I have a quart can of tung oil that is about twenty years old. It is a full can and the lid is very intact and the contents still sound like a liquid when shaking the can. I would like to use it on an outdoor project but I’ve been told that the “driers” have probably evaporated after so many years. Is this true? If so, can I do anything about adding new driers or should I simply toss it? If it is still useable, how should it be applied and should I steel wool the wood between coats? Many thanks for all your advice.
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Replies
Is it pure tung oil? If so, there will have been no driers added to it in the first place. Try pouring a little out somewhere and see if it dries. If it is polymerized tung oil (with driers), it should be hard in a day or two.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
(soon to be www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
What are you going to use it on? Pure tung oil is a relatively poor finish. It provides no water or watervapor protection and has no abrasion resistance. Tung oil is best used as a colorant for darker woods.
It's true that pure tung oil will have had no driers. Tung oil is also a very slow curing oil.
Actually I was going to mix it with some boiled linseed oil and brush it on my railings around my deck but winter has set in here in Minnesota so I'll just learn more about what tung oil is best suited for while waiting for spring.. I know it is quite expensive to buy and likely what you buy may not be as pure as what I have. Years ago there was a program on tv that touted the advantages of using it as a wood preservative. I believe the brand of tung oil was Hoppe's, which is what I have. It is "pure" according to the label on the can which back 25 or 30 years ago actually meant "pure". I'll continue my research.
Your mentioning Hoppe's just brought back great smell memories. Hoppe's #9 Nitro Solvent(gun cleaning solvent)Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Being in the mechanic field for most of my working life, I learned a zillion ways to do just about anything that needs being done! Hoppe's nitro solvent can be mixed with the crap penetrating oil one buys these days and the mixture can be used as a penetrating oil extraordinaire, rust remover, gun barrel cleaner, good cleaner for tablesaw tables (use with fine steel wool, then wipe down with tung oil - the pure stuff), you name it and that mix will handle it. WD-40 is good too but it is not a penetrating oil! Tung oil is quite a good product that for centuries in China was used to preserve their heirloom woodworks. I learned about it when I worked there years ago. I believe China was the only source for tung oil for centuries until recently. I've used it in wood projects but only to enhance the natural color of the wood and the grain. I know tung oil is used by many companies now as an additive to oil based stains and oil applications for wood. I have also seen it used in Japan as a rust preventive on farm tools and machinery that will be exposed to the weather for long periods. At any rate, yes, I had to smile myself when I read your "nitro solvent" comment. Now we're both a little smarter!
If what you have says "pure" then it will be the same as today's "pure". Pure tung oil is pure tung oil. It's a base material and there is absolutely no difference in brands. Hope's and Hoppe are two different things.That said, and in spite of marketing you may see, tung oil is a poor outdoor product. It was used for hundreds of years in China but, that was all they had. It's like linseed oil used in Europe. Just because it was used for years does not change the fact that today's finishes are far superior to those from years ago.The only way pure tung oil develops any protective qualities is after 8-10 or more thinly applied applications followed by aggressively rubbing in the oil. Each application must be left to cure for a week or more before the next application. Then, once you have it built up, it must have a new coat applied periodically to maintain its protective qualities.For an outdoor deck treatment, let me suggest you go to your local library and get the June and July copies of Consumer Reports. CU has been testing deck treatments for the past ten years or so. They report interim results in one of the two issues I referenced above. For the best info, that's where I would go.Howie.........
Put a few drops on some glass. If it dries or I should say gels smooth after a few days there are no driers or they are not working. If in a few days it looks all wrinkled it has driers.
In the Maloof finish I mix up he relies on the driers in the "boiled" linseed oil to speed up the drying of the pure tung oil that is mixed in. (boiled means it has a drier catalyst of some kind ) You can get cobalt drier or some such at the local art supply store in very small quantities.
Under do the drier rather than the " more is better " approach. I don't use tung oil straight but like the Maloof mix. I read the above info here in FWW some where.
roc
I have a little experience with Tung Oil. I do agree with
Howie on this. I would not use tung oil for an outdoor
project. It is not a strong, durable finish & will not stand
up to any kind of abuse.
Bill-
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