Where do you buy UltimateSole ?

[Sven]

We need to redo the sole on Senta. This weekend we're planning to very lightly sand the existing finish and then apply Smiths Penetrating epoxy as an undercoat.

I've read so many positive comments about the UltimateSole product that it seemed like the ideal finish coat(s), but their website is hopeless.

http://www.ultimatesole.com/

Not even the contact pages seem to work.

So where does one buy it ? They have distributors on the East Coast, but not here.

Thoughts ?

Thanks,


-Sven

 

[Maine Sail]

Out of business

Ultimate Sole is out of business. Ultimate Sole was very similar in composition to a gym floor finish. The only problem with gym floor finishes is that they can be tough to find in less than 5 gal buckets. Be cautions buying "gym floor" finish as some that are sold do not meet the standards written for sealing gym floors and can be more slippery than you would want.

 

[Sven]

Bummer :-(

Thanks for the info. Being out of business could be a good excuse for a hopeless web site

Now I have to find something else. The Smith's went on well and actually soaked in through what must have been even thinner sole finish than I'd guessed. May end up putting on a second coat before the finish coats, whatever they end up being.



-Sven

 

[delwarne]

Smith's CPES Failure

Not to be a downer but I used Smith's CPES on my brightwork 2 years ago after several conversations with Mr. Smith himself and had complete failure the next year. I followed all instructions carefully yet it still peeled off like cheap vanish.
FYI
Del

 

[Emerald]

Hi Del,

I was hoping you could tell me some more about your specific conditions. I am battling what seems to be a water laden toe rail, and have been having a heck of a time with any finish. I had been thinking of trying to get it dried out and penetrated with Smiths and apply the first coat of varnish to the Smith's while the Smith's was still tacky. What's held me back is that Smith's advised that I get moisture content down to something like 25-28% minimum in the toe rail, and I don't think I've achieved that, so I'm in a holding pattern.

Any additional insight you can share about your scenario and application?

Thanks

 

[Sven]

What's held me back is that Smith's advised that I get moisture content down to something like 25-28% minimum in the toe rail, and I don't think I've achieved that, so I'm in a holding pattern.

How do you measure the moisture content ? Do you have a moisture meter or do you have to guess ?

I ask because I think we still have moisture around the portholes. They were supposed to have been rebedded so the damage was old but I am not convinced that it has not gotten worse and would like to get an actual measurement of the moisture content.

BTW, the Interlux instructions for applying varnish over epoxy say that

After the epoxy has cured, you must remove all the amine blush from the surface of the epoxy before sanding. Amine blush is the waxy substance that forms on the surface of the epoxy as it cures.

From the page at: http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...o?docId=307&title=Applying+Varnish+-+Interlux


-Sven

 

[Sven]

Hi Del,

Not to be a downer but I used Smith's CPES on my brightwork 2 years ago after several conversations with Mr. Smith himself and had complete failure the next year. I followed all instructions carefully yet it still peeled off like cheap vanish.

Was this on interior or exterior surfaces ? Susceptibility to UV damage is the first thing that comes to mind.

Sorry to hear about the problem. Doesn't sound like fun.


-Sven

 

[delwarne]

You're asking ME for help

Hi Del,

I was hoping you could tell me some more about your specific conditions. I am battling what seems to be a water laden toe rail, and have been having a heck of a time with any finish. I had been thinking of trying to get it dried out and penetrated with Smiths and apply the first coat of varnish to the Smith's while the Smith's was still tacky. What's held me back is that Smith's advised that I get moisture content down to something like 25-28% minimum in the toe rail, and I don't think I've achieved that, so I'm in a holding pattern.

Any additional insight you can share about your scenario and application?

Thanks

Emerald, I'm still laughing!
Hell it didn't work for me in any fashion. BTW I have used many gallons of CPES on my Cedar home with geat success. Go figure.
Del

 

[Emerald]

How do you measure the moisture content ? Do you have a moisture meter or do you have to guess ?

[snip]

BTW, the Interlux instructions for applying varnish over epoxy say that



From the page at: http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...o?docId=307&title=Applying+Varnish+-+Interlux


-Sven

Hi Sven,

Moisture meters run the gambit from cheap junk to high tech stuff - bet you never heard that before... A friend who works with wood daily has given me some basic guidance as I look around. Don't buy a Chinese made one on eBay - you get what you pay for.... , but that said, you should be able to find a decent basic one for $50+. The most basic have probes that actually put little holes into the wood. The more expensive types move away from this. To do something like FRP, you get into a whole new level of meters. JR Overseas is a source of FRP type meters, amongst other things:

http://www.jroverseas.com/

He did recommend searching over at woodweb. I hit their knowledge base with this search, and got some interesting stuff to keep you busy:

http://www.woodweb.com/cgi-bin/sear...&Terms=moisture+meter&submit.x=14&submit.y=17

Plus there are forums to check out.

A final thought on the Smith's. It doesn't produce amine blush like the West System, so it shouldn't be an issue with the varnish adhering. It sounds like the teak did not absorb the Smith's in Del's case.



Del - I'm thinking maybe we are sharing a similar problem with the toe rail. I think I'm wet from the inside out. It looks like water has saturated it around bung holes and also wicking up from underneath. I think it is time to run a bead of caulk down the inner edge between the toe rail and deck so deck run off doesn't work underneath and wick up from under the wood. I can sand it down, it looks dry, the varnish goes on and the film maintains integrity, but water then shows up within the year as bubbles under the film. You can push them around with your fingers. Cool for the first two seconds of discovery until it clicks what you're looking at.

 

[Sven]

David,

Interesting about Smith's not leaving a residue.

Your note about trapped moisture is mentioned on som West System page. If I remember correctly they caution against sealing exposed wood unless you can get under the edges enough to seal them too, or you can end up wicking in moisture which you then can not get out.

Thanks for the moisture meter notes too.


-Sven

 

[Emerald]

Hi Sven,

I was also thinking if I did run a bead of caulk down the toe rail and deck edge, I would leave the exterior edge "as is", so hopefully any water trapped in could get out, or at least there would be some breathing. I then argue with myself that I need to seal both sides and get it to dry, but then I should really pull it and redo it from scratch. Several E31owners have done this, and it is reportedly not a fun job.

I'm lucky that I can borrow a pretty nice meter when I'm at that point.

 

[Martin King]

David,



Your note about trapped moisture is mentioned on som West System page. If I remember correctly they caution against sealing exposed wood unless you can get under the edges enough to seal them too, or you can end up wicking in moisture which you then can not get out.



-Sven

This keeps happening to me on my toerail-the aft part I did not replace.
As long as the wood can absorb water vapor-which in my case is through
the chock fastener holes, it will eventually lift the finish off from underneath
no matter what you do. It really sucks after all the labor to build a nice
finish up only to have black spots and bubbles soon after.

Martin