Newbie - varnish questions

[rbrandywine]

Well, I've just about talked myself out of refinishing my library with pure tung oil based on the information I've been receiving here and my own experimentation.

Why?

1) I applied some and it was not glossy enough to suit me

2) It isn't as easy to apply (and get right) as I had earlier thought

3) It requires refreshing every 6 - 12 months (!)

Actually 1 alone is probably a show stopper, so I've decided to use a wiping varnish. Questions I have related to this:

1) How do Formby's Tung Oil (Low and High Gloss) compare in gloss to Minwax's Tung Oil

2) (I'm getting educated just enough to become dangerous ;-) ) -- wiping varnish is a hardening oil combined with a resin and a thinner, right? And the two most popular types of resins are alkyds and poly? What are the pros and cons of one over the other and what is in the Formby's and Minwax?

Thanks again in advance!

[David]

I've never used the High Gloss version of Formby's. I use the low gloss version and IT is too glossy for me. :) I apply 3 or 4 light coats, BTW.

Dave

[rickluce]

Minwax makes a great wipe on varnish. Easy to use and a great product. Just read the directions it's nearly foolproof(There is always some fool that will screw it up).

don

[nospambob]

[dadiOH]

No penetrating oil is glossy. Or even close to it. With enough coats and some work you can get a nice glow out of it.

Note that the glossier the surface the more it will show everything...poor sanding, non-flat surface, dust specks, etc. A glossy surface is very hard to do (right)... it is time consuming and requires considerable skill and experience. _____________

I have no idea what you were doing but oil finishes are dead simple. The only person I ever saw screw one up was my father-in-law - he put it on too thick and didn't wipe off enough. Wound up with a sticky mess. ______________

No it doesn't.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[rbrandywine]

Wow, thanks, this might cause me to do a rethink of my rethink. As for how I screwed up an oil finish -- I didn't -- I have done one yet, but I've *read* here that you can have problems with the oil not hardening and also with it oozing out of the wood if you apply it incorrectly. Sounds as if that's what your father-in-law did.

[David]

-

Not true.

[Leon]

I am clueless, I avoid both.

May I suggest General Finishes varnishes. Arm-R-Seal in particular. Apply with a rag if you like and the finish comes out great. Woodcraft and Rockler both sell that product. Available in the sheen that you prefer.

[Lew Hodgett]

RE: Subject

If you truly want be be in the high cotton, use marine varnishes, available from a marine chandler.

Beautiful stuff, but pricey.

The consumer stuff available from the typical DIYs, would not be my choice, but then I'm in California.

There are some very experienced people on this list when it comes to finishes.

Some of them will share their secret skinny, some won't.

Lew

Lew

[dadiOH]

Which one is? Not tung oil...not linseed oil...

[dadiOH]

No, he didn't wipe it off well. One reason I suggested thinning it is that less - but sufficient - gets on and it is easier to wipe off.

Oil never gets hard. Not hard hard. It gets solid but is still sort of gummy. Not sticky, just something that can be easily dented with a fingernail.

Sometimes, after wiping, oil will reappear here and there. No big deal, wipe it off. Even if it has hardened, still no big deal...you are most likely going to be applying numerous coats anyway. If you aren't, it can be sanded.

There are really two ways to do an oil finish. One way is a couple of coats a day or so apart. That gives you a basic oil finish. Second way is with many coats each a day or so apart. If the wood was well sanded originally, that will ultimately give you a very pretty, smooth finish that glows but isn't glossy like a glossy top coat material. Rubbing on the last coats with #0000 steel wool will help. Once it has dried, one or more coats of wax will shine it nicely. Still won't be like a glossy top coat though.

-- dadiOH ____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06... ...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that. Get it at

[rbrandywine]

Thanks for all that info. This is for my library/study. Do you think the oil finish will be okay for books to sit on -- or will they pick up the oil?

[David]

wrong AGAIN! some tung oil formulations are glossy. You've got to get out more. :)

Dave

[dadiOH]

It will be fine, they won't suck up any oil. And for that purpose I'd just do a couple of coats.

dadiOH

[dadiOH]

If it's a tung oil formulation it is no longer tung oil. So there :)

[rbrandywine]

That's right -- even this newbie knows that a tung oil formulation is a wiping varnish.

[David]

If the label says "Tung Oil", I see now reason for you to nit pick and call it something else.

Dave

[David]

spell checker is useless for many of my typos: should have read "...I see no reason..."