Darkening Danish Oil

[Mike Rinken]

I'm finishing my mission style benches, and I'm trying to match the table as best I can (we bought the table as it was exactly what we were looking for at a fraction of what it cost to build it. :( )

I'm using 2 Danish Oils mixed to get the right color and when I flood the surface it's the right color. The problem is when I wipe it off, it lightened considerably. I've used Danish Oil in the past and have been really happy with the finish, but for some reason this is giving me fits. So I have 2 options:

1. Put a stain over the top of the Danish Oil. I don't want to do this but will if it's my only option.

1. Darken the Danish Oil with something, but the question is what. I've mixed Watco Dark Walnut with Fruitwood to get the color I'm looking for.

I can also use the Watco dark wax finish to darken it a bit as well, and planned on doing that to the legs and underside, but the top will be getting several coats of poly for durability. Is there such a thing as darkened Poly?

AGGGG!!!! Help here please! Thanks guys.

[David Zaret]

mike,

i've had good success tinting poly with Transtint, and then spraying it. i've also brushed the tinted coats on, but with more difficulty.

the effect is essentially a "lens" onto the wood, creating a nice even colored surface.

good luck!

--- dz

Mike R> I'm finishing my mission style benches, and I'm trying to match the table as

[Mike Rinken]

Also, I've put on about 3 coats now. Looks sooooooo perfect when I apply a coat, but then you have to wipe it off, and there goes the color!

[David Zaret]

mike ---

i recently had to build a desktop in white maple, with a *dark* stain. it wasn't easy, but here's what worked (and it's a technique i'll use again, for sure):

1) sand to 220, use mineral spirits to check for swirl marks, etc. sand, sand, sand 2) one wiped-on thin spitcoat of shellac to prevent blotching 3) get some bartley's gel varnish and use transtint to tint the varnish to an appropriate color (in my case, a combination of dark mission brown and another) 4) let dry for a day or so 5) mix up an oil-based poly with transtint, and spray multiple coats until color is dark enough 6) after dry, rub out with wax and 0000 steel wool

the nice thing about this finish is that you can get a rich color but still see the wood grain through it, without blotch.

good luck.

---- dz

Mike R> I'm finishing my mission style benches, and I'm trying to match the table as

[Eric Yancey]

Mike,

I don't know what species of wood you used, but you might just be able to put those benches out in the sun for a couple of days to darken them. I made a bar top out of mahogany a while back and let it get a nice sun tan a few days and it really darkened to a nice color.

I'd recommend trying a sample first.

Hope this helps,

Eric