When you live in the Antipodes, off the beaten track.

[hughie]

As I live in Australia, some products are a real challenge to acquire. The Minwax range have long been my favourite and go to finish, and for a while they were imported at a pretty fair price. Then a local manufacturer of varnishes decided to reverse engineer the Wipe on Poly range and make their own version. The subsequent price war saw the Minwax product range disappear off the shelves here and the new version I am not happy with the new version. My favourite from the Minwax range was and is Antique Oil. But alas is ain't available in any shape or form, oh I can import it for myself, but the cost is way over the top at around $75 AUD per quart.
So I have been on a quest to duplicate it, or something close to it so far with not very successfully, and I have been at it for a couple of years. Has anyone had a go at making their own finishes akin to this product? What be grateful for any insights you care to share.

 

[Dean Center]

If I understand it correctly, Antique Oil is a "Danish oil" product, meaning it contains an oil and a varnish in a solvent. You might be able to learn which oil and which varnish from the MSDS, and mix your own, with a little experimentation.

 

[Brian Gustin]

@hughie I wonder if it would be worth looking up (youtube/google) Sam Maloof's mixture- I dont recall the exact recipe offhand, but I believe his formula (made from a mix of readily available ingredients) that might fit your antique oil? Doing a bing search for miniwax antique oil formula, nothing comes up specifically but it sure sounds a lot like the Sam Maloof finish recipe.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

You could experiment on your own further by starting with a basic blend of any oil-based brush-on varnish, mixed 1:1 with mineral spirits and adjust the mix from there. You can also mix 1:1:1 of that same blend but mix in pure tung oil or linseed oil, and adjust the mixture from there. This is how Sam Maloof did it. He had 2 recipes, and one added beeswax to the blend, if I recall. The recipes are in his book, and likely found here on this forum (by me, maybe?) from in the past.

If we think about it... the oil (tung or linseed, and the oil in the varnish) penetrate the wood. The varnish resins (polyurethane resin, alkyd resin, or whatever-resin) stays more to the surface and cures into the plastic film. The mineral spirits (or whatever solvent you use) simply thins the mixture for workability.

Oil-based finishes probably offer the most flexibility for blending to achieve whatever outcome you seek. More oil/less varnish= more natural wood surface (like your Antique Oil probably gave). More varnish/less oil= greater surface build and protection. More or less solvent= variation in application. Put on your Mad Scientist hat and have fun with it. There was nothing magical in that Antique Oil that you can't reproduce on your own.

 

[Dave Mueller]

This might help -

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L90Tt-lc7GI

 

[Dave Bunge]

hughie, you're not the only one having trouble getting Antique Oil. It looks like Minwax has stopped making it. See the responses from Minwax customer service in the Q+A section here: https://www.minwax.com/en/products/...l-finish#accordion-69cbedd7e3-item-43c478dde5

Minwax's technical data sheet gives some clues to the composition, but no specific details. "Antique Oil Finish is a clear, light amber, low viscosity liquid made from a balanced blend of linseed oil, varnish, and other premium oils. It is designed to be hand-rubbed into wood to enhance the grain and provide a durable protective finish." https://paintdocs.com/docs/webPDF.j...TION:,a volatile petroleum distillate solvent.

Safety data sheets list the potentially dangerous ingredients:

Good luck. I hope you find a suitable substitute.

I used a lot of AO when I started turning. I switched to Waterlox because it caused less yellowing. Recently I've been using Osmo PolyX hardwax, which I like due to the lower solvent content, fewer coats required, and less/no bleeding out of the wood pores as it cures.

 

[hughie]

hughie, you're not the only one having trouble getting Antique Oil. It looks like Minwax has stopped making it. See the responses from Minwax customer service in the Q+A section here: https://www.minwax.com/en/products/...l-finish#accordion-69cbedd7e3-item-43c478dde5

Minwax's technical data sheet gives some clues to the composition, but no specific details. "Antique Oil Finish is a clear, light amber, low viscosity liquid made from a balanced blend of linseed oil, varnish, and other premium oils. It is designed to be hand-rubbed into wood to enhance the grain and provide a durable protective finish." https://paintdocs.com/docs/webPDF.jsp?SITEID=MINWAX&lang=2&doctype=PDS&prodno=027426670006#:~:text=COMPOSITION:,a volatile petroleum distillate solvent.

