# Mahogany Finish - Boat Interior



## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Hello I am re-finishing the interior of a 17 year old boat, all brazilian mahogany, below is my interior varnish system, any critiques, comments, ideas are deeply appreciated (no ego here, I want to learn). My limitations are the obvious ones, large spaces, drying time, cost, humidity…etc. I need to keep the interior somewhat light, so I have been using products that darken little with time (no linseed) and are lightfast…..I'm in Brazil and I can only import solids.

I will be posting photos and getting into details of every step, as I get to them, so any comments on my next step are appreciated.

*For smaller and more important items my system changes, I use my creativity. This system is for walls and cabinets only.*

Old opaque oil varnish removed, wood prepared, sanded up to 180 grit, oxalic acid, distilled water with a little baking soda, sanded with 220 grit.

*Sealer:*
2 coats - dries overnight (it seems).

I cook 2 parts cold pressed polymerized Tung Oil from Paraguay (lighter colored and less darkening than Chinese, color gardner = 7, RI 1.52) 2 parts Colophony w/w-x let it cool, add 1 part Canada Balsam cool some more add 5 parts turpentine, store.

When ready to use dilute 1 part varnish, 9 parts white spirits. Brush it in. This penetrates deep and enhances the grains+ gives internal reflections.

*If anyone would like to cook their own varnish PLEASE research carefully, do it OUTSIDE and have a fire extinguisher at hand and proper protection, please do extensive research before, it can be dangerous, several people have been badly burned before.*

Extra blonde de-waxed shellac 1 coat with a rubber 1lb cut. (I'm fast with a rubber+ no sanding necessary)

Extra blonde de-waxed shellac 2lb cut with yellow+gold pigments from Kremer, 2 coats with a rubber. (details on next posts)

*Grain Filler:* (no decent ones in Brazil, so I cook my own)

I cook 5 parts of an already prepared high quality deck oil (made of the same cold pressed polymerized tung oil from Paraguay + castor oil + modified colophony etc.) with 1 part Colophony w/w-x and turpentine. (following the chemist who makes the deck oil's instructions).
5 ml of cobalt dryer per liter of varnish.
Grind silica finely with varnish.

Color with Kremer's Pearl Luster COLORSTREAM Magic Indian Summer, Isoindole Yellow , Indian Yellow Imitation and Van **** Brown.
Thin with white spirits.

Apply with a brush + card + burlap + cheese cloth, as usual.
Dries in 2 to 3 days.

*Color*
I use shellac, extra blonde or ruby with pigments, bitumen of judea on turps with alizarine crymson for darker woods.
details when I get there.

*Varnish:*
1 coat of extra blonde de-waxed shellac to seal
2 to 3 coats of (here is where my heart weeps) of Sayerlack 2 part poly, very transparent, lots of gloss. 

Before anyone says anything, the reasons for this heresy (2 part poly) are…long lasting gloss (makes her look brighter, larger and more expensive), great humidity protection, long life (it's proven 2 part outlasts 1 part oil in marine environment), easy application, fast drying and when applied with HVLP no need to polish. 
Low maintenance - oil varnish needs constant cleaning because a white haze appears above the varnish in humid climates (some walls and cabs every 2 weeks), it does not happen in 2 part poly.
Plus I can not (as far as I know) get a great quality oil varnish in Brazil that would give me this properties.

The parts that receive lots of UV I apply epoxy + poly...details when I get there.

Thanks to anyone who read this far.:smile:


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## woodtick greg (Sep 12, 2011)

we would all love to see some pictures of your finishing. sounds like it would be very beautifull, I have always thought that wooden boats are so beautiful, like furniture that floats! please post some pics if you can.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Thanks woodtick greg, here are the picts, sorry for the delay.

Sanded Pilothouse, still needs dusting.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Thin Tung Oil+Colophony+Canada Balsam Sealer - 2 coats.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

1 coat of 1lb cut extra blonde shellac.

2 coats of 2lb cut extra blonde shellac with a mix of Kremer's Isoindole yellow + Indian Yellow imitation + Pearl Luster PYRISMA Yellow + Pearl Luster Colibri IRIODIN® Star-Gold.

Cloudy (but hot) day today, so the colors look a bit darker.
I still need to deal with the stains in the 2 bottom pieces on the 3rd picture, wanted to seal first, I'll darken the light part with ruby shellac....should disappear.
All defects to be puttied I'll take care after the grain filler and 1 coat of shellac.

Wood is sealed.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

sealer


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

*Grain Filler*

Colored with Kremer's Pearl Luster COLORSTREAM Magic Indian Summer, Isoindole Yellow , Indian Yellow Imitation and Van **** Brown.

I'll post pictures of the pilothouse when the grainfiller is applied.
Thank you:smile:


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## woodtick greg (Sep 12, 2011)

very beautiful! you are definately a finishing master, what a transformation from fresh sanded to the last pictures. looking very nice:thumbsup: looking forward to seeing the finished project, thanks for sharing.


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## rayking49 (Nov 6, 2011)

You could teach me, i know nothing!


