finishing,,

[jeff oldham]

everyone tells me that Danish oil is their choice of finishes,,but I tried the watco brand,,and put about 3 coats on a bowl waiting about 7 hrs apart before applying the other coat and then waited 24 hrs and the bowl itself was rough just like I hadn't sanded it at all,,and I went thru to 600 grit,,i tried buffing it and the finish never actually looked any better,,lol,,I believe the next finish I try will be laquar,,if anyone can help me on a quick and easy finish,,please tell me,,thank you

[Dave Fritz]

Jeff, since no one else replied I'll chime in with my limited experience. Danish oil is an oil finish and is put on heavy, then wiped off the first coat. Letting it dry overnight before another coat isn't unreasonable. Multiple coats can be applied again letting it dry overnight between each. When you're satisfied with the sheen let it cure for some time, then buff if desired. As you can see it's not a "quick and easy finish".

One thing you can do that will produce a smooth finish is wet sand with Danish oil starting at 220 grit. The finish can be like glass.

A spray lacquer can be a "quick and easy finish" but has it's own properties and pitfalls. I'm curious to hear other comments from those with more experience.

[William C Rogers]

Agree with Dave. However I like minwax antique oil as well or better.

[jeff oldham]

thank you for the info,,i will try that,,lol,,,pulling my hair out here to try and get a good finish,,

[Travis Porter]

I am by no means an expert. I am a hack. From my personal experience, Danish oil just soaks into the wood. It doesn't do much to the texture. If you want to get it smoother, you could do a wet sand and sand with a high grit while it was wet. I personally have not tried it.

If you are going to go and try lacquer, have fun. It is a different world all together. I am finishing my new kitchen, and I have been spraying solvent based precat lacquer. If you get it right, it is a wonderful thing. If you get it wrong, it will drive you nuts.

I am to the point that I think I will primarily use solvent lacquer going forward for most projects. It is wicked stuff, but it dries so fast and is so forgiving it is really unbelievable. I have used WB lacquers and poly, oil based poly, BLO, etc, and for me, spraying solvent lacquer just is a sweet thing.

[George Troy Hurlburt]

I use Antique Minwax also, many times I will use a lacquer before I put it on to keep the wood less dark. Dale Nish showed me how he used it back in the mid eighties at Arrowmount.

[Marshall Harrison]

I know that experience will be the greatest teacher. But, can anyone recommend a good book on finishing?

I love to read and when its too cold in the shop (AKA my driveway) I love to read about woodworking.

[Marvin Hasenak]

If you want to use an oil/varnish finish like Danish Oil, I recommend reading an artcile by Frank Whiton called "Classic Gunstock Finish". Not easy, but the results are first class.

[John K Jordan]

everyone tells me that Danish oil is their choice of finishes,,but I tried the watco brand,,and put about 3 coats on a bowl waiting about 7 hrs apart before applying the other coat and then waited 24 hrs and the bowl itself was rough just like I hadn't sanded it at all,,and I went thru to 600 grit,,i tried buffing it and the finish never actually looked any better,,lol,,I believe the next finish I try will be laquar,,if anyone can help me on a quick and easy finish,,please tell me,,thank you

Jeff,

In my experience there are many ways to use such "danish" or similar oil/varnish mixtures, the method changes the look. What I do depends on the wood, the look I'm trying for, and the time I want to take. I've used everything from a quick single coat (perhaps followed by something else), to many coats in a process that might take 4-6 weeks. I have one piece I finished in November that I'm still adding oil to on occasion, just because. (and so I can see what it ends up like)

Same as Dave mentioned, I soak in the first coat, giving it as much as it will take. Let soak for a while (a few hours) then let dry overnight.

I've read that it is better to let the first coat dry for two or even three days and I do that sometimes if I'm not in a hurry. My shop is heated and air conditioned so a colder or damper shop may need more time than warm and dry. If the wood is very porous and thick, the oil that soaked in deep might take much longer to cure.

Then I apply a second coat. If it is still quickly soaking up oil in spots I repeat what I did for the first coat, otherwise I wipe off after 30 minutes or an hour then let dry overnight. Depending on the type of wood and the finish I'm looking for (and the time I have) I might repeat this 2, 3, or even 10 times over the next week or more. Each coat adds a very thin layer of resin. None of this gives the "plastic" look that you can get with poly and other heavier film finishes. I can still see and feel the wood texture even after multiple coats.

If I want to fill the pores better on open-grained woods such as walnut, I like to wet sand with the oil on the first or second and maybe a later coat (again, depending on the wood). I might use 400 or 600 paper (coarser if the pores are large), let sit for an hour, then wipe off gently. The next morning I wipe the surface vigorously (with a bit more oil if the surface is a little tacky), examine the surface, repeat the wet sanding if desired, or just continue with the normal coats. Wet sanding creates a slurry which sticks in the pores and hardens when the oil hardens. Repeated wet sanding can give you a glass smooth surface but does hide some of the natural wood texture from the eye and touch.

