Watco Danish Oil

[Dale Coons]

I see a lot of you use Watco on bowls. I just tried it on a bowl, but it's kind of dull, so I got to wondering if you all don't follow up with something on top--or do I just head to the buffing wheel?

[Darren Jamieson]

I just bought some to try but I know that I really like the look of a waxed finish so I'll probably do a finish coat of paste wax after about 3 coats of the oil.

[David Gilbert]

I've used lots of Watco on my flat work and really like it. Depending on the piece, I have covered it with polyurethane after waiting several weeks to let it dry. Once I started to turn bowls I used Watco on several and didn't like the results at all. It never seemed to harden up and build a surface. I'm currently using Minwax Antique Oil (MAO) and really like it. It goes on just like Watco but does build very nicely and provides a satin finish that I like for my bowls.

Cheers,
David

[Jim Burr]

Although I've never used DO...I do use Antique oil. Remember after the oil cures, you can use something like Tung oil or Wipe on Poly in varing degrees of shine for a little Kapow! Buffing is good too!

[Steve Vaughan]

Love the Watco. Use it lots on many things I make and have made, flatwork or turned. Usually, I will go with two coats with second one wet-sanded using 4 to 600 grit. Then I'll spray with deft laquer a few coats, sanded and steel wooled between coats. Then waxed using a thinned-with-MS and #0000 steel wool to apply, then buff on a wheel. Makes for a way smooth finish, good for the grain too.

[David DeCristoforo]

RTFM!!! Watco needs to be applied as per the directions. A heavy coat to saturate the wood, wiped off after a few hours. Then a additional coats, each wet sanded with 24 hours between. I start wet sanding with 400 then go to 600 and sometimes to 1,000 for the final coats. Three or four applications on a properly prepared surface will usually produce a beautiful, silky smooth "low gloss" finish. After that, if you want a "real shine, wax and buff...

[Doug Wolf]

Dale, Here is a walnut bowl with several coats of Watco Natural followed by the triple buff, Tripoli, White Diamond, Carnuba Wax (after a couple of weeks of drying). I probably do 95% of my work with Watco and depending on the final finish desired, will buff or not if I want a satin look.

188986

[Thomas Canfield]

You might try "souping up" the DO by adding some gloss polyurethane varnish in a 4:1 mix. That is the recipe given to be by Elmer Adams several years ago in Hawaii. Elmer also recommended buffing with Tripoli before applying the mix as a wipe on/off, and between each coat. He would use 4 or 5 coats saying to do one more than you think you need. It produces a good feeling finish that can be polished to a fairly high sheen or left with warm satin type glow after final Tripoli buff and wax. Elmer also recommended Rennaisance Wax over carnuba.

[robert baccus]

Having used various oils for many years i findthat(with the exception of tung) that they look fabulous when first finished. but i-2 years later they tend to look dull and dark. first noticed this when finishing gunstocks in my misspent youth. i do use it today(several oils) to pop the color on certain woods but finish later with a multicoat laquer job. really makes a difference---------------------ol forester

[Robert McGowen]

It is my understanding that Antique Oil and Danish Oil are completely different types of finish. The Antique Oil dries ON THE SURFACE of the wood and the Danish Oil dries IN the wood. Therefore, you are able to build coats of Antique Oil, as each layer covers the previous layer, but the Danish Oil will not build layers. Once the wood soaks up all of the Danish Oil it can hold, you are not doing anything by adding more coats. That is also why you flood the surface with the Danish Oil and let it sit a while to soak in. If you let Antique Oil sit there too long, you will end up with a sticky mess.

You can buff each of them, but you can buff through the Antique Oil down to bare wood if you are not careful. The Danish Oil can be buffed about as hard as you want to, as it has penetrated into the wood itself.

YMMV :)

[Dale Coons]

RTFM!!! Watco needs to be applied as per the directions. A heavy coat to saturate the wood, wiped off after a few hours. Then a additional coats, each wet sanded with 24 hours between. I start wet sanding with 400 then go to 600 and sometimes to 1,000 for the final coats. Three or four applications on a properly prepared surface will usually produce a beautiful, silky smooth "low gloss" finish. After that, if you want a "real shine, wax and buff...

Well, TFM on the little can I got only mentions the saturation coat, but does say it can be topped with something else. I was surprised that the pool I poured inside actually soaked thru the wood.

I made a second application and was surprised to see it. Soak thru again. When you wet sand, do you do it on the lathe? Ive already parted it off. Isuppose it'll work if i do it by hand. Thanks for the tips, this is my first go with DO

[David DeCristoforo]

You can wet sand "by hand" off the lathe. It's easier to do on the lathe because you can crank up the speed and the heat will help polish with the slurry of fine particles and oil. Sorry if I came across like a W.. A...

[Dale Coons]

Sorry if I came across like a W.. A...

No offense taken!

[Prashun Patel]

It is my understanding that Watco Danish Oil and Minwax Antique Finish are both oil/varnish blends. However, that doesn't say much. I usually makle my own mixes now of varying amts of varnish, mineral spirits and some kind of drying oil like BLO or tung.

I find that with very small amts of oil, you can still get fine build. If the MAF builds, then it's probably higher in varnish content than the DO, which doesn't build that well, and will get tacky if left too thick. As long as the product is properly sealed and dried, I bet the sheen is more a function of the buffing regimen than the actual product used.

[Harry Robinette]

I bag to differ with you Robert I use DO quit a lot.DO is an oil with a varnish in the mix you can build coats because of this varnish or resin.the oil is only a transporter for the varnish resin.after about 4 coats you do start to build and fill in the pores.Now the reason you don't get a high gloss shine is because it has a satin sheen form the oil. But by doing light sanding up to 800 or so between coats I have shown on this form pieces that have a good gloss shine.If I wont more I'll add a couple light (sand between) coats of WOP for the real high gloss. I use Watco DO.
Harry

[Geoff Crimmins]

Put it on, let it dry overnight, buff it with tripoli and white diamond. For the second and third coat you can put it on, wipe the piece, let it dry overnight, then buff it with tripli and white diamond. The second and third (or more) coats can also be wipe-on poly instead of Watco oil. Not wiping after applying the poly. When buffing the final coat use wax on the final wheel.

[Jack Gaskins]

Put it on, let it dry overnight, buff it with tripoli and white diamond. For the second and third coat you can put it on, wipe the piece, let it dry overnight, then buff it with tripli and white diamond. The second and third (or more) coats can also be wipe-on poly instead of Watco oil. Not wiping after applying the poly. When buffing the final coat use wax on the final wheel.

For buffing should I buy a beal buff system? Currently have NO buffing experience or equipement to buff with.