Help - Sticky Finish

["Patrick G Rainsberger"]

I made a Galbert rocking chair from Black Walnut – sanded to 320.
I tested 3 different finishes on a test piece before applying anything to my chair.
They were:
1) Sam Maloof poly/oil + Sam Maloof oil/wax.
2) 1/3 Rockler tung oil + 1/3 PL38 Gloss + 1/3 M.S.
3) 1/2 Satin Spar Varnish + 1/2 M.S.

I put equal application of each finish on the test piece - a total of 7.
The only difference was after 4 coats of the Maloof poly/oil, I finished with 3 coats of the Maloof oil/wax.
The Maloof finish popped the grain more and had greater depth. (It could be because it was a thicker solution than the others)
I decided to go with the Maloof combination, but instead of using it straight, I mixed a third of the #2 into it. This made it thinner and easier to apply.
I put on 4 coats of poly/oil (a day in between each application) then I put on one coat of the Maloof oil/wax straight from the can.
It’s been a week since I put this last coat on and there is a sticky-tacky feel to the chair. I have a thermometer in the shop that gives me the high and low temps. It never went below 50 degrees.
I thought I had wiped off all the finish between coats but obviously I didn’t get it all off. The test piece that I did was fine.

My question is what now.

1) Can I wait it out?
2) Do I sand it until it’s not tacky and apply a final coat?
3) Do I sand it completely down to wood?
4) Can I put something on it, like M.S.
5) ????????

[Steve Schoene]

You can try to remove excess, uncured material by wiping down with mineral spirits, but I'd be doubtful you will get much success after a week. If this doesn't help then waiting it out for a while longer is in order. If another week, while keeping temps up at least into the 70s or so doesn't help then I'd use chemical stripper, get back to bare wood and start over. Trying to sand finish that is still tacky is a really awful experience with the sand paper lasting about three swipes before it clogs up.

I suspect your problem began when you added the tung oil into the mix. Tung oil does not cure over night--it takes several days with temperatures in the 70's for tung oil to cure sufficiently for a next coat. You would have needed about three days between coats. The surface would have felt completely dry, and sanded to powder, before applying the next coat.

[Kent A Bathurst]

You can try to remove excess, uncured material by wiping down with mineral spirits, but I'd be doubtful you will get much success after a week. If this doesn't help then waiting it out for a while longer is in order. If another week, while keeping temps up at least into the 70s or so doesn't help then I'd use chemical stripper, get back to bare wood and start over. Trying to sand finish that is still tacky is a really awful experience with the sand paper lasting about three swipes before it clogs up.

I suspect your problem began when you added the tung oil into the mix. Tung oil does not cure over night--it takes several days with temperatures in the 70's for tung oil to cure sufficiently for a next coat. You would have needed about three days between coats. The surface would have felt completely dry, and sanded to powder, before applying the next coat.

I agree with Steve. My equivalent concoction is 1/3 BLO + 1/3 Varnish [spar or W'lox] + 1/3 Turps. Thinner first coat ramping up to thicker last coat.

I remember the first time I used Tung Oil - my newly-made RO work bench about 14 years ago. I could swear that, every so often, I still see more gol-dang tung oil weeping out. That was also the last time I used tung oil.

You don't need a cheap shot from the peanut gallery, but let me point out what you already deduced: At the end of hte day, you did not actually test your new concoction on a scrap board.

["Patrick G Rainsberger"]

Steve & Kent
I had BLO sitting on the table along with tung oil when I decided to mix this concoction. I remembered from an earlier post about Sam Maloof originally using Tung oil in his mix, but found it harder to find and stopped using it, so
I grabbed it thinking it cured at the same rate as BLO.
It's not quite as tacky as I've led you to believe. I am able to go over it with some 0000 steel wool and it did knock some of the tack down.

[Prashun Patel]

I would not worry too much about your mix. The Maloof Mix and the other oil varnish mix are hard to tell the difference between once applied.
I occasionally get sticky finishes because I am too heavy handed with the finish; I put it on and then don't wipe it all off. You really need to wipe it all off - not rub it hard, but just wipe it gently off with a clean cloth - if there is any BLO or tung oil in the mix.

Failure to do this will result in a tacky finish in most cases.

It's not the end of the world. Wipe it down with MS. Wipe it fairly vigorously and then wipe it all off with a clean cloth. You can wetsand with 320 or 400 if you need more aggressiveness.

The key to successful application of any of your mixes is patience. You may do several coats before you notice an even sheen. But be persistent, it will happen. Don't try to short cut it, and know that it's a waste to try to get too scientific about the proportions. I'm a far far lesser man than Sam Maloof, but I can tell you that I cannot tell the difference between BLO+varnish and BLO+tung+varnish either in look or feel. Just pick 1, 2, or 3, and stick with it. A consistent formula is IMHO one of the keys to getting repeatable, good results.

["Patrick G Rainsberger"]

Prashun,

I wiped the chair down with MS and wiped all the MS off with a clean towel.
I brought the chair up to the house where it will sit for a week.
Over time, If I'm able to lightly sand with 320 or 400 and get rid of this tackiness, (It's already starting to get better) where should I start as to putting any more coats on it?
Should I go back to the Maloof poly/oil?
I would think the MS would take most of the wax out of the one coat of Maloof oil/wax on it.

[Prashun Patel]

if you wipe it with MS and or sand it with 320/400, it should be ready to recoat as soon as it is dry and clean to the touch; the tackiness should disappear right away.

Yes, the ms will remove the wax.

You should only go back to the poly/oil if the sheen is not even. The necessity of the wax blend is debatable, IMHO. I find that it complicates touch up and reapplication if necessary and doesn't add anything to the long term look or feel of the piece.

["Patrick G Rainsberger"]

Prashun,

Thanks for your help. I believe this puts me back on track.

["Patrick G Rainsberger"]

It's been one week with my chair inside the house at 70 degrees. The slight tack has not gone away but it is definitely sandable.

["Patrick G Rainsberger"]

It's now been a month with my chair inside the house at 70+ degrees. My projects are hobby projects and I don't have to sell them, so time is no factor.
The chair has lost almost all of the tack it had at one week. I'm thinking of giving it a light sand with 0000 steel wool and putting on a final coat. (Double wipe down this time)