: That's what I was afraid of. I was hoping to avoid painting it. Maybe a few
: strategically placed pinstripes will hide most of the problem areas. I
: guess I'll try sanding some more too because if I have to paint it anyway
: I may as well give it a shot. Just out of curiosity, do most people paint
: after the epoxy fill coats but before the varnish?

If you really really want to go with all wood, first of all make sure that the old-epoxy spots you're trying to even out aren't lighter because the epoxy has soaked into the pores. If so, you'll probably have a difficult time matching it. That could be why sanding hasn't brought the oxidized wood up to match the color of the spots.

Even so, you have a couple of options. First off you can dye the entire hull with a water or alcohol-soluble dye. (you must use a wood dye- stains are not compatible with epoxy) That will make everything else darker. This wouldn't help EXCEPT- some liquid dyes (like TransTint) can be used to tint epoxy. Once you have darkened the entire hull, mix up a tiny bit of epoxy and tint it with your dye, then carefully paint it over your drips with an artist's brush until you get the color evened out. Be sure to do quite a few tests to make sure your tint is right, or you'll just exacerbate the problem.

Second- there are bleaches made for wood. They're intended to use when redoing hardwood floors, but I've also used them for "distressed-look" cabinets. They're made from industrial-strength hydrogen peroxide, and are often available at home centers, but usually at specialty suppliers. You can bleach the hull, then go back with a dye and dye it back to the color you want.

A bit of work in either case, but if you're dedicated to a bright finish, it may be well worth the effort for you.

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