Before trying a wood insert I thought I'd practice on a flat piece of wood to get my skills in order. I'm using a fast-drying Polyurethane. With every coat I get hundreds of little tiny bubbles in the finish. Blowing through a straw helps some but there are many left when dry. I sand down with 600 -1000 then put another coat on only to have all those bubbles again. With rod finish we have just about whiped that problem. What could I be doing wrong ?? I even tried warming the finish to about 80 degrees but that didn't help. I'm using a sort of soft brush that's made for varnish... Any ideas anyone. I don't want to start inserts until I get this bubble problem fixed....... Thanks...

Rick

I would spread on tin foil and let set for a few minutes and the use a spaula to spread it on the project, you may also want to put some heat on it using a butane torch. Why would you want to use a fast drying Polyurethane? Using a slow cure would insure a deeper penitration into the wood
\Good Wraps Bob

Maybe the wood releases some air???

Ya know Kim, I thought about that too but I used a good sealer and these bubbles are still showing up after 4 coats of the Polyurethane. I guess I should have said that I'm practice finishing a piece of wood 2 feet square so I can get my brush stroke down. With the right light you can really see those bubbles. I would hate to have something like that in the sun.. Thanks for the insight...

Rick

Are you shaking the urethane or stirring it?


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Tom, No shaking just an easy stir to mix it up.. I dip the brush about 1/3 in the finish then apply. Could it be that the bubbles are from trapped air in the brush ?? I looked in the can of finish and don't see any bubbles.

It could be. Try a different brush. Something very soft if possible.

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Could you be applying the finish too thick? If so you could be forming a skin over non-dry finish. The bubbles could be from solvents trying to escape. Are the bubbles forming during application or after?

James

Also when you dip the brush in, press it to the side of the container. You will see bubbles releasing from the brush.

this is possibly going to open a can of worms about hazardous materials etc but one of the old guys who showed me how to finnish cane rods always used the varnish on his finger and put it on in a one direction motion along the grain,
he never had any problems with the finnish on his rods...or in fact his gunstocks but thats another story...

Hope this helps

Thanks to everyone that had some insight into the bubble problem. I just finished putting on another coat and found out that I was the one creating the bubbles by moving my brush to fast across the surface. As I watched I could see bubbles forming across the back side of the brush. When I slowed down, no bubbles formed except for a couple of very small ones that were easy to get out. To live and learn, ain't it fun !! Thanks all !!

Rick

I've had good luck using a foam brush.No bubbles to speak of and they cost very little.