Peter, I’ve read of woodworkers using tung oil followed by wax. Often used to finish chairs, but how durable is it? Will the shine come off after a year of use? Will you have to buff it back to a nice shine every so often? Other than table tops can it and should it be used in most furniture applications? I’ve got so many questions.
I’ve been working in the kitchen cabinet industry for eight years and catalyst lacquers are the only thing used. Most finishers in the shops I’ve worked in do not know of other finishes. Nor do they know that you can lacquer or varnish over tung oil once dry. They think it will create fish eye.
It seems to me that oil brings out the figure more than any other product. I’m looking for a fast finish that is easy to use. I’ve experimented with tung oil followed by wiping varnish. That was easy. I used 5 padded coats, but lint is left behind which obsures the clarity of the finish. I’m using cotton rags. Is wiping varnish durable? Will it last for decades? Or is it so thin that it will wear faster? And is it really the master finish of equal parts linseed oil, spar varnish, turpentine. I have a hard time figuring this mixture out. How does the oil get a chance to dry it is stuck in the varnish?
I’ve used shellac from the can with a brush, man is that a long finish to apply. Rubbing it out sucks. It’s so much work. I can spend 60 hours building a piece and 20-30 finishing it. I rather not spend that much time finishing it. Too much sanding and rubbing. Also, with the rubbing my fingers get warm and leave their prints. I imagine its because the finish is old and no longer fully drying. Even though the can says I have two years of use after the printed date on the bottom of the can which is 2007.
Finally, I guess I’d like to know if the tung oil/wax finish is going to shine for years to come, and whether or not a linseed/spar/turpentine finish is really a wiping varnish? Thank you for your patience. I tend to ramble on when I write.
Replies
Hogy,
I'll get back to you next week, I'm leaving tomorrow to do seminars at a woodworking show this weekend.
Peter
I look forward to you getting back to me Peter. Enjoy your weekend. Thank you.
Wow, that's what hit me when I read this.
To really understand finishing from the stand point of your question I would strongly advise you to read a couple of books by people such as Jeff Jewitt and Bob Flexnor. You are guessing without any back up at this point.
Oil such as linseed oil in the wiping varnish you described does not get "trapped' in the varnish. The oil dries by oxidation not evaporation. As the turpentine evaporates, the oil starts to absorb oxygen and turn from a liquid to a solid. That is why linseed and tung oil are called drying oils. They will dry albeit slowly without anything else added.
Wiping varnishes by their nature are thin. A brushing varnish has more body. From a film thickness stand point which do you think will give you more longevity?
It also depends on the object being finished; what is asked of it? Is it a wall in a room or a table top that has a family using it on a daily basis. An oiled and waxed surface can be rejuvenated from time to time with a little wax and buffing. It's not a finish I would use on something that takes constant wear. Wax is exceedingly stable and will last for years if not abraded. Yet it is also fragile and will be worn away with constant use. It offers very little in the way of protection.
Use a lint free rag like an old handkerchief for applying oil. No more lint!
Shellac is a very easy to rub out finish, one of the easiest.
Personally I am not a fan of all these "special" oil recipes. It always makes me wonder why from a chemical stand point.
There is no one size fits all in finishing. Different coatings are used for different reasons. They are have life spans.
With due respect, you need to take the time to read, practice and understand finishing if you plan on doing it. There is a learning curve and it starts with reading.
The other option in business is to hire a finisher to do it for you.
Peter
Thanks for answering my questions. I have read Bob Flexner's book. But until you put into pracitise the techniques you don't know what to expect. I agree that shellac rubs out easily, but I think that more than 5 coats are required for it to not look sloppy. On my last coat (previous coats with a brush) I padded the shellac on trying to level the finish. It helped somewhat.
About hiring finishers, I agree with you. I'd love to find someone who could do what I expect them to do. I want the grain to pop. But the finishers I've worked with don't use aniline dye but pigment dye which obscures the finish. I know of someone who specializes in my area. I'm going to pay him a visit and see if he can finish for me in the future. Hope so.
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