Leon wrote:

"bkr" wrote in message
...

Snip


I have a couple of different cans of varnish that I opened and dispensed
into smaller containers for use. Now the varnish has hardened in all the
various conatiners, whether sealed or not. I know it has to do with
reaction to the air, but I don't know how to prevent it. I've seen a
couple threads that I think suggested adding some other chemical to the
can that wouldn't mix with the varnish but would displace the air.


The easiest way to keep the top from skimming over is to store thc
containers upside down. There is an inert gas that you can add to the top
of the varnish in the can to displace the air in the can that helps slow the
curing process in side the can. Bloxygen is the retail name for the gas.


So my first question is basically, how do you prevent your varnish from
kicking to a hard molasses substance.


Kicking? Not a wood working term.
Kicking is what epoxy does when it hardens. The varnish I am using is
acting like that...it's not getting a thin film on the surface, the
whole can is hardening and turns into something like amber. It looks
really cool, but isn't very useful to me now.



What should I do once I've

separated the actual amount I want to use from the main can?


Tyoically you want to seperate Paint from the can it comes in, You want
room inside the container so that you can tap the sides of the brush against
the inside sides of the can after loading the brush. Typically you want
paint to go on fairely thick and typically in 1 coat. Tapping the brush vs.
scraping against the top opening of the can leaves more paint on the brush.
Varnish is another matter. Typoically you want to put on several Thin
coats. Draging you brush across the inner top opening of the can prevents
the brush from loading too much varnish. Leave the varnish in its original
container.
I'm not sure what you thought I meant, but I've always been told to
separate varnish from it's original container unless you expect to use
it all. I don't use paint at all, at least not on wood, yet. The
mechanics of actually doing the application I've got down pretty good.
What I meant was, what should I do with the main varnish can...add
something to it, just close it up and try to seal it tightly, or
something else entirely?



My second question has to do with thinning. I've read somewhere to thin
with mineral spirits or something similar. What are the benefits of doing
this?


Do this ONLY if you are using an oil based varnish and if the varnish seems
to dry too quickly before flowing out.
Adding a "thinner" helps the varnish flow off the brush, helps prevent brush
drag, and helps the materal level out after being brushed on. DO NOT over
brush. Additionally when using oil vased paints or varnishes add a trace
amount of a "thinner" to the clean brush before using. This will help with
cleanup and helps with the material flowing off the brush.
This is good information, thanks a lot. I think I'm using a water based
varnish, but I'm not sure. I'll have to check it out.



I've used the varnish straight and love the finish and I

haven't had any real difficulty in application such as bubbling or
anything. Are there benefits to thinning that I'm not aware of?


If you are not having problems don't try to fix a problem
I'm not trying to fix a problem, I'm trying to find out if there are
benefits I'm unaware of. I'll decide for myself if those benefits are
worth the added work. I'm just looking for as much information as I can
get so that I can make the most informed choices in the work I do.



My final question (for now) also has to do with thinning. Is it possible
to thing varnish after it has become the molasses substance I described in
my first problem?


Once it has reached that state I toss the stuff in the trash can. Do not
buy more that you would use in a 6 to 12 month time.
These cans of varnish were maybe a pint or at most a quart. They should
last me through a couple of my larger projects at most so I didn't have
too much and let it sit for a long time. In fact, I only had them for a
week or or two before I used them but one of them hardened in a week or
so after I opened it (and closed it immediately after pouring what I
needed into a separate container) and the other took maybe two weeks.
At the prices I'm paying for this varnish, I'd rather not have that
happen as they seem completely unusable to me at this point.

bkr