Replies

1. 
   bill_1010 | Jul 21, 2003 04:24pm | #1

   Its in the same family as Boiled linseed oil.   Its a penetrating finish made from the oils of the nut of the tung tree.   Most store bought tung oil contains mostly mineral spirits and very little tung oil.   Tung oil is usually found in three ways, imitation tung oil (mostly a thinner and a varying combination of other oils), tung oil (label reads tung oil as primary ingredient) and polymerized tung oil (best as its pure tung oil thats has been kick started to cure faster)

   Its a reactive oil, curing like varnishes, meaning that the oil oxidizes with air to cure.  Curing times for tung oils vary but take a long time to cure weeks to months to cure fully. 

   Penetrating oils offer an easy to apply and great effects. However they dont offer great wear and protection from water.   Meaning that they arent that well suited for kitchen countertops, tabletops, bathroom areas and outdoor projects. Oils should be avoided for the insides of drawers due to the possiblity of oil transfering to clothes if not fully cured.

   Rags must be dried before discarding as the reaction generates heat and could combust if the sun moon and stars are aligned right...

1. 
   Jimma | Jul 22, 2003 12:22am | #2

   I know you were joking about the sun, moon and stars, but a friend of mine absentmindedly left a small rag with linseed oil in it on a shelf in his worshop and lost about half his house to fire. The smoke damage did the rest. The insurance negotiations that followed were an additional wakeup call. Better to soak those rags in water, then dry 'em.

2. 
   Paul_Snyder | Jul 23, 2003 12:25am | #3

   If you contact the show, they'll tell you that the "tung oil" used is actually General Finishes' Sealacell and/or General Finishes' Arm R Seal. These GF finishes are a nice polyurethane thinned for wiping application.

   His application technique seems a little odd, not so much that he doesn't let it penetrate the wood, but rather that he does such a small section at a time. Once the finish wets the wood, you can wipe away the excess; once dry, the wood will be sealed and the finish will be very thin for an "in the wood" look.

   For too much info on tung oil (and linseed oil), take a look at this link - Oil Finishes.

   Paul

3. 
   mrles | Jul 23, 2003 05:05am | #4

   I've used pure Tung oil off and on for 35 years and on certain applications it can't be beat. The first time I used it was on a wall of cabinet type bookcases I built. I wiped on a very thin coat of pure Tung oil, let it set 30 minutes or so wipe off excess, let it dry 24 hours buffed it lightly with 0000 steel wool, dry wiped it down and applied another coat. I did this 3 or 4 times. I lived in that house 7 years when I left it still looked good. I had 3 children they would set a wet cola can on it, my wife and I would set a hot cup of coffee on it, it didn't affect the surface at all. It doesn't have a high gloss but it does take the abuse of everyday use quite well.

   Gods Peace

   les