Tung oil---what brand to use?

[KingwoodFan1989]

Some facts to think about:

Most top coat oil or water base finishes will high light any grain or figure present in wood.  Most top coat finishes reach 90% cure in nine or ten days and full cure in as much as thirty days.

All manufacturers or vendors will tell you thinning pure tung oil aides in penetration and shortens drying times.   If given enough coats (4 to 5)  get some build of protection.  Note See Bob Flexner’s book for reference.

Commercial oil varnish blends can contain less expensive semi-drying oils thanks to chemistry.  Just read products MSDS or SDS which may or may not list oil actually used.  Only required to list hazardous components!

Home brew oil varnish blends seldom use anything else than BLO in the 1/3 rule of Resin (varnish or poly), BLO, thinner/solvent.  You do not get more protection no matter how many coats you apply  due to diluting the resin!  Some commercial blends will give you more sheen than others or home brew mixes.

Many commercial products listed as tung, teak, or danish oil are wiping varnishes!  You can make your own with 50/50 mix of resin & mineral spirts.  Two coats should equal one coat of resin!  Don’t buy a commercial wiping varnish with more than 60% mineral spirits or other thinner/solvent.

Please see Flexner’s article for better explanation!

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/techn...ry-and-use

I think I'll try the Tung Oil under Polycrylic option on some scrap first. Seems like there are a lot of odds and ends to finishing this way.

[Bill Wilson]

I think I'll try the Tung Oil under Polycrylic option on some scrap first. Seems like there are a lot of odds and ends to finishing this way.

To be on the safe side, I like to use a coat or 2 of shellac between an oil and a waterborne topcoat.  Don't know if it's an absolute necessity or not, but I just don't like taking chances.  You could probably eliminate the oil altogether and just use a base/seal coat of shellac instead.  It will darken and pop the grain just about as much as BLO does and it dries very quickly.  Try it on some scrap to see if it gives you the look you want.

[Ed in NC]

+1 on what Bill said. Test your finishing schedule on scrap from the same project. I have had good luck with testing several options to see what I like best, what is easier, and what is more foolproof...the last is a biggie for me. This may not work if you have a close in deadline, or other limiting factors.

Ed