Can someone out there calm my fears? I’m applying a tung oil finish to walnut and was putting on my first coat. I know I’m supposed to cut the first two or so coats with paint thinner or turpentine so I reached for the lacquer thinner instead. Did I just totally screw up?
Also, what advise does anyone have for tung oil. I’ve been woodworking for about three or four years and consider myself still a beginner and very ignorant about finishes.
My piece also has a curly maple highlight – a suspended shelf. I figured I should probably use a different finish for that (perhaps lacquer cut with paint thinner!) Any suggestions?
Replies
Crazy,
What brand of "Tung Oil?" There are soooo many prepations called tung oil that have little or no tung in them. Did the oil and the lacquer thinner "mix?" If so, you probably just made yourself some super-fast evaporating mixture. The lacquer thinner just flashed off, leaving the oil behind. Were you able to wipe the surface down before everything got tacky? If so, fine. If not you probably have a rough surface and you need to level it well with sanding to get off any nibs and ridges before applying the next coat - with NO lacquer thinner. In fact, you probably ought to sand lightly for good measure, after that concoction!
"I figured I should probably use a different finish for that (perhaps lacquer cut with paint thinner!"
What are you doing to yourself? You mix an oil with a lacquer thinner and now you contemplate thinning lacquer with an oil solvent!!!!
Paint thinner (mineral spirits) is for oil based paints, oil based varnishes, oils.
Lacquer thinner is for lacquers.
Alcohol is for shellac.
Listen up. There'll be a quiz on this stuff.
Have fun!
Rich
Edited 11/6/2002 3:08:53 AM ET by Rich Rose
Edited 11/6/2002 3:10:16 AM ET by Rich Rose
Thanks!
I'm using Woodcraft's pure tung oil. The concotion seemed to mix well. I didn't notice anything unusual until I realized my mistake. I'm mainly worried about discoloring or any effects the lacquer thinner would have on the oil. Would it keep it from drying or polymerizing or doing whatever tung oil should do?
On my follow up coats, I'm using turpentine to thin the oil, cutting less each time. At three or four coats I'll use just straight oil.
I was joking about the lacquer with paint thinner - just repeating my mistake in the other direction. I'm thinking about EF's water based finish to keep from any yellowing. Or should tung oil - applied correctly - work just a well on the maple?
Ray,
"I was joking about the lacquer with paint thinner "
Yeah, I got that. I was joking too. It's hard to convey that kind of thing just with text. And I REFUSE to use (*ugh*) "emoticons.
Gotta go. I've got some water based lacquer that I'm gonna thin with mayonase and balsamic vinegarette. I hear that's the trendy way to apply finish now.
R
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