Need advice on creating a smooth, solid finish on wood hull.

Donnewtype · Post by **Donnewtype** » Sun Oct 08, 2006 11:19 pm

Hey folks, I am trying my hand at using pine to create a hull for a small desktop model I want to build. I need help with sealing the wood grain to produce a smooth finish so I am looking for sugestions for products. Any help out there?

macfrank · Post by **macfrank** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:28 am

I used Mr. Surfacer 1000 to seal the hull on this cargo ship.
Balsa is pretty porous, so if that's the wood you're using, be prepared for quite a few cycles of spray, sand and repeat. In just the right light, you can still see the wood layers.

big-dog · Post by **big-dog** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 3:13 am

On 'Furniture to Go' Joe and Ed used thinned down wood filler to smooth the surface of mahogany for a French Polish. It turned out like glass, and mahogany has a very open grain despite being a hard wood. I think Gibson use about a million coats of lacquor on their guitars.

Donnewtype · Post by **Donnewtype** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 10:54 am

Thanks for the sugestions guys. With the wood filler did you catch what they used to thin it with? Acetone? Turpintine? I will have to experiment and get back to you on the results.

Thanks

DX-SFX · Post by **DX-SFX** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 11:47 am

How big is the hull and what wood are you using?

Umi_Ryuzuki · Post by **Umi_Ryuzuki** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:39 pm

Sanding sealer, or Satin finish Laquer.
Parks and Deft are two brand names.

Brush on a coat, and then sand between coats.
Use progressibly finer grit sand papers till you get to 350 or 400, then prime and work through 600 grit, or 000 steel wool.

Donnewtype · Post by **Donnewtype** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 2:50 am

Goodday again guys

To answer your question DX-SFX, I am shapping a block of pine 7"x3"x2". The idea is to produce a smooth surface and then draw in panel lines with a black marker or pen. It's to display in my daughter's room.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:44 pm

Oh, pine...use a good-quality sanding sealer--available at a home improvement store. Stir it real well, apply a coat, let it dry, sand. Repeat ad nauseum. Pine can fuzz and swell just a bit, so it'll take multiple cycles to get it right.

Dan

Donnewtype · Post by **Donnewtype** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:54 am

Thanks guys for the tips on materials. I plan on picking up some sander-sealer this weekend and then we'll see what happens.

Post by **TER-OR** » Sun Oct 15, 2006 5:46 pm

You can also roll out a thin sheet of epoxy putty and clad the wood in that.