Tools & Materials
Tried & True Wood Finishes - Varnish Oil
Tried & True Varnish Oil didn't fare well in several tests of wipe-on finishes.
Aug 01, 2006
The author tested 15 wipe-on finishes, including a water-based finish and both tung-oil and linseed-oil-based finishes. Pure boiled linseed oil and Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane, a brushing finish, were added for comparison. All the finishes were tested on pieces of red-oak plywood cut from the same sheet. Tried & True Varnish Oil stood out as the worst performer. It was hard to apply, had no sheen, offered poor water resistance, and still hadn’t dried after 30 days. It was also more expensive than most.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Rockler Deluxe Panel Clamp
These clamps can handle glue-ups between 10 in. and 36 in. wide, and boards up to 3 in. thick. Sliding feet attach to the lower bars with magnets, letting you position them quickly for stability on any surface. The spring-loaded jaws adjust easily, dropping into notches along the bars. And the powerful clamp handles clear the benchtop.
Sawstop Miter Gauge
It has a toothed angle-setting rack that is extremely solid, accurate, and easy to use, and it offers all of the features I love in a miter gauge, including the ability to add an auxiliary wood fence, and a flip-stop that will accommodate it.
3M Blue Tape
One of the most versatile accessories to have in the shop: from layout to seaming veneer. It has enough stretch to pull joints together.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
Comments
Clearly the author did not read the 'how to apply' directions. We have been using this exclusively for years and love all T&T products - especially in a school setting when toxicity is a real issue.
Yes, I completely agree. I think that this is a great finish IF you follow the directions. Use just a little and rub it in. Let it sit an hour, then wipe the wood again. It shouldn't be left thick on the wood. After three coats, I buff with a buffing wheel and white diamond (for my turnings) and you can indeed get a nice satin to semi-gloss sheen. Such a shame... to poorly review a product because the author didn't read the directions. T&T Varnish is easy to apply, cures well and quickly, and it is very cost effective because it is 100% solids - a little goes a long way because there are no thinners in this varnish.
This has certainly not been my experience with T&T finishes. As already mentioned in comments, it would appear label directions were not followed in this author's tests. Tried & True finishes are the simplest and most fool proof I have found, easy to apply, pleasant to work with, non-toxic, and provide a beautiful satin sheen that is nice to the touch and easily repaired. I've used them exclusively for all my projects for many years and I love the results.
“still hadn’t dried after 30 days” – a clear sign that the application hadn’t been performed to the manufacturer’s guidance.
I’ve been personally really happy with this finish but it must be applied thin; just enough to discolour the wood fibres and you’re in good shape.
This article should really be amended.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in