Quick Question About Sandpaper

[Stovebolt]

I am about to try my hand at re-varnishing my little side rails on my boat. It is just stain on mohagany. What sand paper would you use to bring it down to wood?

[JimF]

60 grit will take off the old stain and varnish. Then sand with 80 and 120 to smooth. Stain and varnish. From the picture it looks like a brown mahogany stain but you may have to mix to get a stain that matches the rest of the boat.

[Stovebolt]

Thanks Jim. It looks like it is actually just varnish on the wood. I will apply the varnish and see how if I need to add some stain for tint.

When applying the stain, so you wait for the coat to dry before applying the next coat?

[drrot]

Tyson,
Get the stain to match first then varnish. Varnish seals the wood and stain does not apply right over it.

[Al Benton]

Tyson, your boat appears to be stained from the photos. Once the varnish starts pealing off the stained wood bleaches out quickly. The varnish has the UV protection that protects the stain. Not positive what color of stain was used on the '61 model but previous post WWII models used Chris-Craft Mahogany, Interlux #573 (redish, if you will) but yours looks more like a pale brown.

If you're doing the entire boat and don't need to match, I would go with the #573. If you're just doing the sides you may need to experiment to match the color.

Don't mix stain into varnish, it becomes opaque (foggy) and will hide the wood grain, not good. Stain first, let it cure (at least 24 hours) then start with varnish.

[mfine]

The stain color should be in your mariners museum info packet with the hull card. My 1962 has/had a natural brown stain, not the earlier redish and it looks like your 61 is the same. If you don't have the hull card I can look it up on mine for you.

[Stovebolt]

Thanks guys for the info. I'll check my hull card out tonight.

Thanks!

[Jim Godlewski]

Just a question here. Are you planning on a touch up varnish coat or is the varnish that bad where you need to get back to bare wood? It seemed like you wanted to revarnish but then asked about "getting to wood"
If you do go down to bare wood you are now going to become and expert at sanding, staining, sealing and varnishing. And it all good.....
Jim

[Stovebolt]

Yah, I am going to have to take it down. I don't know if you can tell in the pictures, but the varnish has flaked off leaving bare wood. so I was going to to sand it down, and re-do it to protect it at least so their isn't any deteriation. (spelling?). Next winter I'm planning on doing a exterior resto on it, but in the meantime, I don't wanna leave it to the elements to get destroyed by the sun and water next season.

[BrokenRule2]

Mine was peeling off and I used a razor blade to remove the varnish so I did not disturb the stain. Went over it with 220 very lightly to feather it. Had to do a little staining here and there. Put on four coats of wood gloss finish on it covered with two coats of captains. My BIG oops was not block between the coats of wood gloss finish because the directions said it was not required. I was backed into the slip and could not see well; it was not level between coats. Looks good from five feet away. Next time I'll block each coat.











Never got a good shot of the finished product. the razor blade worked great.

Mike