Varnish problems

Hi, I could use some advice. I've been trying to varnish a piece of furniture for the past week without sucess. It is a 1930’s buffet server (typically used in the kitchen) that I bought at a flee market. I cut a whole in the top for a drop in sink, and was going to use it for a really cool bathroom vanity. I’ve been recommended to use marine varnish on the top to prevent water damage, so I bought Captains Zspar Varnish and got to work. I wanted to keep its look / color / patina, so I didn’t want to strip it down to bare wood, and so my adventure begins…

<1> 600grit W/D sandpaper til dull, wipe with damp cloth, varnish… result fish eyes.
<2> steel wool, and more varnish on top of 1rst fish eye coat… same fish eyes.
<3> 320grit W/D sandpaper down til dull, beyond fish eye depth, wipe clean –w- mineral spirits, and varnish … result fish eyes.
<4> steel wool, wipe clean –w- mineral spirits, thin varnish –w- mineral spirits and apply… result fish eyes.
<5> surface prep –w- cleaner (I think its acetone like stuff), it takes off all the previous varnish and surface shine and get the surface nice and ready, varnish… result.. yup fish eyes.

What do I need to do? Go with Polyeurothane? Strip til bare wood? Please help.

Reckon someone has polished it with a silicon polish at some stage.
If you are spraying a finish anti-silicon additives are available for Automotive finishes. Otherwise just wait for another suggestion on this forum.

It's no consolation at all to you, I know, but this post will be a great place to refer people to when they post questions about why they shouldn't use silicone in their workshop. :( . Go to an specialist automotive refinishing supplier and see what they have for you, they might just get you out of the pooh!

Keep silicone where it belongs! out of the workshop and in bikini tops! :D

Mick

You need some "prepwash" that they use on cars before they start applying paint... great for removing wax/grease/silicon and finger prints(oil!).

Dulux call it Prepsol. Use lots on a clean rag, pour it onto the rag, don't dip it in and keep using fresh clean rags or you just keep spreading the silicone.
Graeme

Esentially your problem is as descirbed by others. Mick has given the best advice so far. If you were using spray application the solution is easy. And dosn't involve additives.
Prepsol really isn't going to help now at all, at best marginally, but get some as anything helps

From a pro view I would suggest sanding it back to timber again or almost back to bare and apply VERY light coats of sealer which has been reduced considerably. Somtimes this will seal the silicon in, but long term results of this are unkown to me but it does work. Cause if you just keep putting coat on coat on coat your going to end up with 10kg of finish on the thing and still have the problem..... Oh, and yes use prepsol cause every little bit helps in the fight against such foes.

I have some prepsol left over from some car painting I did a while ago (Jack-of-all-trades, I guess) Will the prepsol strip the color / stain / patina?

when I started with the first attempt, I intentionally took the chance and not cleaned with any chemicals for fear of color damage. Obviously, after that, I changed my thinking and tried mineral spirits, then surface prep (which is basically acetone), now anything that will work.