your first and you will enjoy it for a long time before another do you??Heh Heh Heh.

[abe]

lumberdude, you have every right to be proud of your work. Now don't get it too good or you will be afraid to launch it!

[Scott Rosen]

Okay. Enough of this love-fest. Lumberdude, your work is good so far, for a couple of sealer coats, anyway. Another five to eight coats and it might look pretty good. Just try to be more careful when you apply the build and finish coats, especially the inside of the transom, which will need a real good fairing. And don't forget to go back over the spot you missed just aft of station 5.

http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/wink.gif

[Scott Rosen]

Seriously,

The deckwork is outstanding. Looks as good as any professional job I've seen.

I can't tell how the interior looks because of the camera angle.

The transom, unless the camera is playing tricks, still needs some smoothing, as you can see the highs and lows caused by the contour of the wood grain. Getting a perfectly flat surface on flat-sawn lumber can take a lot of work and a lot of coats to get enough build. If you like the grain countours to show, then ignore this paragraph.

I say this assuming that you want kudos AND constructive criticism. If you don't want the criticism part, then email me and I'll delete this post.

Actually, I'm just envious that you get to spend the winter playing with your boat, while I have to spend it working on my house. God, I hate working on things with corners and right angles. http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

[lumberdude]

Man, *sniff,sniff* you guys (and/or gals), are the greatest...

I'm gonna save this post as one of my favorite birthday presents!

33 down, hopefully, god willin, many many more to go!!

Thanks again all!

Scott, I agree with you on the transom. That darn white oak is a bear to sand!! And it's not as fun to varnish as the deck. But I have alot of time and over 3/4 of a gallon left of varnish, and I'm using it all on this boat!(maybe)

[Greg Reiman]

Hi Lumberdude:

Your boat looks great!

Since my project is very similar to yours and I have never done this before, I need to learn from your experience and ask you all the pertinent questions;

Did you slather her with CPES before varnishing, if so did you sand again before varnishing? How much sanding did you have to do between coats? How many coats of varnish did you put on her? What else did you learn that I should know before I start varnishing my boat?

Actually, I have stored my boat in a friend's barn for the winter (sorry I never took any photos before putting her away). So I won't be doing any of the finishing work until it warms up this spring.

There have been a few Saturdays since storing that I have felt all out of sorts without having the boat to work on, it is a weird edgy feeling and doing other jobs around the house just doesn't seem to help. Is this some kind of wooden boat withdrawal craving? Anyone else ever experience this?

Greg Reiman

[jeff pierce]

Great work. Perhaps just as important, it sounds like your enjoying the process.

Ya think you'll have an opening in the "dust free varnishing room", say about June? Mark me down for 2 weeks http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/biggrin.gif

[lumberdude]

Greg, I read a bunch about CPES before going forward, and I am pretty sure it is a good product for alot of applications, but in my case, I opted not to use it for two reasons: first, I'm broke and the extra cost would have pushed back my project by months, and second, there is no rot or signs of rot anywhere on my boat. It's made up of mostly cedar, that is very rot resistant on its own.

I did a great deal of prep work, sanded every surface, including between all the frame members. Then I just started applying the varnish. After, of course, building my little varnish booth. Honestly, I think that is one of the best investments so far. There is very little dust in there, and what does find it's way to the varnish, is extremely small and hard to see even from a few inches. Besides, a wise forumite once posted, that you shouldn't view varnish from less than 3 feet.

I have been very tempted not to sand between every coat, but the fear of sitting on the lake with the sun beating down in mid summer, and watching the top layers peel back like an orange, makes me run to the lumber yard and get more sandpaper. I'm not sure how neccessary it is, but I don't want to take the chance. I'll admit, the horizontal surfaces are fun, but inside the boat is getting a little old. After sanding the entire inside 5 times now, I'm wishing I was on the 8th or 9th layer already.

Jeff, I'll pencil you in around June, but it's filling up fast so let me know http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/smile.gif

[Rich VanValkenburg]

You already know that I'm in the 'I love varnish' club. Looks great!!!

[dasboat]

Dude,you can avoid sanding between coats by scuffing instead.Use one of those scuffing pads designed for paint and varnish work.They are made by 3 m and available in most paint stores.

I do this on Gatsby,and have never had a problem with the bright work "peeling".
Besides,it cuts down on the generation of dust as well.
Darryl

[lumberdude]

Thanks Das. I have been using one of those pads on the inside, but my paranoia was getting the best of me and I starting using 400 grit on the deck. Thought the pads weren't removing enough "roughness" for the deck. I think even in my dust free room, there is still a few small particles floating about. I do like the how they don't produce dust though.

[Wild Dingo]

Almost to "mirror finish" there dude! A few fast comments...

First... well done...
Second... great stuff...
Third... keep at it...
Fourth... wish I could be there to help...
Fifth... wish it were me own boat...
Sixth... What they all said...
Seventh... one day it will be me getting all these accolades...
eigth... whats the missus think of your efforts?
ninth... how much $$ has this cost? okay forget that one I dont wanna know!
tenth... BEAUTIFULL take a bow mate

Take it easy
Shane

[Bernadette & David Hedger]

Beautiful work! After all the sanding and meticulous brush work, you now have a very fine finish. Congratulations!

[doorstop]

Yeah mate, it looks t'riffic but what colour are you going to paint it?
http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/wink.gif http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/wink.gif http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/wink.gif http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/wink.gif

[bobkaschak]

I hope mine turns out that well. Nice job!
As you said, "it shouldn't be veiwed fom closer than 3 feet. There is a saying in the sign business, "you look at them, you don't smell them"
PS: what type of framework is under your decking? I have a 12' sailing dingy that I aquired with a plywood deck that I would love to replace with something similar to what you did. I have concerns about the load applied by the mast to this area. Any comments?
Regards,
Bob K.
Looks Great!

[lumberdude]

Bob, the decking is 3/8 t&g cedar over oak supports spaced about 18" apart. Only for looks as there is no way you could walk on it without going through it. I suppose the same thing could be done though with thicker cedar and more supports.


lumber