Replies

1. 
   CStanford_ | Jun 09, 2000 03:49pm | #1

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   Steve, I would recommend that you use Watco or another Danish oil preparation as these products are a more convenient formulation of linseed oil. They dry faster and have a small resin component that lends more water resistance. If you insist on boiled linseed oil, add one teaspoon of Japan drier per pint of oil to make your life easier.

   I apply Danish oil with a cheap brush and immediately start sanding it into the wood with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper. I used to delay the sanding until the last two applications. Now I sand each application and always with the grain of the wood. I use my hands, but a sanding block will work very well too.

   I usually apply from three to five "coats" over as many days. I switch to 800 grit sandpaper for the last two applications, always sanding with the grain of the wood.

   Sand the oily slurry for 20 to 30 minutes each application and thoroughly wipe and buff after each session with a good brand of PAPER TOWELS. Make sure to wipe all the excess oil off and watch for 'bleed back' on open-pored woods like Oak and Ash.

   Let the can of oil sit in the sun (unopened) for 20 minutes before you start. It will warm up and be less viscous, which seems to make the process easier (for me at least).

   Wax two days after your last coat (if using a commercial Danish oil). I like Liberon Professional, it has a high Carnauba content and buffs to a very high sheen, if desired. It dries fast and can be very tough to buff out if you let is sit too long. I start buffing after it's been on the project for about 30 minutes. I buff with a cheap Sears machine that I bought for about $30 bucks.

   You'll hear many times that oil finishes are "easy" and "foolproof". They are neither. Surface preparation of the project must be meticulous. Inconsistencies in the surface will not be masked by a film finish (varnish, lacquer, etc.) Additionally, you will expend a lot of physical energy sanding and rubbing down the project. I suppose they are easier in the sense that you don't have to have a dust-free room like you would if you were spraying lacquer or brushing a varnish. Oil finishes are forgiving in that regard.

   Your reward will be a project with a very smooth feel and a soft glow that absolutely DOES NOT look like it rolled off of somebody's assembly line.

   After you master applying oil finishes, then move up to wiping varnishes which do form a film finish, but in a subtle, warm way. Waterlox low or medium sheen tung oil varnish would be the way to go here. You might find this a better alternative if your next project uses open-pored woods.

   Also be aware that linseed oil will have an ambering effect on the color of your wood and darkens further over time.

   Good luck.

1. 
   Howard_Acheson | Jun 09, 2000 04:29pm | #2

   *Steve, boiled linseed oil is a poor choice for a stand alone finish. It offers no water or water vapor protection, it is slow curing and requires continuous maintenence. A step up, as suggested, is an oil/varnish finish. You can make your own by mixing equal parts of boiled linseed oil, varnish and mineral spirits or you can use Watco which is essentially the same.The linseed oil in the oil/varnish will "pop" the grain and the varnish resins will provide some minimal protection. It still requires some annual renewal or waxing but will give you a good finish with some degree of protection.

1. 
   CStanford_ | Jun 09, 2000 06:13pm | #3

   *U.S. Cellulose (or USC) makes a product called Danish Tung Oil that purports to have tung oil as the main component with other oils added. If true, this would be an oil finish with more water resistance than a predominantly linseed oil based finish. I'd appreciate thoughts on this......