I sometimes use 0000 steel wool before applying another coat.
If I want more of a matte finish I might use rottenstone, pumice for more shiny but not glossy.
If a glossy surface is desired, I wait a week after the last coat and polish with the Beale buffer or by hand.

All this leaves anything from a nearly matte, a soft sheen, a soft shiny, to a gloss.

If I want a thick glass-like mirror gloss I uses something different - lots of people want this but I don't usually care for it.

JKJ

[George Troy Hurlburt]

Reads like you don't when to quit John K. lol. :rolleyes:

[John K Jordan]

Reads like you don't when to quit John K. lol. :rolleyes:

Sorry, the story of my life!

Fortunately, retired now since '06. I don't have a clue how I managed when I was working 8-12 hrs a day. And I'm between surgeries and procedures at the moment with extra time during occasional lucid stretches when the pain pills wear off. Or maybe not so lucid. Good fun.

JKJ

[Damon McLaughlin]

Danish oil is my finish of choice these days for larger items and while I'm not an expert in finishing here is what I do (similar to JKJ).

I will typically sand up to 320 grit, apply a coat of thinned danish oil and then wet sand starting with 320 and up to anywhere from 400 to 800 (depends on what I feel like at the time). I then apply another coat of thinned danish oil and let it sit for the night. The following day I give it a light sanding with 600 or 800 grit to knock down any fibers that may have raised and apply another coat of thinned danish oil, let it sit for the night. The following day I apply a coat of danish oil (not thinned), let it sit for 15 minutes and wipe the excess off, let it sit for the night. From there I will either stop applying oil or continue, depending on how much sheen I want. Between coats if I feel any roughness to the surface I'll give the turning a good rubbing with 0000 steel wood. Once I'm satisfied with the number of coats I let it sit another day or two to continue curing, then I'll either buff with buffing wheels on the lathe or I'll polish by hand using micro mesh and finally some renaissance wax.

One variable for me is the color of the wood and how porous it is. If I'm turning wood that is very porous or is light colored such as birch and if I want to stay as close to its original tones as possible I will skip the wet sanding and just sand through to 400 or 600. I'll then apply a coat of thinned sanding sealer (thinned 25% alcohol as it dries faster), wait ten minutes and apply a second coat. 30 minutes after the second coat I start with the danish oil. This has worked out very well for me, my turnings are silky smooth with a satin to an ever so slightly semi gloss sheen. A high gloss finish can be achieved with additional coats of danish oil and/or more buffing. One note, when the oil feels dry it may only be dry on the surface, the oil below the surface may not be fully cured yet and if you buff it too much right away you may go through the dried surface and hit wet oil. If I'm feeling impatient then I'll hand polish otherwise I'll wait several days to a week before I put the piece to the buffing wheel.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I used Formby’s danish oil for years, buying it local. It became harder to find and the price was $12 a pint. I like the high gloss kind because it built a finish quickly and dried to the touch in a few hours. I began reading about oils and wipe on polys and it seemed that most were a mix of oil and polyurethane in vary amounts. I purchased a quart of each and mixed them about 50/50. Worked like wipe on poly, but still took a long time to dry. I read about house painters using japan dryer to speed up the drying time. Purchase a pint at Rocklar and put a small amount in my finish. Drying time was cut to 3 to 4 hours and now put two coats on in a day. More poly quicker build. There are two things to consider when using Japan dryer. It contains heavy mental and would not be good for bowls for food. The other is it is brown in color and will darken the wood. Most of my bowls end up as lookers rather than users. I also will shoot a couple coats of Mohawk Cat lacquer over the oil. Heres a walnut bowl that only has two coats of my finish.
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[John K Jordan]

I used Formby’s danish oil for years, buying it local. It became harder to find and the price was $12 a pint. I like the high gloss kind because it built a finish quickly and dried to the touch in a few hours. I began reading about oils and wipe on polys and it seemed that most were a mix of oil and polyurethane in vary amounts. I purchased a quart of each and mixed them about 50/50. Worked like wipe on poly, but still took a long time to dry. I read about house painters using japan dryer to speed up the drying time. Purchase a pint at Rocklar and put a small amount in my finish. Drying time was cut to 3 to 4 hours and now put two coats on in a day. More poly quicker build. There are two things to consider when using Japan dryer. It contains heavy mental and would not be good for bowls for food. The other is it is brown in color and will darken the wood. Most of my bowls end up as lookers rather than users. I also will shoot a couple coats of Mohawk Cat lacquer over the oil. Heres a walnut bowl that only has two coats of my finish.
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That's a great point. What kind of oil did you use? Some people I know mix about 1/3 each of BLO, poly, and mineral spirits.

That's a beautiful finish on the walnut.

JKJ

[jeff oldham]

it really is beautiful,,im like john,,what is the oil that you used and how did you mix it

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Here is what Watco puts in its Danish Oil finish, right from the MSDS sheets.

