Thread: Question on Tung Oil finish & sanding

Gents, I'm close to sanding up some ebony for a Puma. CA, other high gloss finishes don't seem right - considering Tung Oil.

In using Tung, I'm reading a 50/50 dilution w/ turpentine will enable the best penetration for the first coat, after which - just pure tung oil. I also read that sanding with the sandpaper wet w/ the oil is good for sealing up pores, assisting w/ water resistance. The question is at what grit level is wetting the paper w/ the 50/50 tung/turpentine start? 400? 6? 800? Do you keep using that process all the way to the top of the micromesh papers?

'Very much appreciate your help.

You have already proven to me you know more than I ever will, just by the questions you ask.. heheh, good luck man, I can't wait to see the finishes product!!

M

Here's what works for me:

Do your wash coat (50/50) first. let it tack for a few hours. Then do a regular coat. Let that dry overnite. Go back the next day and rub on another coat with 600 grit wet/dry. dry. last coat, regular. dry.

Then after all this, that's when i go in with the finer 3m papers and a buff.

If I'm using a tight grained wood, then I don't burnish at all. Just had rub 4 coats in and sand/buff.

hope this helps....I'm not a professional wood worker in the least....this is just what has produced nice results that I'm comfortable with.

Maxi's formula is similar to what I would do in many ways.

Just a quick question, are you using real tung oil, or Tung oil "finish" (like fromby's which is actually a wiping varnish)? I'm assuming that it's the real stuff. In any event, you'll get good results with the tips you've gotten so far. If it were me, I'd do the same with more coats... but many roads lead to rome... good luck

Oh... sorry, the reason I ask about the tung oil "finish" is that if I were using the finish instead of pure tung, I'd stop sanding the wood at an earlier grit (320-400) so that it had better adhesion and then try to rub it out a bit after a bunch of coats.. now if it's pure tung, I'd feel more comfortable going super smooth on the wood and letting it soak in and dry and do like you've said before.

Gents, thank You!

I bought some Formsby and returned it unopened after see Maximillian's comment that he only uses 100% Tung. 'Turns out Woodcraft carries it, and also the micromesh, albeit at full prices.

'Sure hope I can find 'Rome'.