Replies

1. 
   Scott_y | Jul 05, 2008 10:50pm | #1

   You have to wipe off all of the excess Tung Oil for this product to cure properly. If the basket pocketbook is what I think it is, it would be virtually impossible to get all the excess oil out of the little crevices where the strips of wood overlap. You may be able to blow the oil off with compressed air, but, I have no idea how well that will work.

1. 
   Gretchen | Jul 05, 2008 11:13pm | #2

   Have to wonder how this was chosen as the finish. The ones I have seen look to be varnished.Gretchen

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Jul 06, 2008 01:56am | #3

   Was the finish a real 100% pure tung oil or one of the faux Tung Oil Finishes" like Minwax?

   Even though real tung oil takes a very long time to dry, it should be dry by this time.

   I would really need to know a lot more to try to figure out the problem. How was it applied? Was it wiped dry after letting it set on the surface for 15-20 minutes? Was any type of finish applied under the tung oil?

   Howie.........
1. 
   VTbasketmaker | Jul 15, 2008 01:13pm | #7

   the tung oil was made by Masters in Manlius, NY. My letter to them was returned promptly --unable to forward etc. And internet searches didn't turn anything up, so they have probably gone out of business. It was a pure tung oil. I put it on with a rag, rather liberally, to work it in to the oak staves between the rows of cane weaving. Then I wiped it with a clean rag. The cane usually wipes off pretty clean, being a hard finish itself that doesn't absorb. It's possible that the bottle was in the barn over a winter. Usually we bring all the paint and related stuff into the cellar to stay warm, and this could have been missed. Anyway, this spring I used paint thinner on a rag and wiped and wiped and wiped the basket to see if that would help. It might be a little less sticky.the base of the basket is cherry, and that feels a little bit sticky but not as bad. that can be sanded easily and redone.This was the first time I used tung oil. Before I got Behlen's salad bowl finish which was easy to use and worked fine. It's hard to find though.Hope this helps you help me!Ann

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Jul 15, 2008 03:26pm | #9

   Master is a brand name used by H. Behlen.  They moved south some while ago which is likely why there is no forwarding address in force now.  Try http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/BehlenBase.html which gives an e-mail form specifically designed for finishing questions.   I've never found many companies that are very responsive to e-mails, but they might be an exception.  But, costs nothing except 10 minutes. 

1. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 17, 2008 03:33pm | #10

   So she's not ignoring you, she's just left the barely civilized world for a less-so world.  Hopefully she'll return, LOL.

2. 
   rwhpi1 | Jul 17, 2008 06:32pm | #11

   Dear VT:

   In reading your post about Masters in Manlius, NY; the supplier for your tung oil - Masters is no longer in existence. Manlius is only 7 miles from my shop in Chittenango, NY. Is it possible that your tung oil was frozen at any time? If so, it may have become unstable and like "turned shellac" it will never dry. A quick test is to take a scrap piece of fir (2 x 4 material; not treated wood) and coat 3 sides. I'd use the fir because it's a medium between a hard and soft wood. Set it out in the hot sun and perioodically check its drying status. If it doesn't dry in about a day, the oil has probably gone bad.

   As far as Behlen's, I've used it many times with success mostly on toys or items that will be in contact with food. The cheapest supplier I've found is Rockler Hdwre. (rockler.com). Have used them for over 5 years and they have great customer service and even have a toll free "live person" woodworker's help line.  Good Luck. - Bob

1. 
   Samson | Jul 17, 2008 06:40pm | #12

   Hey, Bob, just had to send a shout out.  I grew up in Syracuse, and my mother still lives in Jamesville, and Dad in Canastota.  I live down here in Maryland now, but look forward to visists to Central NY, especially in the Summer. ;) 

   Take care.

3. 
   dkellernc | Jul 19, 2008 02:26am | #13

   Ann - I can't help with what may have happened to your particular bottle of tung oil that caused it to fail to dry.  However, I've a comment that might help with the problem at hand - removing said tung oil from a project that has a lot of crevices.

   I've finished carvings before with an oil product that didn't dry and remained sticky for weeks.  It would be impossible to remove all of the finish from these carvings with a rag - there are too many crevices that are hard to get to.

   In my case, I filled a 5 gallon bucket about halfway with mineral spirits, and soaked the carving in it (with occasional stirring) for about 24 hours.  The oil finish product was soluble enough in the mineral spirits to extract most all of it from the carving after this treatment.  I removed the carving and allowed the remaining mineral spirits to evaporate over about a week's time.

   This treatment resulted in a surface to the carving that looked a little dry, but was otherwise free from the sticky residue, and it accepted a couple of thin coats of Watco Danish Oil without any issues.

1. 
   Anandaji | Jul 19, 2008 03:41am | #14

   I had the same problem with woodcraft 100% pure tung oil.

2. 
   VTbasketmaker | Jul 15, 2008 01:15pm | #8

   ps. the tung oil probably wan't on 5 minutes before wiping. There was no other finish used before the oil.
   A

3. 
   knothead | Jul 07, 2008 06:01am | #4

   Has this product been exposted to freeze cold temps...if so the dryer in the oil may have been weaken...Blkcherry

1. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 07, 2008 06:27am | #5

   Hi all.  Thanks for your comments, I've emailed my sister the link, hopefully she'll be able to answer your questions.  She's no neophyte with this stuff, so the more basic questions, like wiping it off, can, most likely, be answered in the affirmative.

   Ed

4. 
   dtraversi | Jul 08, 2008 06:35am | #6

   Same thing happened to me once- Pure tung Oil- followed directions per usual practice-
   ended up stripping it off after 6 months-

   The only thing I could reason was the stuff had turned- 2 years in the garage- high heat summers freezing cold winters.

   I only buy enough for the project at hand these days.

   good luck

   dave

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