I have tried outdoor polyurethane on shift levers. No good, after one year it wears through and dulls. I have tried non urethane varnishes too. They hardly last two months. I have tried epoxy and it seems good even one year later. It still gleams like glass. Now I dont want to have some future problem with UV as I am working with a convertible car. I would experiment with polyester over epoxy. That theoretically seems like the best compromise.---------------

: A pigmented epoxy lasts far longer than a clear epoxy as the pigment blocks
: the UV, so if you are using an epoxy based paint the situation is
: different. For example, there are epoxy-based floor covering systems (I
: hesitate to call these "floor paints" as they do a bit more)
: which are pigmented (usually gray or brown) and also contain flakes of
: additional colored materials. You paint concrete basement floors, or
: garage floors with these materials and they last for decades, protecting
: the concrete from oil spills, water absorption, cracking and abrasion.

: If your parts are exposed to the weather constantly then the epoxy will seal
: the wood. Polyester just doesn't do that, although it may protect the
: parts as well.

: Varnish, Tung oil, Linseed oil, and several other oils, that have been
: thinned will soak into wood and protect it, too. Just put on a lot of
: coats.

: If you are looking for a bright, highly reflective, polished finish, epoxy
: makes a great base coat. Consider using it as you would use a primer. Sand
: it smooth, then cover with varnish or polyurethane to fill in the tiny
: sanding scratches and give you a glas-like finish. This multiple material
: method may be a better apprach than trying to finish these parts with a
: single coat of polyester.

: One of the other posters on this list (I think it was Spidey) has mentioned a
: method used by surfboard builders by him. They build with epoxy resin and
: then cover it with a layer of polyester resin. This sounds like an
: interesting approach as the epoxy seals the inner materials, while the
: polyester forms a durable outer layer, and blocks UV.

: As always, test, test, test. and if you find a better method, write back and
: tell us. Lots of people interested in these things!

: hope this helps.

: Paul G. Jacobson