Hello,
I am preparing to finish my first project using tung oil and wax. I watched the oil and wax video on FW’s Getting Started in Woodworking series, and they recommend flooding oil onto all sides of a piece during one coat. They place the piece on two wooden tracks to let it dry. Later, when they wipe off the excess oil, you can clearly see lines from where the piece sat on the tracks. I am concerned that these lines are going to be visible after the piece dries and more coats are applied. On the other hand, oiling all sides at once would save lots of curing time. Please let me know what you think.
Replies
If is really a pure oil then the process of wiping off excess should leave not film on the surface, and the supports would be unlikely to show.
When folks say they are using tung oil they are seldom actually doing so but are more likely to be using one of the "tung oil finishes" Some of these are just wiping varnish--no oil at all, and others are mixes of oil and varnish. Seldom much if any tung oil in these.
There is a good reason for the difference. Pure tung oil makes a very pure finish and is expensive to boot. It is very slow drying, with temperatures around 70° it you should probably wait several days between coats. Sand lightly with 400 grit before applying the next, and expect to take ab out 5 coats before the sheen gets to be an even satin.
It will differ only slightly from using boiled linseed oil, BLO. The tung would be a very little bit lighter in color, and a very little bit more water resistent than than almost non existent water resistence obtained from BLO. I would strongly recommend using an oil/varnish mixture instead of either pure oil. Any oil/varnish mix will give a finish more resistant to water spotting, will only need to be "refreshed" every couple of years, not several times a year as with the pure oils. Otherwise you won't be able to visually tell the difference, and the application methods are exactly the same. Apply liberally (there is an exception), let penetrate for a short time and then vigorously wipe off all excess from the surface. Let cure and repeat the process. The exception, on open pored woods, especially oak, and especially red oak, make the first couple of coats very light, just enough to cover. That way you will have less problem with the oil or oil/varnish bleeding out of the pores. Even so I do oil/varnish finishes first thing, while I have other tasks in the shop. That way I can check it every 15 to 30 minutes to wipe off any bleed back before it hardens on the surface.
What's your project?
And listen to STeve.
Maybe it is a good finish for YOUR project, and maybe not.
Thanks for your help. The project is a bed frame. We were hoping to use a straightforward natural finish on red oak, ideally one that is non-toxic and will not outgas. The oil and wax method seemed to be pretty basic, and we like the soft waxy glow. I do not know much about the the safety of varnish mixtures. Please let me know if you have suggestions for a mixture or a product.
Edited 2/26/2009 10:11 pm ET by bdwillard
Oil/varnish mixtures are entirely safe when cured. In the US all clear finishes are non-toxic when cured. They there is some initial evaporation of mineral spirits but that is gone in a relatively short period--a matter of days. Any oil based finish, including the pure oils, has a bit of odor that lingers a bit longer, but on an item where the finish isn't enclosed, like inside a cabinet, this will become un-noticable in short order. An oil/varnish mix will be ideal for that use. You can wax after oil/varnish has a week to cure.
Which finishing video are you referring to?
It is the FWW "Getting Started in Woodworking" video series - season 1, video #10.
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