I couldn’t get the same tung oil as I found a couple years ago, so opted for the Woodcraft brand so as to avoid ordering and waiting for shipping. I’m concerned about drying time as there’s no indication there’s any Japan drier in it: “100% tung oil” but then again they say it’s a “fast-drying oil finish.”
So, anyone out there know? If I do add drier, what’s the ratio??
forestgirl — you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can’t take the forest out of the girl 😉
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Funny you should ask this question today. Yesterday, DW gave me a bottle of Woodcraft tung oil as a V day gift. Bless her heart! I had the same questions you're asking so I called Woodcrafts tech support. It is 100% pure as the label states. No dryers or additives and has not been polymerized by heat. I was told that most folks who use this product are using it to make their own blends. Maloof comes to mind. 1/3 tung oil, 1/3 MS and 1/3 varnish which would contain the dryers needed. The tech rep said you can add a dryer, but had no experience as to what ratios. Time to experiment. Good luck.
Chuck
>> "100% tung oil"
That's goodness Jaime. At least you know you got the real stuff
>> "fast-drying oil finish."
They lie. Pure tung oil takes weeks to fully "dry". You can add some japan drier but use less rather than more. Too much will actually prevent polymerization.
Well, looks like I'd better find some dryer (NOTE new info: Japan dryer doesn't work with tung oil; need a cobalt dryer) -- can't wait forever for it to dry. I put on the first coat yesterday, 50:50 tung oil and mineral spirits, excess wiped off. My dear advisor, Jeff Jewitt <g>, advises waiting overnight before the next coat. Since it's only 62° in the shop, I'll wait until tonight. Thanks, Charles, for doing the leg-work for me!
Just noticed you can buy it by the quart (rather than pint) at Rockler. Probably need to be sure that much is needed though, eh? Doesn't last forever from what I remember.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 2/16/2006 11:52 pm by forestgirl
If you keep the air out of the bottle, it'll last a long time. You can do it by dropping marbles or something into the bottle to keep the level high. One person recommended adding water, which will not mix with the oil. And finally of course you can split it into smaller jars. Anyway, I don't think it's particularly perishable unless it's exposed to air.
I wonder if you could preserve it by spraying nitrogen to replace the air (like they do for wine bottles). Heh.My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
It's all relative, I guess. Tung oil is "fast drying" when compared to linseed oil. Go figure.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
>> Tung oil is "fast drying" when compared to linseed oil.
When compared to raw linseed oil anyway.Howie.........
I vote for shellac or Krylon paint -- that's speed! Impatience.......forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Howard is right, that stuff takes a while to dry. I did a piece in figured maple and after my last coat of tung oil (the same stuff you've got, from Woodcraft) it was about a month before I couldn't smell the oil.
But it looked great. :)
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