Tung Oil Application Help Needed

[David Patnaude]

Hello,

I am finishing what I am calling my first real woodworking project. It is a mantle clock that I have constructed from Birch. I decided to finish the Birch with Tung Oil. I ended up with Minwax Tung Oil. Questions/Problems:

1. What do you use for application and buffing? I had some cheese cloth which seemed to work ok, but even though I think I sanded this thing really well, the cheese cloth seems to pull apart too easily. Trying to buff, foget it. The tackyness of the finish just pulls it apart.

1. Should I sand at all between coats?

2. Hand protection: I didn'y want to get the oil all over me, so I wore some heavy rubber gloves, but they had some previous finish on them and the oil ate through this year old finish and started to transfere to my work. I then tried some latex gloves. The latex gloves started to turn green and again transfer to the project. What do you use?

1. Do you put anything on top of the Tung Oil? Wax? I know that the Minwax Tung Oil is not pure Tung and is building up a glossy coat already.

Thanks, Dave

[Edwin Pawlowski]

You can apply it with a sponge, foam brush, brush, fingers, rag.

T shirts are very good for this. It should not be tacky though. Put on a thin coat, let it sit for a short time, wipe off the excess. Let it cure overnight

NO! Done properly, there is nothing to sand.

My hands. Tung and Danish oil wash off easily. There is noting harmful in it.

Nothing, but you can wax it. Ed

[Charlie Self]

Ed Pawlowski responds:

Agreed, but for the guy who wants his manicure neat, nitrile gloves work very well. If you're like me, you might not even wipe off the excess on the hands--covers some of the age spots, donchano.

Charlie Self

"Say what you will about the ten commandments, you must always come back to the pleasant fact that there are only ten of them." H. L. Mencken

[Anonymous]

-- I AM NOT PARANOID .. .. .. but EVERYONE thinks I am !! !! !!

[Dr. Rev. Chuck, M.D. P.A.]

Waiting too long before buffing causes tackiness. MinWax is notorious.

Try applying a light coat, waiting five minutes, then buffing. Re-oil and buff any dry spots until the application looks uniform. Repeat the next day as needed.