AT17

AT17
The blog will now be devoted not to boat building but to my 82-year-old Vertue, Sally II, now undergoing a well needed refit at Johnson & Loftus in Ullapool (and gliding...)

Tuesday, 18 January 2011

Woodseal RIP

And so farewell Hempel's Woodseal, gone the way of the late lamented International UCP (which was not a patch on it, and came in ridiculously small tins to boot). You have served me well over the years, laying down an impervious clear coat over which I have laid everything from varnish to topcoat. 


It always did, however, smell rather dodgy, but like any glue-sniffing addict, I got quite fond of it. The decision to drop it has probably added a few months to my lifespan. One more for the 'elf and safety boys... Not a bad thing, perhaps, and it was shockingly expensive too...

PS I have it from Hempel's excellent Norman Curtis that Episeal, two-pack clear epoxy, will achieve much the same result.
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2 comments:

  1. Anders Eliasson19 January 2011 at 16:25

    I dont know.
    does two pack epoxy products exist that are flexible when hardened?
    In this famous wood boat revival, there´s a tendency to smear everything in epoxy (take a look at redbarnboats youtube videos)
    I dont think that epoxy or two components products work that well with solid wood. Wood likes to work... And if I was building or had a 100% solid wood boat, I wouldnt use things like that.
    What do you think?

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  2. Adrian Morgan19 January 2011 at 16:58

    I agree that coating everything in epoxy is not a good idea, even plywood, which was why Woodseal was so brilliant.

    I hate mixing epoxy, but Woodseal being one part, thin, soaked into the top veneer and as plywood is a man-made laminate, and stable (a bit like Formica)they were perfectly matched.

    I have used Woodseal on solid timber to good effect, and it works fine, but my preference is for Varnol first to "feed" the timber, then a good, tung oil varnish. More traditional and Varnol smells great. But I would always overcoat with varnish. Varnol also makes an excellent primer under paint.

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