Safety data sheets list the potentially dangerous ingredients:
View attachment 63284
Good luck. I hope you find a suitable substitute.

I used a lot of AO when I started turning. I switched to Waterlox because it caused less yellowing. Recently I've been using Osmo PolyX hardwax, which I like due to the lower solvent content, fewer coats required, and less/no bleeding out of the wood pores as it cures.

Waterlox is available here in Australia,but its very expensive https://www.amazon.com.au/Waterlox-...6&psc=1&mcid=53f8792ceb0b33d0acafd20fa7e8e576
Antique OiL, darn its gone, I used as per Keith Byrnes 10min method

 

[hughie]

You could experiment on your own further by starting with a basic blend of any oil-based brush-on varnish, mixed 1:1 with mineral spirits and adjust the mix from there. You can also mix 1:1:1 of that same blend but mix in pure tung oil or linseed oil, and adjust the mixture from there. This is how Sam Maloof did it. He had 2 recipes, and one added beeswax to the blend, if I recall. The recipes are in his book, and likely found here on this forum (by me, maybe?) from in the past.

If we think about it... the oil (tung or linseed, and the oil in the varnish) penetrate the wood. The varnish resins (polyurethane resin, alkyd resin, or whatever-resin) stays more to the surface and cures into the plastic film. The mineral spirits (or whatever solvent you use) simply thins the mixture for workability.

Oil-based finishes probably offer the most flexibility for blending to achieve whatever outcome you seek. More oil/less varnish= more natural wood surface (like your Antique Oil probably gave). More varnish/less oil= greater surface build and protection. More or less solvent= variation in application. Put on your Mad Scientist hat and have fun with it. There was nothing magical in that Antique Oil that you can't reproduce on your own.

Yup have been playing around with various mixes, just thought I would throw it out there to whats around.

 

[hughie]

@hughie I wonder if it would be worth looking up (youtube/google) Sam Maloof's mixture- I dont recall the exact recipe offhand, but I believe his formula (made from a mix of readily available ingredients) that might fit your antique oil? Doing a bing search for miniwax antique oil formula, nothing comes up specifically but it sure sounds a lot like the Sam Maloof finish recipe.

I have a copy of his recipes, thanks for the heads up

 

[Mark Jundanian]

@hughie , do give the hard wax oil products some consideration. I use Osmo Polyx Oil, but there are several other choices.

 

[hughie]

I see that its a Australian product? primarily for flooring with a life span of three years without maintenance, so it should last a good deal longer on wood turned art. Its odd as they have only a few out lets per state. But I will look into it, thanks.

 

[Adrian Wilson]

Lots of good answers, but here is my take, and the oil-type finishes I use, in no particular order. I do not like or use polyurethane in it's off the shelf form.

-proper polymerized tung oil like Lee Valley sells in Canada and the US; I should use it more, but have had some go off and I'm often not organized to bring it in before I need it

-wiping varnish; shop-made,off the shelf varnish (alkyd if I can find it, poly reluctantly) thinned with mineral spirits. 1:1 is a staring point; with poly I will thin it more, sometimes a lot more. You get a thin, hard coat instead of thick goopy poly, with excellent protection. My most often used 'oil' by far.

-oil/varnish blend (what the shops sell as Danish Oil etc.): varnish + boiled linseed oil + mineral spirits with a stating point ration of 1:1:1. less protection, easiest to use

For exterior use, I will swap in marine varnish.

I used to do a demo with my college woodworking class. I would buy the components (oil, varnish, mineral spirits), and make up a few versions of each for a LOT less money than the premixed varieties. One year we were making a very large trebuchet for a pumpkin tossing competition, so I made a jug of oil/vanish blend and labelled it 'Ma Marconi's 'Mazing Trebuchet Oil' (our campus is named after Marconi).

These days there are the new ones like Odie's and Osmo. I have yet to start trying those out, but it seems like many have moved from the old-school to these. They may be much better; don't know yet.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

@hughie , I thought Osmo was from Germany? but whatever. This video is from several years ago, but may be of interest to you. The video is about 13 minutes. It's been a while since I watched, but I think at some point he does compare some HWO products.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s9ggA1JvjrE