Sanding sealer on mahogany?

[JeremyParticipant @jeremy15845]

I have always used sanding sealer and fine sandpaper to prepare plywood surfaces for painting. Should I do the same on the mahagony planking and other mahogany surfaces of my Amati Riva Aquarama? I will be aiming eventually for a high gloss finish using Le Tonkinois marine varnish. I have read Brian Johnson's build of a water jet powered Riva (Model Boats September 2011) and he did not refer to using sanding sealer.

[JeremyParticipant @jeremy15845]

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Jeremy

Mahogany reacts in the same way as mahogany faced ply but might need slightly more sealing and fine sanding to knock the grain down. I use lightly thinned varnish for the first five coats and rub down between each application the following coats are 4000grit wet rubbed between coats, the number of finishing coats is a personal choice but for a deep shine I normally use between fifteen to twenty coats.

The final coat can be further enhanced by using silicone or beeswax based polish.

Paul

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Jeremy. I have just been asking the same questions for my mahogany veneering (newby).

I rather liked DM`s answer…use thinned varnish. It is the same stuff as you will be varnishing with, whilst sanding sealer (or something else) is NOT the same and who knows what reaction there will be after a while?

I also used another tip and mixed mahogany dust with varnish to form a filler for a couple of very small gaps and cracks…again..it is the same colour etc as the varnished finish.

Watch the overall weight if using 20+ coats of varnish…

Obviously you have not been reading "todays boating" or you would know the answer already !!!!

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 24/06/2015 15:32:36

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Jeremy

I avoided using sanding sealer because it contains a filler powder and I thought that might clog the grain (like it's designed to) and make a high-gloss wood-grain finish impossible. I used thinned polyurethane varnish and after umpteen coats and much rubbing down I'm pretty happy with the finish.

I remember standing on the dockside at Monte Carlo, feeling like a fish out of water, and there was an Aquarama on its trailer. Looking closely at it, I swear that the wood moved behind the varnish as you moved your head! I've never seen such a beautiful gloss finish on any wood anywhere, and that includes antique furniture etc. Mind you, those Riva speedboats start at £250K and they've been making them for a good while, so they should know how to get a decent finish by now.

Dave M

[JeremyParticipant @jeremy15845]

Thanks Ashley – I have now! My sanding sealer will remain on the shelf. I would hope to get away with a single figure number of coats. Mine is to be a working model not a museum piece. Or maybe this is just an excuse for being lazy .

Jeremy

[JeremyParticipant @jeremy15845]

Thanks also Dave. You posted 7 seconds before my reply to Ashley.

Jeremy

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