Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 12, 2010 08:50am | #1

   Tried & True Varnish Oil

   Tried and True Varnish Oil is noted for being very slow drying, especially if applied in more than extremely thin coatings. 

   Epifanes is a great spar varnish, isn't very quick drying, and definately, but definately needs thinning even when being applied by itself.  As good as it is I would never use it for any furniture application.  Spar varnish just dries too soft to be a really good furniture finish. 

   Thinning was clearly needed.  When you did thin, you say it  "...did not come out too good."  What exactly was the problem?    You can expect slow drying varnishes to have collected some dust--that can be buffed away.  Are there other problems? 

1. 
   [email protected] | May 13, 2010 08:34am | #3

   oil varnish finish

   Its finally dried after about 10 days but the problem was that even after thinning it I still had spots that were tacky. I've bought a qt of danish oil and a qt of varnish oil by tried and true. I've also bought a pint of the epifanes spar varnish (all of which was not cheap). Any suggestions as to how I might best use these products? The oil seems fine-should I not mix the epifanes and the oil varnish and simply use each product alone in a thinned version? If so, how much thinning should I do?

2. 
   DonStephan | Apr 12, 2010 05:57pm | #2

   I suffered through a Tried and True experience this winter also.  Regarding the 2/3-1/3 mix, it still needs to be applied very thin, the emphsis on "applied".  Wiping off well after putting on a wet coat will not result in reasonable drying times.  Apply a little bit to your applicator pad (folded piece of clean white cloth for me) and rub vigorously to APPLY a thin coat to the surface.  Then vigorously wipe with clean paper towels until nothing more is removed and the towel moves easily across the surface.

   I kept the thermostat at 75 deg F after applying the mix and still had spots take a week to ten days to cure.

   My next project will use 1/3 boiled linseed oil, 1/3 mineral spirits, and 1/3 alkyd varnish.  I'll not try the Tried and True products again.

1. 
   Gretchen | May 13, 2010 09:03am | #4

   What you are applying is a soft finish--much like Watco. It needs a top coat for durability.

1. 
   SteveSchoene | May 13, 2010 10:14am | #5

   Yes, it is very much like Watco, but the application matters greatly in determining if a top coat is needed.  A great many applications don't really need more, especially since refreshing the finish and eliminating the minor signs of wear that would accumulate is just a matter of cleaning and applying a refresher coat.  Only heavy use items, or items where the style requires it really need a film finish. 

2. 
   [email protected] | May 14, 2010 08:06am | #6

   If I wanted to apply two coats of oil (watco or tried and true danish oil for example) would I apply liberally and then wipe down letting it dry for a few days for each coat? Then I would like to apply a thinned down spar varnish as a topcoat. How much thinning should be done? How should the spar go on for success and how much drying time would I need?

1. 
   SteveSchoene | May 14, 2010 08:33am | #7

   I would not recommend spar varnish for a top coat on furniture.  It is designed for exterior use, where flexibilty due to wide changes in humidity, and in its marine application, lots of flexing of the materials it covers, is needed. The flexibilty makes spar varnish relatively soft.  Furniture doesn't need that.  Consequently interior varnishes will hold up better since they are harder and  more water resistant.  Yes, spar varnish is less water resistant than interior varnishes as counterintuite as it seems.  

2. 
   JerryW | May 14, 2010 09:18am | #8

   Try General Finishes Arm-R-Seal Urethane Topcoat. This urethane varnish is easy to use, gives a marvelous finish and is very durable.  It comes in satin, semi gloss and gloss, but all can be rubbed out to your taste with 0000 steel wool.   Try it and you will never go back!!

   Jerry

3. 
   pcott | May 14, 2010 09:35am | #9

   I use tried and true for everything. I apply it with a balled up cloth very thinly, and rub it in until it is pretty well dry. I use 0000 steel wool between coats, and let it dry for a day between coats as well. This works for both the varnish oil and the traditional finish.

   I really like the fact that it has no driers in it, so it is non-toxic, as I have a child who is very sensitive to such things. It works great.

4. 
   DonStephan | May 14, 2010 08:27pm | #10

   Tried & True Recipie

   Howie:

   https://www.finewoodworking.com     enter in the search box "tried & true"

   Click on the link titled "Finish Recipie:  Shaker Chest of Drawers - Fine Woodworking Article" and that should take you there.  It's about 1 or 1.5 pages, just on using the finish recipie.  Apply it very thinly . . .

   Hope this helps.

   Don Stephan