Where to buy Detco Crystal Varnish?

[rustnrot]

A couple of UBB'ers have been using Detco Crystal Varnish with, so they say, outstanding results. Where does one get it besides paying $35/quart at West Marine?

[Donn]

http://www.detcomarine.com/helpfullinks.htm

[rustnrot]

Yea but...I visited most if not all of those websites and didn't see it online. Of course, I can probably just pick up the phone and get a price.....but they all seem to be left coast. There's gotta be a east coast kinda place I can call w/o shipping all across the country.

[Bruce Hooke]

Well, if all else fails it looks like West Marine has it:

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/commerce/command/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=201&prrfnbr=3635&outlet=

Is there a store near you?

[Concordia..41]

Our West Marine didn't carry it and the young rocket scientist behind the counter said he couldn't order it because it was listed as hazardous. Figured that meant I'd be hit for a bunch of shipping charges, but ordered from West online and there was nothing out of the ordinary shipping charge wise.

While you're at it, get their thinner. Seems like it comes in a couple of flavors.

I'm to about the 9th coat (seriously I don't count - just makes you crazier) and got rained on about an hour after I lifted the last brush stroke. Only damage was to the last couple of pieces done and that amounted to little rings that knocked down with red Scotch Brite.

If I'd been working with Epifanes, I'd of been looking for the hollow points...

Cheers!

- M

[ 06-12-2002, 08:57 PM: Message edited by: Concordia..41 ]

[Scott Rosen]

Buy it directly from Detco. They give you a nice discount to offset the shipping charges. The stuff is an outstanding product, well worth whatever you have to pay.

This past weekend, I put on a finish coat on my pilothouse in 15 to 20 knots of wind. Using liberal amounts of the Detco slow thinner, the finish came out as smooth as glass. Frankly, I was shocked, as I expected to have to do another "final" coat. And the stuff dries to the touch in an hour or less.

[ 06-13-2002, 08:16 AM: Message edited by: Scott Rosen ]

[NormMessinger]

Yo! Scott, Margo. If one were going to switch to Detco would you remove the Epifane back to wood or just sand and over coat?

--Norm

[Ed Nye]

Norm, I think the whole point of the stuff is that it sticks to wood like mad. If you were to put it over regular varnish, it will stay on as long as the varnish below. Unless I am mistaken about the stuff, it will probably act like very expensive paint remover if you try to put it over varnish.
Ed

[Concordia..41]

Glad you asked Norm - Current project of redoing trim on our 36' Watkins includes cockpit coaming, 1/2 round down both sides of cabin, grab rails, bow sprint, and three pieces of miscellaneous trim.

1/2 round, three trim pieces, and part of cockpit coaming I took down to bare wood and CPES'd. Grab rails and bow pulpit I have canvas covers for so they're just getting recoats with Crystal. I am 650% pleased with all including the area on the cockpit coaming where didn't have to wood it all and sucessfully blended the transistion areas.

There seemed to be a difference in shading but that's lessening as the coats build. Also, the color difference may have more to do with the CPES (what wasn't wooded this time was done 3+ years ago prior to discovery of CPES) than the Crystal/Epifanes difference.

OK, I'm throwing the camera bag in the car now...

- M

[Scott Rosen]

Norm, I wouldn't remove sound varnish just to change brands. If you've got a good base of Epifanes, you could just go with the Detco over that. According to Detco, it's compatible with any other oil-based varnish.

I agree with M on the color. At least for the first few coats, it looks slightly different over CPES then if you put it on bare wood. That's because the CPES is clearer and has less color than varnish. I actually like the look of varnish over bare wood a little more than varnish over CPES. But for exterior work, the benefits of CPES far outweigh any difference in appearance. Plus, by the time I get eight coats on, I can't tell the difference between the CPESed and non-CPESed portions. For interior work, I don't use CPES. But that's just my quirk--your results may vary.

[On Vacation]

Margo, don't you ever stop varnishing?? Do you sleep with a brush on your night stand?? :D :D

[Concordia..41]

Only if the nightstand is sanded and prepped tongue.gif

[On Vacation]

You are one slick chick. :D :D Nighty night.

[JimConlin]

Slick or sick?

Related topic-
Any opinions as to which brand of varnish is warmest (reddest) in hue?

[Scott Rosen]

McClosky's BoatKote has a rich reddish/caramel color.

[Vindo Joe]

Rivali varnish is the most beautiful.

But it gets expensive because you have to thin it with extra virgin olive oil and listen to opera while brushing it on!

[Scott Rosen]

That's funny Joe!

How's your project coming along? Have you solved the fisheye problems? How 'bout some pictures.

I decided to stop using Rivali because it took too much time to apply and was so fickle with the weather. If I could do all of my varnishing indoors, I would consider using it again.

Also, the last batch I bought had some serious problems with crazing after just one Connecticut season.

[Vindo Joe]

Scott,

I never completly solved the problem. Last Saturday I opend up a new can and a new brush and applied the seventh and last coat. Regardless of how it came out it was going to be the last coat and it was. It's much better than it was before, but stll not perfect. In the fall I'll put on another coat and try again.

In the final analysis that it is the most wonderfull thing about varnish. You always get to correct your mistakes in a few months. I could never take the pressure associted with one of the longer lasting coatings!

Joe

[Vindo Joe]

Hi Guys,

I thought I would revive this old thread because it's time to recoat Tucana again and I can't seem to get in touch with my old source of Rivali varnish. The voice mail is full and they don't respond to e-mail. Anyone know what's going on?

Well I discoverd the source of the fisheyes and you should all beware. I used TDS sealant for my seams and the sanding dust got into the wood. The material is silicone based and I indavertantly sanded into the wood at the begining of the process. At that stage I'm not going to wood it again so I'll just have to do what I can to minimize it.

Question to the group. Now that you all have more time with Detco are you still enthusiastic about it? Unless I hear otherwise from you I will overcoat my Rivali with Detco this year. Oppinions?

[Scott Rosen]

I just ordered three more quarts of Detco for this season. In my experience, it holds up better to the sun than Rivali, and it is way, way, way easier to apply.

[Vindo Joe]

Thanks Scott, I've just ordered my own batch. Maybe next year we can import a case into Connecticut together and save the shipping. Might give us an excuse to see each others boats!