Applying Behlen's Rock Hard Vanish

[Keith Starosta]

I am looking for some tips on what most would consider the proper application of Rock Hard varnish. Is it best to apply with a rag or a brush? If a brush, should it be foam or bristle? Is it better to cut the varnish (with what?), or just use it straight out of the can?

Thanks very much in advance for any advice!!! :)


- Keith (Rookie Finisher)

[Keith Starosta]

Nobody?

Bueller? Bueller?

Is this thing on?

;) :D

- Keith

[Michael McCoy]

I haven't felt the need to use it but they also sell:
BEHLEN BEKHOL SHELLAC REDUCER
Proprietary solvent used to cut dry shellac, manufactured spirit stains. and varnishes.

[Robert Payne]

Behlen makes a Reducer specifically for RockHard Varnish. I've used the varnish several times and they recommend reducing the varnish to 50% for a seal coat and up to 25% for additional coats. I've always applied it with a high quality china bristle brush and make darn sure there is no dust hanging around. You must clean the brush thoroughly between coats; I've used it on African Mahogany and Bubinga with great results. I usually sand with 220 grit between coats and carefully remove sanding residue with tack cloth and reducer on a clean, lint-free rag before the next coat. On my last project with Bubinga, I sanded the finish coat to 1000 grit (starting at 320 grit) to produce a beautiful satin finish with great depth. Good stuff and hard as a rock! You'll never see water spots on this stuff (I refinished an inexpensive veneer-topped kitchen table 3 years ago with it and it has never had a water spot since with daily heavy use).

[Mike Melofchik]

Greetings all,
This is my first post. I've been using Behlen's Rockhard Table Varnish in my wood studio. I really do enjoy the beautiful results it has given me on three big projects. The problem is that after about a month of opening the can, the material turns to a gelatinous glob which is unusable. This happens with the non-diluted, and the 25% diluted material. Has anyone else run into this trouble? I've used other varnishes and polyurethanes before, but I've not run into this trouble this quickly. Is there something I should be doing to prevent this?

Regards,
Mike Melofchik
The Woodworking Chemist

[Michael McCoy]

Greetings all,
The problem is that after about a month of opening the can, the material turns to a gelatinous glob which is unusable. This happens with the non-diluted, and the 25% diluted material.

Regards,
Mike Melofchik
The Woodworking Chemist

That is the result of exposure to the air and the curing process has started. I keep a lot of squeezable plastic containers and decant all of the leftover finish into those. You can squeeze the air out and put the top on to allow as little air as possible. That won't delay it indefinitely but will slow it down. There are commercial products to eliminate the oxygen but this works well for me.

[Jesse Cloud]

Good advice above. Use a good bristle brush, clean it well between uses. Use the rockhard reducer for the seal (first) coat. Take your time, let it dry per instructions between coats. Wait a couple of weeks before you apply wax or put it to use - it continues to harden that long! Don't buy more than you will need - it doesn't keep.

Having said all that, I love that product. Put it on my dining table about a year ago and its still like new. When it gets dirty, I just spritz it with water and wipe with a clean cloth.

[Robert Payne]

Greetings all,
This is my first post. I've been using Behlen's Rockhard Table Varnish in my wood studio. I really do enjoy the beautiful results it has given me on three big projects. The problem is that after about a month of opening the can, the material turns to a gelatinous glob which is unusable. This happens with the non-diluted, and the 25% diluted material. Has anyone else run into this trouble? I've used other varnishes and polyurethanes before, but I've not run into this trouble this quickly. Is there something I should be doing to prevent this?

Regards,
Mike Melofchik
The Woodworking Chemist
I preserve all of my oil based finished by giving them a 2-4 second blast of Bloxygen (http://www.bloxygen.com/), which I purchased at Klingspor's Woodworking Shop (http://www.woodworkingshop.com) in Hickory. Good folks -- I have no vested interest with either firm, but it works and they are good folks.

[Steve Schoene]

Just to be clear, the reducer for Rockhard is not Bekhol. Bekhol is just a good grade or relatively slow drying denatured alcohol for shellac. Spirit varnish or spirit stains are also have alcohol as the base. Bekhol will not work with Rockhard. Rockhard has its own specific reducer, which is basically a good grade of mineral spirits.

[Rob Amadon]

Rockhard has its own specific reducer, which is basically a good grade of mineral spirits.

Hi Steve,

What is the difference between Rockhard's mineral spirits and any other mineral spirits?

Rob

[Steve Schoene]

I'm not precisely sure, but the Rockhard reducer is about 50% mineral spirits, with most of the other 50% being "hydrotreated distillate light" which is also called hexane. I gather this is a relatively strong, fast evaporating solvent. There are also small amounts of xylene, another relatively strong solvent, but slower evaporating. Why this particular mix is "better" really I don't know. Mineral spirits may (most likely will) work OK.