Shiny finishes with Tung oil?

[Doug Freeman]

@Steve Tiedman never heard of “dammar varnish”, thanks for that, interesting subject.

@Jon Rista yes, color and what color a particular finish imparts. The newer (maybe 7-8 yrs not sure when they reformulated) Minwax fast dry regular poly appears to me to be on the lighter side compared to other brands but does import some yellowing. The spar varnishes I have tried impart more color yet. Helmsman has a darker, but less yellow color. I happen to like the way it colors the wood, providing a bit more visual grain enhancement, but all of that is individual preference.

I haven’t checked in a few years, but my memory is that tung oil varnishes tend to use phenolic resin, creating more yellowing. Suggestion is to use AI to find not the “clearest” but the “lightest in color” tung oil varnish. Once you get some brands utube or pictures might have some comparisons in the liquid state - the only way to really compare as once applied to wood there are too many variables.

When I want a water clear finish (no color imparted by the finish) I use Parfix 3408, a long open time and non-smoking CA glue. Mark Sillay is a big proponent, and has utube vids on it. It is truly water clear. I suggest getting some to experiment with - it is kind of hard to find.

 

[Gord Cameron]

This is a good summary. This leads to another strategy: use a oil or an oil blend for the first coat, to achieve the penetration and make the grain/figure "pop". All subsequent coats can be 100% varnish or another film former to achieve higher gloss and higher protection.

By coincidence, and to achieve just this result, I have just come in from the shop after putting a coat--the first after sanding--of thin polymerized tung oil (Sutherland Welles Tung Oil Sealer) on a table top made of birdseye maple with dark heartwood, and will follow with a tung oil wiping varnish (Sutherland Welles Wiping Varnish). This serves the dual purpose of providing a penetrating sealer coat for the varnish and, by increasing contrast, bringing out the figure as much as possible. I think that any relatively thin oil coat followed by an oil-varnish blend or straight varnish would achieve a similar result.

 

[John K Jordan]

...o another strategy: use a oil or an oil blend for the first coat, to achieve the penetration and make the grain/figure "pop". ...

I add one step before after sanding and the oil. I put a small amount of naphtha on a piece of paper towel and apply it to the wood. This lets me see what the grain/figure will look like after the oil is applied. It dries very quickly and leaves no residue.

But a big advantage to me is as it dries, an undetected sanding scratch can be seen since the naphtha evaporates a bit slower from he scratch. I have to look quick since even the liquid in the scratch will be gone in a few seconds. Shows me where a little more hand sanding could help.

I repeat the naphtha to check, then apply the oil.

I've heard some use alcohol for this but alcohol takes longer to dry in some can raise the grain.

Parfix 3408 CA....it is kind of hard to find.

I bought my last from Mark Silay. Some clubs keep it in stock. I've also ordered it directly from Parson's Adhesive but had to buy in quantity - there were enough in our club who wanted it to make a large order.

Some advantages to 3408:

• Doesn't make eye-watering noxious fumes
• Longer set time
• Doesn't create heat while curing
• Will keep for a LONT time if moisture and air is kept out of the opened bottle.

I displace the air in the bottle with argon gas before closing and store in the shop fridge in a sealed plastic zip-lock bag. Air can contain moisture which can act as an accelerant. I understand Parsons and some other CA manufacturers displace the air when bottling and seal the bottle well. Also Mark told me some people make the mistake of spraying accelerator with the uncapped CA bottle too close - just the tiniest bit finding it's way inside can cause the entire bottle to set up.

Another thing I found handy in the shop. Put a capillary tube on a plastic pipette and pull a little 3408 inside. The capillary tube allows placing even the tiniest drop exactly where needed. I clear glue from the pipette and set it in a container with the bulb down - found the glue was still good for at least a week! I was surprised.

The tips will fit snugly over the nozzle on most CA bottles and over the end of a plastic pipette.

Amazon.com

Also, Parfix 3408 is a medical grade CA and doesn't generate heat while curing and damage flesh. I gave some to a visiting vet to repair a cut on a horse's leg. She said she usually carries it in her kit but was out. You can buy it from vet supply houses but even a small quantity is expensive.

JKJ