Please explain how to "tip off" varnish

[Andrew Helman]

Could someone please explain (in excruciating detail) their technique for “tipping off” varnish? Among the questions I have: Do you use the same brush you’re laying varnish with? Do you dip it in mineral spirits first or just after discharging the varnish on the project? Do you run it deep into the varnish so it “touches” the coat underneath or try to glide along the surface (which I’ve found tough with thin coats)? Is it supposed to pop the bubbles or move them (I’m finding it just moves them)? Do you airplane in and out or run the length of the surface?

I’m using a (fake) badger brush by Redtree (3 inch), and I’ve got a fair amount of control in laying a thin coat, much more control than the black china Purdy I was using. I get some bubbles no matter what I do, however, even with extremely thin coats brushed on. When I was working with epoxy, you could mist the surface with DNA to pop bubbles; too bad you can't mist varnish with MS for a similar result.

If you know of a Youtube that’s good with someone demonstrating tipping off, that’d be helpful too.

Thank you.
Andrew

[Tom McMahon]

Andrew, All varnishes are not the same. What are you using? With a good brush and the right viscosity you should not have bubbles to worry about. I don't use mineral spirits I use turpentine. Before each use dip the brush in thinner and shake out, this helps to keep the varnish from getting up into the ferule. To avoid bubbles do not dip the brush in the varnish more than 1/3 the length of the bristles, do not drag the brush against the edge of the container to remove the excess, instead press it gently against the side of the container. Tipping off is just lightly and gently moving the very tip of the brush across the surface to even out the varnish, if the bristles are bending you are pressing to hard. If the varnish is not leveling and any bubbles wont go away your varnish is probably to thick and needs to be thinned.

[Kent A Bathurst]

First: Scott and Howie are much more skilled than I - but I'll thrown down with what I can tell you, and maybe they will jump in:

Second: Something from Jamestown Distributors on their Redtree badger brush page [I had not heard of that brand before]:

"Badger Hair brushes are ideal for varnish, topside and high-gloss marine coatings. Badger brushes have a bushy appearance as the hair is stiff and tight near the root but soft at the tip. This soft bushy tip allows the bristles to hold more varnish.

Badger hair is somewhat stiff even in longer lengths. Most badger-hair brushes have a fan or round shape with a flat top for blending."

I think that is the wrong style brush. The tip needs to be generally firm, and have a shape that is more profiled than flat. I also equate the badger brush with waterborne, not oil-based.

Check these here: Take a deep breath. Remember: Cry Once. Even thought they call them shellac and lacquer, these are the ones for oil-based. They also talk about the waterborne/badger.

https://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/...ac_and_Lacquer

Other guys use other brushes with great success - I can only tell you about my experience, which is these - Scott got me onto these when I was having trouble brushing, and I never regretted the $$.

Third: Gently unload the brush against the side of the container. Hold the brush almost vertical - maybe 80*. Just the tips of the bristles on the very end of the brush should be lightly touching the varnish - pull gently, slowly, across the face with the grain. One pass. One direction. Slight overlap with each pass.

In sum: wrong brush for the finish. wrong brush for the task. practice-practice-practice your technique.

[Scott Holmes]

The Gramercy Ox-hair is my favorite brush for varnish... You may want to thin your finish a bit more if you are still getting the bubbles with the redline imitation badger hair brush. I have those same brushes and they work very well. I used one in my videoat the top of the forum because the camera guy said it filmed better than the ox-hair. It's 90% as good the ox-hair brush; is the brand you were using is about 20% of the ox-hair brush. It's MADE FOR PAINT!

They also make the best (IMHO) brushes for waterborne finishes too. They call them Gramercy brushes for waterborne on that same site. Well worth the money.

[Andrew Helman]

As always, many thanks.