Problem with Deks Olje D2

[Rabs]

Hi everyone,
I'm getting some unexpectedly poor results with Deks D2. Fortunately it's on test pieces at the moment so no harm done to the boat!

Wood is douglas fir. It's thoroughly soaked in D1 (immersed overnight in the tin) and left to dry for about a week.

On coating with D2 (6 coats, separated by 12 hours that the manufacturer recommends) I get these little speckles or pin-pricks, a bit like there being dust or dirt getting onto it.
PXL_20221120_160028524.jpgPXL_20221120_173823223.jpgPXL_20221120_160202205.jpg

I've done pieces with and without sanding between coats (the manufacturer's recommendation is no sanding). The sanding obviously removes the speckles but they just reoccur on the next coat. Even if I sand it really smooth on the penultimate coat the final coat still shows this same issue. The last photo is the best I've managed and it's still showing it.

They form immediately - you can see them within a few seconds of brushing, as soon as the bristle marks smooth out.

The workshop is dry and about 15 to 18C (60 to 65F). Perhaps a little on the cool side, but there are no temperature recommendations for D2 so I didn't think it would matter much.

I've not seen anyone else complaining of this with D2. Any ideas anyone?

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

I’ve never seen that. And I used to do wooden block shells by dropping them into a tin of D1, hanging them up to dry and then coating with D2, as the OP describes.

Is it by any chance temperature related?

[Toxophilite]

is this a shaken not stirred result?

[Larks]

I don’t know about the idea of soaking it overnight in the tin of D1 - you can’t do that with the rest of your work so it seems a little pointless to do it with the test piece....???? Did you remove any excess when you took it out?

Two possible cause of your bubbles: the timber is too moist - moisture content needs to be below 18%; you may be applying the D2 too heavily in each coat.

I’ve had similar bubbles in my Huon Pine finish and they seemed to occur when I was trying to do the work with a lot of rain about at the time. The timber had been drying in my shed for a few years so I didn’t think about moisture content but I felt that it was caused by the timber soaking up ambient moisture.

[Ian McColgin]

I wonder if it's the immersion. Try a test piece with the D1 applied by brush to one surface to the point where no more will soak in, as per instructions. This will saturate the surface but not so deeply into the plywood.

The D1 needs to dry or cure and perhaps it can't do that so deep in the wood.

Like ACB, I've dipped blocks in D1 but that's different from really soaking them.

[Ron Williamson]

Dirty brush,in my experience.
Dipping from the can,contaminates the whole can.
If you pour some into a yogurt tub and brush from there,only the stuff in the tub will be dirty. You will be good with a clean brush and container.
R

[dbp1]

I tried immersion with D1, and it did not seem to really work, at least with the wood I was using (can't remember exactly, but some sort of mahogany, for tiny little cleats). After a day out, the surface was totally dry (the D1 had gone a lot further in). I thought it would be a lazy hack, but at least with that wood, seemed totally ineffective. I suspect the penetration depends on air exposure, and following their process: brushing on, coat after coat after coat.

[Thad Van Gilder]

I use D2 all the time, and I have never gotten that result.... I am curious if its dust...

[Canoeyawl]

I used to buy DO 1 by the case, and I would but small parts in the gallon can and it worked very well no problems

You have to learn what this white stuff is...
Is it air bubbles from the wood off gassing? Contamination?

[Larks]

I used to buy DO 1 by the case, and I would but small parts in the gallon can and it worked very well no problems

You have to learn what this white stuff is...
Is it air bubbles from the wood off gassing? Contamination?

I took it that what appears as “white stuff” is just the reflection of a light overhead

[JimConlin]

I took it that what appears as “white stuff” is just the reflection of a light overhead

I’d share this assumption.

My guess is that your D2 or your brush are contaminated. Try a new can and a squeaky clean brush in a dust-free place.

[John Meachen]

I remember reading a data sheet that specified leaving the D1 for a good while before overcoating.

[Rabs]

Ok, helpful suggestions everyone, thank you. Few responses on the helpful contributions above:
- The large white patch is, as you guessed, just a reflection of the light above. It's the little speckles all around that are the problem.
- I'll try applying the D1 more normally, without immersion, this weekend but as others above seem to have managed ok with parts that were immersed I don't think this is the issue and the parts had ages to dry before I applied the D2. Good suggestion though and worth checking.
- The bench I applied it on was pretty clean and I did do this with a new brush.
- Could be contamination of the D2. I have another tin so I'll give everything an extra deep clean then open it and see if it's any better.

Thanks for the help so far. I'll report back in a few days with my findings!

[Canoeyawl]

When varnishing (or using any clear coat) pour the amount you will use from the can into another container (I like cardboard coffee cups) and never, ever, never, put the brush into the original can...

[JimConlin]

A new brush is not necessarily clean.

[Eric Moore]

Run the finish through a paper paint strainer

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

It might be silicone contamination.

[Larks]

I reiterate, from experience, that I believe it is simply being applied too thickly with each coat. I have used Deks Olje quite a bit and this product stresses the need for “patience” and not taking shortcuts and it needs to be applied in multiple thin coats rather than a few thick coats.

As previously mentioned I had similar issue recently, though no where near as profound as in the pictures above, and figured it was either the coating thickness or the timber being too moist but on reflection my timber couldn’t have been above the 18% recommended threshold.

So even though I was applying reasonably thin coats when the bubbles occurred I believe they were still too thick, either way I sanded it back to bare wood and started again and achieved a more than satisfactory finish.