It’s That Time Of Year. What? Why? What The?

,

I am an idiot.

Hi my name is Matt and I have a varnish problem. As in I love varnished wood, and can’t seem to help myself. As if I dont have enough projects going on, I have been ignoring Sweet Pea while working on the new office and other things. Not to mention working for a living. Well, I found some great scrapers at the Railway. Old sharp cool stuff. And well, one pick, one scrape, and oh crap. Lots of old paint came off. and off. The wood underneath is perfect.

I can just paint over the white putty bungs

So before I knew it, 3 hrs had gone by and all the time I am thinking. STOP, why? What? Like eating a piece of cake and then more and more.

A more stately look

The real problem, or not a problem is the look is great and what was original. Bright work added some definition and motion to her design. And this IS the time of year to do this.

How she was when we got her years ago

Clean up on Dock 4 – BTW, same dock, same place. 

Older photo of her, note the brightwork around the windows.

Back in the day

Not crazy about the two painted lines. Very 70’s.

The back to old new look

I swear sometimes its like playing 3D chess. I have small or large projects all floating around that cant be completed until someone else shows up. Electrician, tree person, concrete etc. So combined with rain, heat coming and other things, I have to do the stuff I can when I can. I suppose its all better than sitting on a coach all day complaining about politics and my health. Wait, thats what I am doing right now. Gotta go!

AHHHHH

15 replies
  1. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    She is going to look great with that brightwork! The only problem with brightwork is the upkeep, but for a guy with his own marine railway it will be a breeze.

    “Wait, thats what I am doing right now. Gotta go!”

    Now you understand the name!

  2. Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P )
    Mark in Ohio (sometimes da U P ) says:

    Scraping and sanding is just not fun. It will eat up a l;ot of time. But when you lay that coat of varnish or paint on whatever your working with. It just makes you feel good !

    • Frank@Falmouth
      Frank@Falmouth says:

      I actually like scraping off finishes that come off easily… but getting all the paint out of the grain so it will looks good when bright can be time consuming but very rewarding, especially during nice weather.. Not too buggy or hot yet back here in the midatlantic…. Im having to rethink/replan my spring/summer after having Rotator Cuff surgery last week which limits me to one good arm to work with. You dont realize how much one is limited when one arm is strapped to your side in a sling for 4-6 months.. we are all just one injury away from major changes to ones lifestyle.. Be careful, go slow and stay safe…

  3. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    Since you’re varnishing outside and Spring is in the air, along with pollen, how do you intend to varnish in that environment. We’re at 5835 for pollen count in Atlanta. The 300 are considered high. Now I know why the marina’s in Maine where I grew up were varnishing before Spring. I can still remember wandering thru the boatyard with that wonderful smell of paint and varnish in the air.

  4. Wayne
    Wayne says:

    Hey Matt!! Since you’ve got all this time on your hands now, how about coming over to my house and refinish and clean the windows so they look like Sweet Pea’s? If so I’ll call off the dogs (lawyers) on your ass about my railway related knee injury now that I’m home recovering from surgery!

    • Matt
      Matt says:

      Captains, and not sure stain does the trick. My plan? was to coat with one coat of varnish so I get the color, and Paint over the bungs, with a small brush, to match the color and then varnish over?

  5. Matt
    Matt says:

    Yes! I have the bungs and everything. They are not too deep, and its like a refastened at some point, as well as other areas. Repaired when it had been painted. Ugh. The brush with paint seems to work, and a combo of new wood colored putty as well. Its all a can of worms. I could tear apart the entire boat. But at some point gotta fake til I make it.

  6. Ron in Seattle
    Ron in Seattle says:

    Bung it! Drill, dig out the putty. Do the bungs. I like a coat of Smith’s penetrating expoxy for sealer. It’s a great undercoat to start building varnish.

Comments are closed.