Even finish with penetrating oils??

[Charlie Harley]

How do you get an even finish on a bowl when using penetrating oils like Danish or tung oil? I use tung oil a lot when cabinet making, and it's easy to pour an even layer on a table top and let it sit a few minutes while the wood absorbs it.

But how do you get the oil to "sit" on a curved bowl surface long enough to absorb?

Also, I've noticed on both the interior and exterior of bowls, there are two places 180 degrees from each other where the gouge has to cut against the grain. These spots seem to absorb oil like there's no tomorrow. Is this normal? Is there something I'm doing wrong? Do I just put more oil on these spots and let it keep absorbing?

Your help is much appreciated.

 

[Griesbach]

Charlie,

If you strive for a better surface on the end grain the oil may go on more evenly but, still, it's like pouring it down a straw. I usually apply the oil and let it sit a while and then wipe off the excess. How long depends on the conditions of the temp and humidity. Cool and dry can wait a bit longer than hot and humid.

 

[jbburgoon]

I once built a bowl where the accompaning plans said to apply two coats of sanding sealer before applying tung oil. You would need to lightly sand after each coat is dry. I believe your problem is with the end grain of the wood. End grain is thirstier than edge or face grain. Before applying oil based stains to mantle clocks my students build, I have them treat the end grain portions of the wood with boiled linseed oil. This satisfies the thirst of the end grain and allows for an even color distribution.

 

[Barbara Gill]

All I ever use is penetrating oil. Yes, the end grain will absorb it quicker. Once you put oil on both sides, the absorption slows a little. I go back and brush the oil arund every so often. I allow the first coat to dry before putting on the second. After several coats (depending upon the wood) I will sand with 600 grit paper then put another coat on. If you have a very absorbant wood (i.e. cottonwood) be sure to allow the oil to cure before buffing. If you buff while the oil deeper in the wood still has a lot of solvents left in it, it will take forever to loose the smell. DAMHIKT

 

[MichaelMouse]

The answer is in all the posts but not directly stated. You have to have something on the surface before you can even out the oil finishes. Some compensate by polishing or burnishing the wood, or leaving sanding slurry to fill the pores.

One old woodworkers' trick is to burnish the endgrain with a grade or two finer paper then the face or quarter, so it closes up and takes less stain or finish. You have to to it for the entire piece in a turning. Paper bag works well to burnish. Gave up on shavings after I discovered that a bit of red oak mixed with the boxelder could screw things up.

 

[Frank Kobilsek]

Quality of the Oil?

I am begining to wonder if the quality of the oil is a factor also. I try to use items I can buy locally whenever I can so I swore by Formby's tung oil for the last year and a half. At the Symposium, Mike Mahoney said something like higher price realy does give you better oils for finishing. The new owner of my local Tru Valu hardware store was an engineer for some paint company before his Dad talk him into coming home to run the store, he agreed with Mike and promises to find me a better product than Formby's. So in the short term my Tru Valu guy sold me the $11 Watco danish oil instead of the $8 Formby's. I am working on several platters so maybe next week I'll get in a finishing cycle and let you know if it is $3 better.

Frank

 

[S. Clark]

I have found that the smoother the surface the better when it comes to oil finishes. Typically I sand to at least 400 before applying the oil. Many times I buff in a second coat using 600g paper.

The method that works pretty well for me is to pour a puddle into the interior of the bowl and swirl that all around. Then take a small rag, 5†square or so, and wipe the entire interior leaving it slippery. Then I use this rag to wipe the exterior, applying more to the rag as necessary until I can make the entire exterior slippery too. Then I let it sit for maybe 10 minutes, checking it frequently and spreading more oil onto the areas that absorb it. After that I use a fresh rag to wipe dry the entire piece. After it sits for a couple days I’ll repeat this process if the wood looks like it’ll take more. This is when I sometimes buff it in with the 600g.

I have applied sanding sealer previous to the above process but have found that this creates the need to wet sanding the oil into the surface to achieve a uniform shine. Some species of wood respond better to this than others.

A three step buffing is my finale. This process creates a warm, woody finish that I am partial to. I prefer this to the glossy museum coated surfaces that some people like.

I like Wato Danish Oil, though I have found that as you reach the bottom of the can, the concentration of the mix changes. I save this “backwash†for use inside closed vessels or other applications were the look isn’t important. I use a fresh full can, shaken well, for all exposed surfaces.

- Scott