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Thank you woodtick greg and rayking49, I'm not a pro finisher, only a sailor finishing a boat, trying to learn, I have learned the little I know mainly trough books and in a violin maker's forum called the Pegbox, there are some true masters such as Jessupe (or Jezzupe) Goldastini, Dave Burgess, Michael Darnton, Joe Robson, Oded Kishony, Luis Manfio etc, look for their websites also.

Just in case anyone might be interested I'll post the link to a few of my favorite free e-books.

The expert wood finisher.
http://openlibrary.org/works/OL7724914W/The_expert_wood_finisher

French Polishing and Enameling,
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17935

If there is anything I could help, please ask, I'm not a pro, so no trade secrets here.
Thanks again, I'll post some more picts in a couple of days.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

That is turning into one fine looking pilot house!!

It is unusual to see a pilot house where virturlly everything is wood. What is the make and model of your boat? Does the interior of the rest of the boat have that much mahogeny?

George


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Thanks GeorgeC, my father built her :smile:, rented an empty wherehouse, she was designed by his friend ex- chief designer for Bertram, David Napier.

Yes, lots of the same mahogany, dad bought two trees, being a trawler weight is not an issue, lots of solid wood.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

I would love to see an external shot of the boat. One of a kinds really interest me.

How long did it take your father to build the boat? Is it a full wood hull or hand laid fiberglass?

I guess that I am on the way out of the boating business. I have my 31' Pursuit on the sale block. I will miss it, but at my age it is just too much work and not used enough.


George


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

I also would like to see the whole boat , and your dad is awsome!


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## chemmy (Dec 13, 2011)

Well Mr. Bartolini, seems you have posted these photos everywhere you could - hahahahahajust ran across this site and who do i find??? My good friend "Carlos", i have nothing to add but i wish you well in this boats completion and hope it last a long time. 

Sincerely, 

Chemmy / sam


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Welcome Chemmy, my friend, as you know I am searching for feedback, and info....hahahaha

GeorgeC, it took my dad 3 1/2 years to build her, she is solid fiberglass, 4 inches thick below waterline, built for packed ice.

Groovy - thanks, I think so too...:thumbsup:

Here is a picure of the boat, sorry for the delay, been busy.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

WOW! Four (4) inches thick. That should hold back some ice. Has the boat ever been weighed?

I love the look of the boat. 

George


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

She displaces usually from 60 to 65 tons, depending on fuel/water.

Resin back in these days was much cheaper, today it would be crazy.

Sorry I've been slow in my communications, too busy.

Grain filler applied, 3 day to dry, next time I'll add Aluminium at 3% in my mixture for a "through dry", as per my friend's Chemmy instructions - cobalt is only a surface drier.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)




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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Two coats of shellac, and some color adjustments in some woods.

Next step is to color the trims.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

:smile::smile::smile:


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## jduehmig (Dec 27, 2011)

*great work!*

Carlo, you do great work. I am just starting the restoration of 1978 Erickson 36C sailboat that has extensive mahogany paneling in the interior. I'm curious how you choose the mix of products to get the desired color. I need to match the existing color, which appears to be a flat oil or stain. My biggest issue is matching new bungs when I re-install individual planks.
thanks,
Joe


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## ArmedFerret (Aug 24, 2011)

In for some serious schooling.


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

jduehmig said:


> Carlo, you do great work. I am just starting the restoration of 1978 Erickson 36C sailboat that has extensive mahogany paneling in the interior. I'm curious how you choose the mix of products to get the desired color. I need to match the existing color, which appears to be a flat oil or stain. My biggest issue is matching new bungs when I re-install individual planks.
> thanks,
> Joe


Thank you, I'm no expert here, chemmy is the maestro, a real master finisher, but I will try.

Perhaps in two ways, either dying the wood before applying the sealer with a dye or stain or after the sealer coloring the varnish, I usually prefer the second route because if I make a mistake all I have to do is sand or scrape a little, plus the lighter colored areas stay lighter and I get more contrast, I like to keep the wood lighter colored so I get more reflexes.

If you need to dye the wood perhaps use colored oil as a stain/dye or the Orasol dyes from Kremer in alcohol or lightfast water based ones.

I usually go light on the stain/dye, and if needed apply again.

This way is faster than correcting with varnish, but sometimes there is the capillary effect problem.

With varnish (my prefered method), what I do is seal/color the wood normally, after all is done I apply darker colored varnish only to the lighter colored parts.

If the difference is brutal and there is no risk of the capillary effect, I prefer staining/dying a little before, even if I don't reach the color at the moment it is not a problem, I'll adjust later with colored varnish.

For oil based varnish you can mix bitumen of judea diluted in white spiris (or turpentine) in the oil varnish with a little alizarine crimson (to take the green tint away) or artists colors from Kremer or Winsor and Newton or any other high quality ones. 

Better to reach the color you want in a few coats instead of one, easier and more transparent.

I know there are some oil based dyes that are very transparent and lightfast, but I have never used them, worth checking it out.


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## jduehmig (Dec 27, 2011)

Thanks for the quick response. Looks like I will be doing some experimenting on color choices. As far as I can tell my interior woodwork is not varnished, but I'm not sure if it was stained or simply oiled. I predict some interesting times ahead.
Joe


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