How I apply Ronseal Hardglaze - an update

Andyjr1515

Hi
There's a few of the folks who have been following my SG build interested in my updated method of using Ronseal Hardglaze for a gloss finish.  I say updated because I've posted in the past my previous method of wipe-on using the same product.  However, Ronseal - for sound environmental reasons - changed their formulation and it took me a while to work out the tips and tricks with the new (slightly) lower volatiles product.  Hence the update.

But my normal disclaimer: I am always more than happy to share what I do and why but, please, never assume that 'this is how it should be done'

1.  Preparation

I use @WezV's slurry-and-buff method with Tru-oil as a grain filler and surface preparation all in one go

2. Varnishing Equipment

Nowadays, this is the kit I use for the varnishing itself:


Ronseal Hardglaze polyurethane varnish (Homebase/Ebay), white spirit (Any DIY), a budget artists fan brush (Hobbycraft), a microfibre cloth to act as a tack-rag to remove all dust before starting (DIY/Supermarkets).  For the latter, I find the glass cleaning microfibre cloths the most effective.

So I don't have to keep cleaning the brush (a guaranteed way of getting bits into the finish) I decant some varnish into a tall lidded jam-jar and cut the brush handle to suit:




In terms of holding the guitar - an old shoe box.  Actually, anything that is stable and which allows access all the way round including the edges:


3  Dust Prevention

You have to be pretty paranoid about dust.  Sounds extreme, but apart from the brush technique itself - that I will cover in a bit - I do the following:

- wear a short sleeve shirt.  Brush down my arms with my hands, well away from the work-space, before I start.

- shake the micro fibre away from the guitar before and after every dust wipe-down

- make as little movement in the room I am using as I am able 30 minutes before starting, during and after

- always use a new brush for each project and lightly flick the bristles to ensure there is no dust on those

- wipe the surface with the micro-fibre before every application


4  Sequence


I do sides, then top OR back once a day.  Day 1 - sides and back; Day 2 - sides and top.  This is repeated until either side is 'OK'


5  Method

5.1  First and always - stir the varnish before decanting the amount for use into the (dust free) jam-jar / container

5.2  Next is, probably, the only bit that need a bit of practice - that is, judging whether to - and, if so how much to - thin the varnish.  The new formulation is actually thinner than the old version.  Usually, I am able to use it without thinning.  Test it on some clean and dust-free board (mdf or the glossy side of hardboard are ideal).  If the varnish pulls on the brush, it need thinning a touch.  But I'm talking very small amounts - then stir - then try again.  Repeat if necessary.  Too thin and it will drip like crazy!  As a guide, I have never had to add more than 5% white spirits with the new formulation (the old formulation used to be 30%+!!).  Out of the tin, it will tend to thicken over a day or so, even in a sealed jam jar.  If it does, tipping that out and getting fresh from the tin is better than simply continuing to thin what you've got.


5.3  Finally, the application.


And here, the sequence here is all.  And once you've started you have to keep going!


I start with the sides.  Because the edges overhang my shoe box, I can get to all of the sides without restriction.  I stand in one place - with good light or a desk light shining on the side I'm doing.  I move the guitar round so that I can do all the way round without leaning over the guitar (dust!)


Then, again standing on one place, I fill the brush, take off the overload with a gentle wipe on the inside of the jar and then start applying - taking particular care not to miss the edges.  I start here (you can go either direction as long as it's always the same direction):



I work quite quickly, replenishing the brush quite frequently.  The varnish starts drying remarkably quickly.  If there are micro bubbles, I don't worry as I am applying, but once the strip has been done, I just draw the brush gently in exactly the same direction which evens out the application and removes the bubbles.


Without pausing, I then start the next strip - overlapping by maybe 2-3mm.  Same process.  This time, after application I draw my brush gently along the join line and then again along the rest of the strip.  Again, I am working quite quickly.  I look at the application from an angle to the light to make sure I've not missed anywhere:



I repeat this until I have reached the middle (now you can see why the bare and brushed down arms?):


I DON'T STOP.  I quickly turn the guitar round on its shoe box to face the other way and continue, now coming from the middle towards me at the other side:


Once I have got everything done, I run the unloaded brush VERY lightly around the top edge corner to spread any build up of varnish out:



And then, lastly, I run my finger very gently round the bottom corner, to remove any build up there.  I don't use a brush, because here I want to remove the build up rather than spread it:



And then I creep gently out AND DON'T RETURN FOR LEAST FOUR HOURS!  and don't touch anything at all until the next day


Next post, I'll go over how many times I do this, when I stop and what I do as the final touches







  

paulnb57

Thanks for sharing Andy

TTony

I’m guessing that your perfect finish comes from the details ... brush down your arms, flick the brush before use, stand still in one place.

All makes sense when you say It, but a level of care that I’d not considered before!

Andyjr1515

TTony said:

I’m guessing that your perfect finish comes from the details ... brush down your arms, flick the brush before use, stand still in one place.

All makes sense when you say It, but a level of care that I’d not considered before!

Well...it's not a perfect finish.  But, with care and a few tips and techniques, it can get to the 'largely OK' category

I'll cover some of the good and the bad and how to make the bad a bit better in subsequent posts

Sarge

Fascinating stuff.
A few years ago I bought a 2.5L tin of the hardglaze and still not used it due to having a 900ml bottle of Tru Oil I want to use up first. 

