Tom, This is an excellent example of how the "sighties" don't know didly!
You can do exactly what you had in mind with excellent results. As a matter of fact, you will do better than your wife with a brush. Spar varnish is an alkyd varnish with a ultraviolet inhivitor. In real speak, this means it is an oil based varnish that is designed for outside use, in the sunlight. It is called Spar Varnish because it was originally designed to be used on masts and booms of sailboats, which are out in the elements. I have done tons of this kind of finishing. I usually use a small diameter screw, screwed into the end of the dowel and then wrap a thin wire around it to use as a hanger on a line or other apparatus that I have for this purpose in the shop. All you need to do is dip your fingertips in the varnish and rub them up and down on the dowel until the surface is covered. Wait overnight and sand lightly, clean thuroughly, and repeat with another coat. Three or four coats should be just fine. You may need to sand and reapply a new coat or two every year or two, because nothing is impervious to all moisture and UV degredation. As far as as whether it will harm your hands, no it won't. Actually, the oils in the finish are good for your hands. For cleanup: Clean your hands with a paper towel that has mineral spirits on it. Then either wash them with soap and water, or use a waterless hand cleaner like Go-Jo or Goop. I usually use Orange Go-Jo after cleaning with the mineral spirits, especially when using a stain. I really think that any type of gloves or rags, or other tools, just get in the way of finishing for blind guys. Go for it! You'll do just fine and you'll be proud of the results! Good Luck-- Mickey ----- Original Message ----- From: Tom Fowle To: [email protected] Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 2:38 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Applying finish to wood Hi Mickey, This is one of the most interesting posts I've seen on this list, and boy that's saying something! I'd always wondered about doing this but all the sighties say no, you'll get a mess. so here's a particular situation I'd love your comments on, it's probably easy. I've got a bunch of 5/8Ths inch dowels I want to use as security sticks in sliding aluminum windows. I bought spar varnish for them hoping it would last against the accumulating moisture better than most. My wife hasn't got round to brushing it on, so how should I approach this? I've got them with a small nail in one end so I can hang them up from a cloths line. My thought would be to just dip fingers in the varnish and wrap the fingers all way round each dowell and draw down from the top, then when run out of material, dip again. Thin coats with a quick sand between. What think, and many many thanks for this discription, it is really interesting. tom Fowle Net-Tamer V 1.13 Beta - Registered ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.2/472 - Release Date: 10/11/2006 ---------- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.2/472 - Release Date: 10/11/2006 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The New Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following Address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