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As you can see there is 75% volatiles in it , then there is the other ingredients, not quite as much as you can see, raw BLO and vegetable oil plus

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[Prashun Patel]

I apologize if I missed someone saying this, but one thing I have not seen mentioned yet is that Danish oil is intended to be wiped on and wiped off.

The first coat will likely raise the grain. That benefits from fine sanding after the first or second coat (400-600).

Subsequent coats are intended to be wiped off. There are reported cases where people have been able to build a finish with it, but the majority end up with a very very thin, in-the-wood finish that is satin to the touch.

It can take several coats to achieve this depending on how porous your wood is, and how much you have sanded. On walnut sanded to 220, it may take 4 coats. On cherry sanded to 600, it may be done after 2.

[Bob Bergstrom]

That's a great point. What kind of oil did you use? Some people I know mix about 1/3 each of BLO, poly, and mineral spirits.

That's a beautiful finish on the walnut.

JKJ

John, the truth is I just dump what might be 50/50., maybe 60/40? Go easy on Japan drier. The Japan label may be 1oz to a gallon. I use a plastic pop bottle when mixed so I can squeeze out any air. It will glaze over in a jar or can. It stays liquidfied well in the pop bottle.

[John K Jordan]

John, the truth is I just dump what might be 50/50., maybe 60/40? Go easy on Japan drier. The Japan label may be 1oz to a gallon. I use a plastic pop bottle when mixed so I can squeeze out any air. It will glaze over in a jar or can. It stays liquidfied well in the pop bottle.

Good tip on the plastic bottle. I use a inert gas to displace the air in all my finish containers but not everyone has an extra cylinder and regulator sitting around.

Bob, do you remember the type of oil you used? I'm not sure it matters much but it might give some readers a starting point.

JKJ

[Art Mann]

I used to build a certain walnut clock design a lot and I used Watco Danish Oil. I applied the material mainly as a colorant and grain enhancer. I would apply a coat and then wipe it carefully a few minutes later. I would repeat this the next day. After letting it dry thoroughly (maybe 5 days in warm weather), I rubbed the surfaces vigorously and then used several coats of Johnson's Paste Wax to create the desired sheen. Wax is not a very good protectant of wood, but that doesn't matter with mantle clocks. To renew the finish, all that is required is a worn out t-shirt and some hand buffing. Rarely, I might apply a very light coating of wax but that generally isn't necessary.

I suggest you read the application instructions on the can. What you are doing does not bear any resemblance to the directions on the brand I use.

[Travis Porter]

I like one written by Bob Flexner. I think it is available from Taunton press.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I believe it was minwax danish oil at Menards for $10 a quart and the poly was varathane gloss in a quart. Japan Dryer was fromRocklar, but I think Menards had that cheaper.

[Marshall Harrison]

I like one written by Bob Flexner. I think it is available from Taunton press.


Thanks Travis. I assume that would be this one - https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-Comprehensive-Troubleshooting/dp/1565235665/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1516191194&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=wood+finishing&psc=1

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Looks like Minwax is Watco or visa verse, and the earlier post is showing the ingredients for those “Finishes :rolleyes:“

Like 75% volatiles and then some raw linseed oil and vegetable oil plus heavy metals or these oils will not harden up by themselves.

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[Neil McWilliams]

Finishing is so individual. Most buyers like glossy finishes, most turners like the features that a matte (oil) finish produces. A good finish always magnifies tool miscues but expert sanding can manage most of those. With better technique, less time sanding and fixing. My go to routine is to cut as clean as possible, sand to 220 (80 and 120 grit with powered sander, higher grits with inertial sander), coat with lacquer based sander-sealer, burnish with dry shaving or paper towel, then sand to final grit with inertial sander. One coat of gloss Wipe on Poly (WOP) will leave a slight sheen when buffed and can be left as such. Two more coats applied 8-12 hours apart followed by buffing with tripoli and sometimes white diamond wheels will produce a high gloss. Never use more than 3 coats; 2 or 3 coats will produce a waterproof vessel (if never placed in dishwasher or left to soak in sink). Knots should be coated over with a dilute shellac wash; otherwise resin bleedthrough is possible. Shellac is compatible with all overcoatings but very prone to water spotting and scratching if used as final coat. Flexner's book is excellent and shoots holes in lots of advertising claims. In the end you will find your own way and the look you like.

[Rich Aldrich]

The first interest I had in danish oil was after watching Bill Grimbines first bowl making video. I kind of follow what he did, including the liquid refreshment for me.

First, dont wipe it dry until the end of this whole process. Soak the first coat on and keep the wood wet for a few minutes -let it set wet. Come back and make the bowl wet again after 15 minutes, repeat in 15 minutes, and a final time after 15 minutes. I let it set for another 10 minutes or so and wipe it dry. My bowls are always smooth. I haven't had roughness issues. The wood I use is all North American hardwoods. I did one Mesquite bowl and it turned out smooth.