Thread: CA vs. Tung Oil (?)

What are the pros and cons?

CA Fast, great clear look, very short work time and expensive
Tung oil very slow, cheap you still need a sealer. Its great if you want that look.

I agree with Ken.

Drying time of CA and tung oil are like night and day. The price of CA is high but you can get a can of tung oil for about $15.00. The can of tung oil will last for more than a hundred sets of scales.


I cannot comment on the use of CA because I have never used it. However I have used tung oil extensively. There are two different tung oil finishes. One is pure tung oil and the other is tung oil mixed with shellac. I do believe that the added protection of tung oil is important for finishing scales because of the deep penetration. Since scales are regularly exposed to water and various moisture the added protection is good.

Tung Oil is a VERY SLOW application. It takes 24 hours curing/drying time between coats. And complete curing does not really occur until about 2 weeks after the last coat. I do seal the tung oil after the last coat usually with poly.

So the answer is based on your personal desire.

I do intend to try CA on a set of scales to see how they look.

I will post the results after I do the test.

For a more detailed explanation you can Google "finishing with tung oil" to get a better description and some user comments.

I was looking at the polymerized tung oil at lee valley.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...at=1,190,42942

I thought this might give me water resistant, durable and a bit quicker.
CA is superglue? a 2 ounce bottle of hotstuff is $12.50 so I don't think price matter much either way.

Truthfully I don't mind wait time isn't an issue for me I'm doing this for myself and am in no rush.

- Bob

They are both good finishes. The main difference that I see is CA is more of a film former, it covers wood a coating of finish. The tung oil is a closer to the wood finish. CA is great for glossy, and probably offers a bit more protection. Tung oil looks more natural. Both of them accentuate the figure well. I have used them both and been happy with both. I just depends on look you are going for.

Charlie

Sorry to jump into this thread hope you guys don't mind, but how do Danish oil compare to tungoil and CA?

I have to say that I think pure Tung Oil is an excellent product but I would never, ever buy TO that has added hardeners etc. Pure TO will keep indefinitely, the less air exposure the longer the life span. So always decant into a smaller container as it dwindles.
I am a tool collector & use TO on any wooden part ~ First coat ~ always generous, apply with a soft cloth, let it soak in & then remove the excess. 24 hrs later a light coat ~ any excess can be wiped off. I've never had a problem with too much oil or with drying time affecting the finish ~ and TO can be reapplied anytime you like.
.....momma

PS I have read posts about making scales from wood, ivory, bone etc If you ever try to make scales from shell be very careful as the dust is extremely toxic .

Originally Posted by momma

I have to say that I think pure Tung Oil is an excellent product but I would never, ever buy TO that has added hardeners etc. Pure TO will keep indefinitely, the less air exposure the longer the life span. So always decant into a smaller container as it dwindles.
I am a tool collector & use TO on any wooden part ~ First coat ~ always generous, apply with a soft cloth, let it soak in & then remove the excess. 24 hrs later a light coat ~ any excess can be wiped off. I've never had a problem with too much oil or with drying time affecting the finish ~ and TO can be reapplied anytime you like.
.....momma

PS I have read posts about making scales from wood, ivory, bone etc If you ever try to make scales from shell be very careful as the dust is extremely toxic .

Great info, thanks,

Wood dust from sanding or turning can be very toxic. Here is a link to a toxicity chart from the Greater Vancouver Woodturners. It breaks down toxicity by type and wood. It is best to wear a mask when sanding. My Dad turned me several sets of handles for my espresso machine using Cocobolo (which happens to be very toxic) and ended up with a chest cold/infection that took months to get rid of. I machine sand my scales on a large belt/disk sander and final sand by hand. I wear a mask during both operations.

Dave, what kind of mask do you use? A regular white dust mask or a more elaborate mask with filters?

Just want to know before I start on those kinds of woods and end up with an infection!

Mark