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I'm a fan of look of the hardwax oil finishes. My experience thus far has been limited to Osmo Polyx in both the Satin and Matte sheens. My best results have come from the procedure involving wet sanding the product to create a slurry that can be squeegeed and pushed into the pores of an open grain wood to create a filled look.
My question - can this same procedure be done with RM? Based on my reading of the application instructions, it looks like maybe not. Has anyone tried it?
I almost always wet sand an oil finish, and have done so with Rubio with good results on white oak.Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwin Santos
Typically I don't squeegee it, but rather flood a 4 - 6 square foot section of the piece with the finish, allow it to soak for 15 minutes and then wet sand for 10, wiping everything off when I'm done. I'll allow it to dry for 24 hours, and repeat the process, going up one grit of sand paper. Typically I'll start with 150 and end up at 220 after three wet sandings.
The pores are not always 100% filled, but it's a significant improvement.
So Scott, you're using multiple coats. I'm talking myself into trying some, but I'm hesitating at the cost of it, and not sure I could afford to "flood" it on, especially more than once.
Rubio is not cheap, for sure - especially the two part version.
What you might consider is buying some pure tung oil and thinning it with either d-limonene or turpentine. Use this for your first three coats with wet sanding, and then use the Rubio Monocoat for the top coat.
Typically I'll thin the first coat 75%, the second coat 50%, and the third coat 25% with d-limonene. This helps the solution to penetrate deeper into the wood.
RM's literature says it works by bonding with the wood fibers. How is that going to happen if the wood has already been finished with another product, or even with Rubio?
I've used RM and what's really great about it is how easily you can repair damage like scratches because it only bonds to raw wood. It doesn't remove the scratch, but it adds new protection to it w/o bonding to undamaged areas, so the repair is simple and easy. Just wipe some on, wait a few minutes, and wipe off the excess. There's no change in sheen to the undamaged area, no build up, nothing. I know many people use more than one coat, but I wonder if it's doing anything more than filling in pores.
John
I agree, but it seems like more and more people are reporting a two coat process for walnut. I do something similar, but i top rubio monocoat with their universal oil. It definitely adds depth and richness to the walnut, as well as smoothing the surface feel. Even though i raise the grain prior to final sanding and applying RM, the surface can sometimes feel a little rough after curing. Without sanding and just applying the maintenance oil, it goes back to being baby butt smooth. It is inexplicable. The downside to all of this is i believe i would have to repair with the maintenance oil instead of the two part RM.Quote:
Originally Posted by John TenEyck
I like it thus far, but i dont love it. Im just about through the 1.3 liters i bought in the fall.
john, that’s a great point. I know that it bonds to itself, as I’ve done multiple coats on pieces before w/o problems.Quote:
Originally Posted by John TenEyck
I think that there is an experiment in my future….
This is precisely why I asked. I can't think of a way to fill pores and yet still leave the wood bare enough for RM to bond with wood fibers as intended. Maybe experimentation is the only way to determine the answer.Quote:
Originally Posted by John TenEyck
I once tried the wet sanding procedure with a GF product called Seal-A-Cell, wiped it all off. Then sanded it the next day with 220, then topcoated with two coats of Osmo Polyx. It turned out very well.
Just not clear on whether I could do this same schedule with RM in place of the Osmo. I assume the wood was at least partially sealed when I sanded with the 220 before topcoating.