Thread: Adventures in Tung Oil

Originally Posted by tumtatty

I apply the finish I want then, after it dries, I begin with the CA. I have been using an oil based finish with polyurethane (Arm-R-Seal by General Finishes). Then follow the CA directions in the wiki.

Tumtatty,

Are you having any bonding issues between your first coat of CA and the oil based finish of the Tung Oil? How are you circumventing this?

I haven't had any issues (at least that I'm aware of). The CA sticks to anything as far as I can tell. I just make sure the oil has dried. I haven't sanded or prepped the surface at all.

Originally Posted by Sasquatch

Good to know that for future referance, many thanks! Do you think it would be the same for linseed oil and similar then?

I use Boiled Linseed Oil on my gunstocks, but haven't tried it on scales or brush handles yet. I would imagine that BLO is easier to work with than tung oil so I'd guess there would be no issues.

This is after a solid week of drying. I didn't touch them since the pic at the beginning of the post was taken. I would describe the finish as satin and the feel is still oily.



This is after wiping off excess oil, buffing with green rouge on high(8) on a dremel with the smallest circular felt bobs, and then finishing with renaissance wax on a fresh felt bob. The pic really doesn't do the finish justice. It looks like a deep hard waxed floor and the feel is smooth with no oily residue. I'm typing this in the dark on my laptop and I can reach over and feel the scales and the difference between the unfinished and the finished is easily noticable... very smooth, no satin. It almost feels like hand worn.

Tomorrow, I'm going to take one of the other scales and use micromesh on a foam block and sand it from 1500 up thru 12,000 and post results from that. As it is, the finish from the green rouge and ren wax is very satisfying. Time will tell how the tung oil finish holds up.

I'm happy enough with the finish on the scales that If the wedge and pinning goes as well, I'll be sending one set out to someone special here at SRP that has mentored me and brought me very far, very quickly. The second set will go to someone else that I'm trying to do the same too. That damn black palm might just rot in hell... or just rot.

More pics, hopefully showing the contrast from the unfinished tung oil and 20 minutes of rouge and wax.

Oh, in case you all are interested, this is the original material after significant sanding. The raw ends are where I had it clamped down to my desk and didn't sand it. Those finishes are raw material sanded from 60 grit thru 12,000 grit. Even though the black palm wood looks smooth, it is actually still HIGHLY textured. The black spots are harder and slightly raised versus the light spots which are softer and hence sanded down faster. It's a not unpleasant texture. I will be doing another set just like this and trying a CA finish. That would look very nice under glass. The other wood just looks darn good no matter what.