Tung oil coats intervals/thinning

[Dru Bokkens]

Hi, I'm preparing for a wood finishing project and decided on pure tung oil after learning some about different oils. Maybe a bad choice but I'll have to find out. First of all, I'm going to use the oil on a slim, long piece of hickory heartwood. I assume tung oil will penetrate it, but I read that some guys thin each tung oil coat (apart from the last one), just to a different degree, to maximize penetration. First coat 3 parts thinner to 1 part oil, then 2 to 1, then 1 to 1, and finally pure oil. Would it be effective, or rather damaging to the previous oil coats?


I also read that I should allow at least 1 week between each coat, but I don't get how does it apply to the old oil finish recipe that everyone brings up, that says "once a day for a week, once a week for a month," and so on. In that case, should I apply the first 5 coats within 24h from each other instead a week apart? If someone experienced in oil finishes could clarify this a little confusing part, I'd be grateful.

[Scott Holmes]

Thinning Tung oil does not make the Tung oil molecules any smaller; more likely than not, it spreads them out more, thus giving a less uniform application. Use it as it comes out of the bottle. Warming it may help it flow a bit easier, if it's cold.

Tung oil application:

Every day for a week, then every week for a month, then once every 6 months or so, forever...

[Dru Bokkens]

So basically thinning it does not improve wood penetration, only wastes the application, since I'll give the wood a small amount of unevenly distributed oil and some wood fibers won't get coated in the end, is that correct?

[Randy Goodhew]

Thinning Tung oil does not make the Tung oil molecules any smaller; more likely than not, it spreads them out more, thus giving a less uniform application.

This doesn't make any sense???

Blessings.

[Frank Drackman]

This doesn't make any sense???

Blessings.

Which part? That thinning doesn't make the molecules any smaller, that thinning spreads out the molecules in the solution, or it gives a less uniform application?

[Dru Bokkens]

This doesn't make any sense???

Blessings.

To my understanding of what Scott said; thinning doesn't impact wood penetration, since the oil molecules will still penetrate at the same speed as with pure oil, the only difference being that when thinned, they're only spread further apart, so the oil molecule density is lower—thus binding less oil to the wood, so one might as well apply pure oil, no?

What I'm also wondering is; on things like gun stock that need to be handled on a regular basis, is it safe to handle, say, once the weekly application dried? Surely you don't have to wait for a year to safely handle an item undergoing oiling?

[Randy Goodhew]

Which part? That thinning doesn't make the molecules any smaller, that thinning spreads out the molecules in the solution, or it gives a less uniform application?

Molecule size is not a factor.

Blessings.

[Frank Drackman]

Thanks Randy

[Art Mann]

The part I would be concerned about is the "once every six months, forever". I have heard and read that comment from many different sources. I'm not sure I want a finish that has to be reapplied forever. The one exception is cutting boards and that is because there is no other choice.