Andyjr1515

Sarge said:

Fascinating stuff.
A few years ago I bought a 2.5L tin of the hardglaze and still not used it due to having a 900ml bottle of Tru Oil I want to use up first. 

That might be the old formulation.  If so, you may be able to use a bit more white spirit.

MLten80

Excellent thread. Well helpful
 I'm definitely going to try this on my next natural finished build

I guess it would go fine over a stain too. +wiz

Andyjr1515

MLten80 said:

Excellent thread. Well helpful
 I'm definitely going to try this on my next natural finished build

I guess it would go fine over a stain too. +wiz

Yes - perfect with a stained finish.  I have yet to find anything that the Hardglaze is incompatible with which suits me down to the ground.  Life if far too short to have stuff that reacts badly for no good reason - it's worse than having teenagers!

Andyjr1515

OK - so I said earlier I would go over the final stages.  I'll come back to final polishing when this project has got to that stage, but onto the penultimate stage - flattening.

Now I've said it before but, because it is so important, it's worth repeating   :

With nitro, etc, you flatten / buff after the final coats.  With this type of application with this type of varnish, you flatten before the final coats.

And the reason is because with nitro and some other finishes each application 'melts' into the previous layers.  This type of varnish dries between coats and the result is close to slate - where each layer is bonded to, but separate from, each previous layer.

So with this, where it needs flattening, you have to flatten and then apply the final couple of glossy coats onto that flat surface.

You can polish that final layer once it's fully cured, but you can't power-buff it!


So my project has now been drying for around a week and so now I can judge whether the previous coats are good enough to polish or whether I need to flatten.  I first view it from the most uncomplimentary angle:



I see two problems.  I'm not worried about where it has sunk into knot-holes, etc - I personally think that often that emphasises that this is real wood - but many of the lines and ridges are cumulative brush lines, not grain, and there are some lumps, unevenness and dust buggies that will be difficult to polish out without risking breaking through to the lower layers and potentially leaving unsightly contour lines.


So my judgement is that it needs flattening.  For this, I use 1500 - 2500 grit wet 'n dry used wet and with a sanding block.  This is almost there.  The shiny bits say that there are still troughs in the previous finish, but I also don't want to go too far and end up back at the wood:

 

  

Once I'm about there, I go through all of the wipe-down, dust paranoia stuff already covered.  For these last coats (it may take a few goes) I usually thin the varnish a touch - no more than 5% but enough for it to flow and level properly.


First go, close but no cigar:



It's almost there - the brush stroke ridges have gone and now any ridges are wood grain line ridges, and the unwanted lumps bumps and dust buggies are gone.  But the surface it a bit bobbly.  Probably I didn't 'work' the freshly applied surface quite enough with long gently strokes of the brush running from tailstock to heel.

So I wait a day and repeat the process.  And here patience is all.  Sometimes I have to repeat this 4-5 times until 'it's OK'.  Sometimes it's OK after a couple.  This one was after a couple of times and this is where I'm going to stop:


And what constitutes OK?  

Well, this method will never quite match a well applied spray job.  

But "OK" is where any remaining aberrations will polish out (I'll cover this when I get to it on this project) and leave a finish that - while not perfect - is undoubtedly fit for purpose.  This is an example of Ronseal Hardglaze "OK"    :



 So final post will be in around a week, when the Yew project has hardened enough to polish.  I will cover the polish I use and show you the final result, good or bad

ThePrettyDamned

Necrobump - but thanks for this, really helpful. 

Andyjr1515

ThePrettyDamned said:

Necrobump - but thanks for this, really helpful. 

Excellent - it's saved me adding a long answer on the other thread I spotted this morning

Note, by the way, that the specific varnish I personally use is Ronseal Hardglaze.  However, this is only because when I started hand varnishing, the easiest to find was that product.  I've never used Rustins but, if it is an 'old fashioned' high volatiles polyurethane varnish, it is likely to have similar properties.

I haven't found the product/technique yet to be able to use the more modern low volatiles products but be aware that, like older type light bulbs, it is likely that the traditional poly varnishes will, at some stage, disappear off the shelves. 

It's worth plenty of trials and tests with this sort of thing because, usually, it is just a case of getting the right technique for your particular circumstances.  Also, new products are coming on the market all the time

ThePrettyDamned

Andyjr1515 said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

Necrobump - but thanks for this, really helpful. 

Excellent - it's saved me adding a long answer on the other thread I spotted this morning

Note, by the way, that the specific varnish I personally use is Ronseal Hardglaze.  However, this is only because when I started hand varnishing, the easiest to find was that product.  I've never used Rustins but, if it is an 'old fashioned' high volatiles polyurethane varnish, it is likely to have similar properties.

I haven't found the product/technique yet to be able to use the more modern low volatiles products but be aware that, like older type light bulbs, it is likely that the traditional poly varnishes will, at some stage, disappear off the shelves. 

It's worth plenty of trials and tests with this sort of thing because, usually, it is just a case of getting the right technique for your particular circumstances.  Also, new products are coming on the market all the time

Indeed. I managed to snag some ronseal, so same stuff as you. Be assume it's a newer formula but I'll be doing lots of practice. I may yet decide to try a different finish anyway, but ronseal was fairly affordable, and there is a ronseal grain filler that I know is compatible too. 

Will be testing the grain filler with added stain also, so lots of options for the finish. 

ThePrettyDamned

Oh bugger, I did get rustins polyurethane! Oh well, I'm sure it'll be similar enough and brush on much the same.