Replies

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Oct 31, 2003 05:47pm | #1

   There are lots of ready made oil/varnish products. Watco, Minwax Antique Oil, Minwax Tung Oil Finish, Velvit Oil, Maloof, Deft Danish Oil, etc. All are pretty much the same.

   You can also closely replicate all of them by mixing equal parts of your favorite varnish, boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Wipe it on, let it set for 20-30 minutes and wipe it dry. Let it dry overnight and then do it again. Let it dry for 4-5 days and then apply a coat of paste wax if you want a little more luster.

   An alternative for a smoother finish, is to apply the second coat and then sand it in with 320 grit Wet&Dry sandpaper. This will create a slurry that fills the pores giving a smoother finish. You would not want to use this technique if your finishing objective is a natural, in-the-wood, penentrating finish.

   Be careful about applying more than three coats. Because of the high oil content, it is very soft finish. You can run into the surface becoming gummy.

1. 
   forestgirl | Oct 31, 2003 07:06pm | #3

   "Because of the high oil content, it is very soft finish. You can run into the surface becoming gummy."  I've done a little refinishing using home-made oil-varnish mixtures.  The varnish percentage can be increased quite a bit for the last coat.  Seemed to make for a more durable finish and did not exhibit any gumminess.

   "Tried and True" finishes were missing from the first list.  Here's a link at Jeff Jewitt's site:  http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/htdocs/OILSVARNISHES.htmforestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   HowardAcheson | Nov 01, 2003 12:14am | #4

   Yep Jamie, there is nothing magic about the standard mixture of 1/3 vanish, 1/3 boiled linseed oil and 1/3 mineral spirits. Many increase the varnish content to get a finish that is more akin to a film varnish finish. However, if you want the in-the-wood penetration and danish oil look, then adding more oil and mineral spirits is in order.

   The only problem I have with multiple coats of oil/varnish followed by a high varnish or pure varnish top coat is that you are putting a hard finish over a soft substrate. This is generally to be avoided if you want to maximize durablility.

   I stay pretty close to the standard mixture when I want to use an oil/varnish. Two costs--maybe three on some woods--pops the grain and provides minimal protection and durability and allows the feel of the wood to come through. I have a walnut entertainment credenza I built 30 years ago that was finished that way. Every five years or so, I wipe it down with mineral spirits and put on another thin coat of the brew. The cabinet still looks great.

2. 
   VeniciaL | Oct 31, 2003 06:06pm | #2

   Crazy,

   As you've probably heard, oil/varnish finishes are easy to apply and very forgiving about the methods of application. You rub them on, keep the surface wet for some period of time and rub off most of any remaining film. In between coats you may lightly abrade any pools or nubs or little bumps that have boiled out of pores. You keep adding layers every few days until you acheive the desired "build." The only difficulty to encounter is having the application set up too quickly. Then you just add more wet mixture or a little of the solvent that goes into it and get the piece wiped down.

   You can mix your own or buy it ready to use. There are as many recipes as there are cooks. Here are two from Sam Maloof:

   1/3 Linsed oil, 1/3 raw tung oil, 1/3 urethane varnish, semi gloss. (I do believe that partially heat polymerized tung is actually required).

   1/2 Linseed, 1/2 raw Tung oil, "some" shredded beeswax. Heat outdoors in a double boiler until the wax melts.

   I think you can buy Sam's recipes, premixed.

   Or use MinWax "Tung Oil Finish." It works very well, but must be fresh. I've found that once opened, the stuff changes its characteristics after a few weeks. On the same shelf at Home Depot where you'll find MinWax, there are many other brands. They all work more or less. Pick something, get experience with it.

   Be warned that you will encounter a myriad of products that call themselves "Tung Oil" or alude to being Tung Oil. Most actually are NOT Tung Oil, but Linseed. The industry apparently gets away with calling anything that performs as an oil, "Tung Oil." But you can get real tung oil from suppliers who call it "real" or "genuine" tung. I like tung much better than linseed. Fact is I really dislike linseed. There are lots of opinions to be had on this one point.

   Whatever oil you use, it MUST be capable of polymerization. Both raw tung and raw linseed will polymerize eventually. Maybe sometime after the universe cools and all the stars wink out. Polymerization is accelerated by adding metalic driers to linseed and it's then called ""boiled linseed oil" (BLO). It can also be accelerated by heating. Tung can be accelerated only by heating (you may read that tung is accelerated when mixed with BLO by the driers in BLO - NOT). Buy only BLO if linseed is what you want to use. Raw is for artists to mix oil paints with.

   Enjoy,

   VL