Getting Ready to Finish the Wood
When the sanding is done I vacuum the wood and then wipe it down with a rag. I then make a tack rag with a blue paper towel ( they're supposedly lint free) and mineral spirits and wipe the wood again. Mineral spirits is the solvent for the polyurethane that I use as a base coat. I dilute the polyurethane with mineral spirits about 3 parts poly to 1 part thinner and put 1 coat of finish on all wood surfaces to enhance the grain of the wood.
The top coat or finish coat that I use for almost everything is a water borne urethane. It is easy to use, makes a durable finish and is great looking. Its one drawback that I can see is that it is milky in the can and that alters the finish, keeping the grain of the wood from showing through the finish. Putting a base coat of an oil based finish gives the grain a chance to shine.
When the epoxy resin on the hull is sanded smooth I'll put the same polyurethane mix on the hull, wait a day and then shoot everything with the water borne finish.
Both of these coamings are made of walnut and basswood. The larger of the two has a diamond inlay made of mahogany and a gold colored wood that I don't recognize. Anyone have any idea what it might be?
