Traditional Oil Finish Recipe

Comments

1. 
   catnovoa | Sep 15, 2016 03:31pm | #1

   Dear Editors

   I built this piece and I am very pleased with it. However, I noticed that two of the drawers contracted termites, not clear how. I have kept it in my woodworking shop and didn't bring it to the house yet. How I get rid of the termites? My email is [email protected]

2. 
   user-5513667 | Nov 08, 2016 03:04pm | #2

   I followed these directions to finish a cherry bookcase. 1st coat was a thin layer of shellac to control blotching. 2nd coat was straight Tried & True danish oil. 3rd and 4th coats were a mixture of 1/3 "Indian" spar varnish (expensive) + 2/3 Tried and True varnish. I waited at least 2 days between very very thin coats. Almost seemed like I wiped all the oil off between coats?!? But then after a few days you could see some of the oil that had settled on the cardboard the bookcase was resting on.

3. 
   user-7596799 | May 26, 2020 11:28am | #3

   I have used Epifanes for outdoor tables. It's very thick so the first 3 coats are thinned if you do it by their recommended instructions. In the process listed above, would you thin the Epifanes if that's what you used?

4. 
   topknot11 | Feb 22, 2021 05:00pm | #4

   I have just about completed a shaker style cherry chest of drawers. The drawer sides are poplar. Is it recommended to use oil/varnish finish on the inside of the drawers also or possibly something else like shellac? Planning to line the bottom drawers with aromatic cedar & I'm just trying to avoid the finish smell inside the drawers. Thanks for any suggestions!

1. 
   user7596380 | Jan 16, 2022 08:07pm | #5

   Since it's been almost a year since you posted this, I'll assume you've found a solution that worked for you. The idea of coating/sealing both sides (edges and ends) of a board (after assembly) is to try and equalize moisture absorption/loss to reduce the chance of shrinkage, warpage, splitting, twist, cup & etcetera of your completed project. Your idea of shellac [de-waxed, 1 or 2 thinned coats] is a good one for your particular odor-free requirements. I was gifted a 30" x 60" x 1½" hard maple, butcher block trestle table a few years ago which had a cupped top because the manufacturer cut costs by only finishing the "Show Face". I disassembled it, stored it in my little shop and now, the cup has lessened and I'm about to cut it in half lengthwise, flatten and laminate the two halves together and turn it into the main part of a new benchtop almost 3" thick. Trust me, when the bench is finished, it will be given several coats of Watco Danish Oil on all exposed surfaces -top to bottom, inside and out - to keep everything as stable as possible.

1. 
   John_C2 | Jan 17, 2022 05:52pm | #6

   There is absolutely no need to finish the insides or undersides of things. It doesn't stabilize anything, and won't stop it from moving.

1. 
   topknot11 | Jan 20, 2022 08:10pm | #8

   Thanks John. My goal was not necessarily to keep the wood from moving but to have it move as consistently as possible without too much finish smell. I did use the shellac inside as indicated and, so far so good...

2. 
   topknot11 | Jan 20, 2022 08:07pm | #7

   Thanks for the reply User.
   I did use a shell "wash" on the insides of the drawers along with the recommended tung oil/spar varnish for the outside of the chest & it worked out fine.