: I know a lady that sprays varnish on big boats, but it's a real
: trick. She uses heated varnish, have to really move in cooler
: weather or the varnish cools then runs on the boat. I tried it,
: thought it was much easier to use a roller. I use the roll and
: tip method on most varnish jobs, it too takes a little practice.

: Bill H.

Hello everyone, this is my first post here so I hope I get it right! I've been lurking here for a very long time (since the day Rob Macks wacked the hornet's nest in early 2008) and have learned an amazing amount. But I have always found that other "old f**ts" - not pointing at you Bill :) - had more and better of the older, big boat methods to contribute than I. But I do have a small one to throw in here. I'm not suggesting that it is a "solution" for this thread's subject but is a technique some might find useful in some circumstances. My last big varnish effort was the maple interior of my current sailboat, some of which you can see at https://picasaweb.google.com/sebjhill/JamsWeb# if you're interested. There are many square yards of flat vertical panels which received 4-6 coats of varnish with the final coat being "satin" so sanding/polishing was not practical but runs absolutely not acceptable. Solution was to use acetone as the thinner. It enables a wet coat but flashes so fast that runs are much less of a problem. This was done in an industrial environment with proper tools, extractor ventilation etc. but due to acetone's toxicity and flammability wouldn't be advisable in the typical garage. Also would need testing with the particular varnish/coating.

My best to everyone and thanks to Nick and all of you for such a great place to hang out.
Steve Hill