Varnishing the Wood

[jiott]

Just spent all day putting the 1st coat of epoxy varnish on the wing ribs and false ribs. What a tedious painful job! Only two more coats to go on the left wing, then repeat the whole thing on the right wing. My back is sore from leaning over.

How many of you guys actually put the recommended 3 coats of varnish? Maybe two is enough?

Jim

[Dick B in KY]

A little bit of time and pain now will pay off big time later preventing wood decay from moisture. I actually put on four coats.

Dick B

[DesertFox4]

Sympathies Jim on the temporary tediousness but I have to say
+1 to what Dick said. Especially in your neck of the woods. Much easier to varnish now then totally rebuild the wings in a few years.
We sure understand your desire to "get er done".
A little patience now and years of worry free flying very soon.

[Mark]

Polyfiber recommends a second and "optional third" coat. We use two coats typically, but I used three on my aircraft because I had plans to have it on floats in salt water. There's obviously enough moisture in and around Portland to justify three, but you are adding some weight with each coat.

Just as flying is hours of droning boredom, mixed with moments of shear terror; building is moments of exciting hole drilling followed by hours of bond prep, hole reaming and deburring, fiberglass sanding, sanding, sanding, oh yeah and some sanding, too.

Do it once, but do it right...

[jiott]

Thanks for the comments and encouragement. I'll stick with it and do the 3 coats. I suppose its like when you first have kids and your up all night, but after its over you hardly remember it.

[MotReklaw]

I'm in the process of varnishing my wing ribs, etc. I've found the second coat goes on a lot faster than the first. I guess it's because the first coat sealed the wood pores. It took about two days to do both wings with one coat and I ran out of varnish on the second coat so I'm waiting on the fedex guy to deliver from Spruce. I live one day delivery away from Spruce East and if I order by 4:00 I get the pkg the next morning before 8.

[jiott]

Yeah, about a day per coat per wing. I finally got one wing done with 3 coats.

Jim