Violin Forum/Message Board

BobW · Junior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2013 Posts: 10

I recently bought 2 100mL bottles of Spirit Varnish from Int. Violin Ltd. The golden yellow color looks great but the varnish is just too thick to apply evenly. I placed about a 50 -50 mixture of denatured Alcohol and the varnish into a test jar, and applied it to a scrap piece of wood. The alcohol seems to break the color and the mixture did not spread evenly on the scrap. I tried again using an approximate 75% varnish and 25% of alcohol mixture using a eyedropper (9 drops varnish, 3 drops alcohol. I arrived at the same results, where the alcohol does not seem to be the correct thinning agent. Although I read denatured alcohol is the correct thinning agent for spirit varnish but oil varnish uses a different thinning agent. Can someone please educate me what should be used for thinning Spirit Varnish? Thanks

L P Reedy · Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 8:02 pm Post subject:

I recommend calling them or emailing for advice. I have found them to be very helpful. I notice they sell Bekhol for that purpose, but I don't know what it contains.

BobW · Junior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2013 Posts: 10

LP, Thanks for the reply. I had planned to contact International Violin, and have had issues with them whatsoever but if it's simply something like denatured alcohol, mineral spirits, toulene, etc, I'd rather get a local supply than pay shipping and wait another week.

DonLeister · Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 9:35 pm Post subject:

The denatured alcohol should work. Hmmm.

kjb · Super Member Joined: 06 Feb 2013 Posts: 385

maybe the denatured part is the problem? try using pure grain if you can get it in your state?

L P Reedy · Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 6:22 pm Post subject:

Is your alcohol fresh? If open to the air it can absorb water. Ken Wise, at IV, will give you good advice without trying to sell you something. The only spirit varnish I use is shellac dissolved in either denatured alcohol or anhydrous isopropyl alcohol, so I'm not much help.

ctviolin

Mat Roop · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 5:48 pm Post subject:

Bob... let us know how you make out... but I think the alcohol needs to be 99% pure. Regular denatured alcohol from the pharmacy is significantly diluted with water.
I have used Methyl hydrate (99.9% pure stove alcohol from the hardware store) ... but it is toxic so use it according to safe practice.
I have also purchased 99% pure Isopropyl alcohol from the pharmacy.
Both of these have worked for me in retouching and polishing... But I have not used it to finish an entire violin.
love to hear your solutions!
Cheers, Mat

BobW · Junior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2013 Posts: 10

Mat,

Sorry for the late post.

You are correct. The Bekhol is nothing more than alcohol with a lower percentage of water. Rather than chance using off the shelf pharmacy grade alcohol, I bought a quart of Bekhol, and had great results.

rs · Posted: Wed May 14, 2014 1:46 pm Post subject:

Bob, when I have problems with spirit varnish, blotchiness, irregularity, etc., I can always trace it back to my brush or my application method. I use my best brushes for spirit. Oil varnish by contrast can be applied with inferior brushes and worked a bit. Currently my favorite for spirit varnish is a Grumbacher Bristelette, I try to put it on in one pass. Back and forth lifts the underlying coats and is virtually impossible to fix when it does. This is why a lot of people use sprayers for spirit varnish. All of the suggestions for thinning thus far given have worked well for me. The thinning agent has rarely if ever been my problem. Brush quality and technique have always been the culprit when I met failure.
_________________
Randall Shenefelt

BobW · Junior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2013 Posts: 10

L P Reedy · Posted: Tue May 20, 2014 4:59 pm Post subject:

I thought that was what you meant.