Simulated wipe on poly

[Slowhand]

Just about ready to apply a finish to my mahogany planked hull. Current candidates teak oil, tung oil or wipe on matte poly urethane varnish. Wipe on poly not commonly available in U.K. Shops, although can get a tin on Amazon. Bit loathe to spend £14 to use as a test coat. Do you think a poly urethane varnish diluted with white spirits would give a good approximation for the real stuff. Should say the strakes have lightened quite a bit since the photo. As an ex chemist not too bothered about the odours although the dockyard failed a recent safety inspection by the Rear Admiral.

[Seventynet]

Beautiful job on the hull Slowhand! Can you send me a link or a reference to the wipe on matte poly urethane that you mentioned? I have looked in vain many times in the past for a wipe on poly that's actually matte and not just satin.

Thanks, Ian

[Slowhand]

Ian, This is all I could find but it's not a wipe on. Because I've already stained the strakes with coloured Danish need to be sure that any further coats don't make them gloss whilst hull is matte or even satin.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Varathane-1-qt-Matte-Soft-Touch-Polyurethane-266233/203331997

Sent from my iPad

[Seventynet]

Thanks for looking that up. Good luck with your fine build.

 

Ian

[Seventynet]

So 50:50 mineral oil to oil based satin WOP will give you matte? I can't promise I won't do something idiotic but I have oil and water based stuff figured out. 👌 I prefer oil based and have used both. Thanks Spyglass.

 

ian

[Landlocked123]

I'm no chemist or finishing expert, but I would think if you tried to mix oil based anything with water the only thing you would get is a mess.

 

John

 

ps Or you can go traditional and use pure beeswax dissolved in turpentine.  Chop up the beeswax, cover in the turps and let it dissolve over a couple of days. Adjust the the mixture until you get a thick paste.  Wipe on a thin coat and then buff off.  Repeat as desired.  J.

[tkay11]

I've made my own with a third each of linseed oil, mineral spirits and matt polyurethane varnish. Woodworker sites give this mix and say different people use different ratios for their own preferences.

 

Tony

[Slowhand]

Thanks Spyglass, will try some home made wipe on poly as you suggest.