Oiling a rocker.

[Dave Lehnert]

I have a rocker that a friend would like for me to "Oil"

The rocker is made of oak. The rocker is old and looks to have been finished with shellac but 99% of the shellac is gone. Looks like unfinished wood now.

What would your recipe for an "oil" to finish the chair. Please be specific. The word Varnish can have different meaning to different people.

[Steve Schoene]

A problem arises from having some portion of the chair with shellac still on it or even if worn off the surface, still imbedded in the pores and grain. In the worst case an "oil finish" which should be made with a mix of oil and varnish not a pure oil may not penetrate evenly enough to achieve an even sheen. I don't think there is a high probability of that happening, but... Of course, using shellac again could be very attractive, and need not end up high gloss. In any case, the first thing you would want to do is give it a good cleaning, first with a water based solution, such as a small amount of Dawn in water, or if particularly dirty, TSP in water. Then use naphtha to remove oilly dirt.

As far as an oil/varnish mix, the oil would be Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO) and the varnish would be any oil based varnish, even using a varnish with polyurethane wouldn't be a problem. A typical recipe would be equal parts of BLO, varnish, and mineral spirits. If the varnish you have on hand is a wiping varnish you would use less mineral spirits.

[Scott Holmes]

An oil finish is not very protective. It is unlikely that the shellac is gone. More likely an oil only finish.

I would suggest an oil/varnish blend. Mixing a varnish with an oil and mineral spirits to get an "in-the-wood" finish a.k.a. "Danish Oil". Watco and Minwax Antique Oil are examples. You can save money and make your own by mixing ~equal amounts of the 3 ingedents.

Varnish to me and most on this forum is a resin cooked with an oil to produce a new molocule called "varnish". A reactive finish thinned with mineral spirits or naptha. Alkyd, urethane or phenolic are the resins; linseed, soya or tung are the oils. Most varnishes sold at the big box stores are linseed oil/urethane resin varnishes. (many have alkyd resin too, which make them harder; urethane is tough, not hard)

[Dave Lehnert]

So is the Waterlux product like this.
https://www.hardwoodlumberandmore.com/Products/ProductDetail/tabid/119/rvdsfpid/193/rvdsfcatid/45/Default.aspx
be the same as mixing BLO, Polyurethane, Mineral spirits ?

[Prashun Patel]

The Waterlox products are all varnishes - resin forming varnishes.

[Scott Holmes]

Dave,

No, Waterlox sealer is a wiping varnish, this varnish was MADE from phenolic resin and tung oil. The site you linked is a buddy of mine, Steve Mickley, finishing guru.

Adding an oil to Waterlox sealer would make it an oil/varnish blend.

[Steve Schoene]

Scott, Waterlox is one of my favorite finishes. And, I've always thought of it as a phenolic resin varnish, similar except to the oil, to Behlen Rockhard. But as I read the ingredient list on the side of my can of Sealer/Finish, I see Ester Gum (CAS 8050-31-5) which is a resin based on rosin. Any thought on the impact of this, compared to Rockhard. I see Rosin modified phenolic as being an ingredient in varnish for printers ink, but don't know anything more about the chemistry of this all.

[Scott Holmes]

Steve,

Makes two of us that don't know for a fact why it's in there. If I had to guess... It would be only a guess and useless.
I see that Ester Gum (CAS 8050-31-5) is listed on the Original too. I'll see what I can find. I don't use the Sealer/Finish just the satin and gloss or marine for outdoor stuff.

I agree that Behlen's Rock Hard Table top varnish and the Waterlox Original are close in color and performance. I give the edge to Waterlox for being better at waterproofing and stopping water vapor (no varnish can completely stop either) due to the fact that's it's made from tung oil instead of linseed oil.

Tung oil's real claim to fame is that varnish made with tung oil instead of linseed oil or soya oil is better at waterproofing and stoppng water vapor.

[Dave Lehnert]

Dave,

No, Waterlox sealer is a wiping varnish, this varnish was MADE from phenolic resin and tung oil. The site you linked is a buddy of mine, Steve Mickley, finishing guru.

Adding an oil to Waterlox sealer would make it an oil/varnish blend.

I stop in and see Steve often. His place is very close to me.

[Cody Colston]

What would your recipe for an "oil" to finish the chair. Please be specific. The word Varnish can have different meaning to different people.

Hal Taylor uses and recommends Deft Danish Oil Finish for his rockers.