'Nother paint question: Brush lines...

[Jeff Kelety]

Continuing with hull paint (Z-Spar enamel over existing finish of same). Have sanded smooth using 220 grit, but still get some brush lines. Is my paint too thick? I've found with varnishing that more thinned coats lay smoother than fewer thick coats. Same true with paint?

jgk

[Ed Harrow]

Well, yes, but be certain that you're not giving the job the one-foot test. IE, you're not creating a piece of art. Add some Penetrol to the paint, that helps to maintain the wet edge and minimize brush marks.

There has been a lot of past discussion on this kind of stuff, you might go back and take a look thru the dusty archieves. Something from Bob Cleek should give you all you need on painting.

[Wayne Jeffers]

Yes, the same is true of paint, but only to a point. It's much easier to get paint too thin, as compared to varnish. I.e., varnish will tolerate more thinning than will paint.

Like Ed said, Penetrol is good to keep a wet edge and to make paint flow easily, especially in hot weather. Penetrol doesn't do a lot in terms of thinning, however. If need be, you can also use thinner in combination with Penetrol.

Wayne

[Scott Rosen]

You need the following equipment for a good paint job.

Paint

Turps for thinning

Penatrol

High quality brush.

Your best bet is to experiment on some scrap to get the right mixture of paint, thinner and penatrol. It will vary depending on the temperature, wind, humidity, etc.

I've had days, very hot or very windy, where I've probably added 20% Penatrol and another 10 to 15% turps. Even on a perfect day, you will not get the brush marks to disappear unless you add 5 to 10% Penatrol.

[Wild Wassa]

The finer the bristles the fewer the brush marks, as well. I've swapped from quality trade brushes to quality artist's brushes (flats and flats with brights). The price is not cool. A badger is only $90AU. Not much for a main tool in a trade. Don't be shocked at the price of a 'quality' brush, no matter what the size.

Warren.

ps, the shape of a sponge brush, is a flat with a bright. The bright is not the wooden handle.

[ 06-05-2002, 04:00 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Jeff Kelety]

<IE, you're not creating a piece of art.>

Not art, eh? Ah well. In some quarters, it's the "40 foot test", BTW, not the 1 foot test. So I'm still running with some pretty fast company here it seems <g>.

It took a while for me to figure out the varnish formula for my given climate. 'Spose the same will be true of paint. Local boat guy, interestingly, recommends boiled linseed oil instead of Penetrol, saying the latter robs some of the luster from the paint.

I'll let you know how it comes out. I just finished the "sin coat"; I get to sand out all the flaws and go for the final (we hopes).

jgk

[fair&fair]

I use a fine bristle brush (hamilton) or a foam roller followed by a foam brush for tipping off. This has produced very good results with enamels and both one and two part poly paint systems. For the final coat of all my varnish work, I've completely geven up on my expensive brushes and I rely completely on the foam brush. I find I can get a mirror finish everytime using these things. From time to time I've used just a foam brush for enamel based paints and one part polyester paints, but this takes some getting used to as far as laying an even coat is concerned. The moral of the story though is that you can eliminate brush marks very effectively just by tipping off with a foam brush.

[Wild Wassa]

Jeff, check the uniformity of your scratch sharpness. This will give a different draw from the brush as well. AND just when you think you have a handle on the mix, the next lot that comes in, has a batch change.

Boiling linseed is primarily designed to speed up the oxidizing process, and has been done for only 1/2 a milleniun. Oil draws oil from above, so the next coat should go on well. There is a history to painting with oil that transends the fine gloss additived that were introduced about 15 years ago. I blame the Dutch but they will only blame someone else, probably the Italians for boiling the binders.

It's not art and it's also not, not art. Let's change from being artists to artisans then. I try to give sculptures the respect they deserve. Designers are the artists, the boat builders are the craftsmen but the painters are 'their' outer envelopes. If you are not a confident painter, you can't buy the book. There are other people's books.

I use a very fine bristle (nylon) because (for me) there is less to do after each coat. If you can, spray.

Warren

ps, I do enjoy, 'you are not painting a work of art'. One of the best. Captain Jack deserves a big kiss on his head for this, I think. I hope I have not robbed the Author.

[ 06-05-2002, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[Jeff Kelety]

"check the uniformity of your scratch sharpness"

WW, you mean the "grain" I've created by sanding? This should be as parallel to the brush stroke as possible, I take it. Guess I don't get the "sharpness" part.

jgk

PS. And by the by, true, it ain't the Mona Lisa, but it is still pretty high art.