Do you guys have any tips on speeding up the process for finishing scales with oil?

I like the look of oil finished scales (been using Tru-oil) and I like the easy maintenance of oil finishes, but the process is time consuming.

Based on my informal perusal of woodworking sites across the internet, most sources recommend 8-10 coats for a high gloss finish. One source recommended 17 coats! The Tru-oil bottle says that the oil will dry in 2 hours, but I’ve found that this estimate is wishful thinking. I can apply a coat in the morning and maybe a coat at night for two coats a day at most. It’s also recommended that the last coat cure for a few days before buffing (some recommend a full week of cure time). At this rate, it’s easily taking me a week or more to get 10 coats properly applied.

Accordingly, I’ve experimented with soaking with a 50/50% mix of oil/turpentine. I’ve tried experimenting with using the 50/50% mix for all coats. I’ve tried applying coats when the previous coat is not 100% dry in an effort to “double” up the applications. I’ve tried experimenting with hand buffing each coat dry to the touch a few minutes after each application. In the end, the process still takes a while.

Anyhow, I’m curious how you pros apply their oil finishes (how many coats, exact process, etc.)?

Thanks a million!