[CAS14]

For sticks, so far I have used just natural (no-stain) sealers. I've been using three or four applications of WATCO Danish Oil and after days of drying, waxing with high-quality wax. As with all wood finishing projects there are numerous options. I'd like to consider new options.

For me, important issues include resistance to moisture and scratching, and the ability to touch it up when scratched without a complete sand and refinish job.

So, how about a discussion about:

• Stains
• Sealers
• Finishes: oils, lacquers, varnishes, shellacs, blends
• Waxes
• Compatibilities

???

I just read some interesting articles about tung oils, apparently there is linseed oil sold as tung oil, and all sorts of mixtures that include tung oil. Then I read some articles (some conflicting) regarding WATCO Danish Oil.

 

[CAS14]

I don't have enough experience to agree or disagree with most of what I read, but links to some articles that were interesting to this novice will begin appearing here.

▪http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/oil_finishes.pdf

 

[CAS14]

CAS, a really good book that I have is , Understanding Wood Finishing, by Bob Flexner. I highly recomend it. It has information on just about every coloring and finishing option.

Many thanks Markus. I will watch for that, it sounds like a "must have."

Today, I received in the mail my copy of "Make Your Own Walking Sticks" by Charles Self. It looks like another great resource for beginners like me.

 

[CAS14]

That's a good article you pulled up there CAS. I'll bookmark it for future use. I've been using Watco Danish Oil for awhile on some of my wood
projects and each tin is a stain of some sort. As long as you don't seal it with a varnish etc a reapplication of oil is all you need to touch it up.

Thanks Sean. I've used the clear WATCO Danish Oil (3-4 applications) on a couple of slingshots. Consistent with what I read, it penetrates well. I suspect that it seals very well and provides some moisture protection but not scuff protection. My slingshots were finished with lots of coats of high quality wax, that's all.

Based on the book that I just received, I think that Tung oil is compatible. About 40 years ago, I finished some gifts for my wife with Tung oil, and they still look good. I am tempted to apply Tung oil over Danish oil.

Back to Danish oil, Woodcraft has some tints that they say will dissolve in Danish oil. I bought a couple and will try that approach one day. I plan to mix in a clear Mason jar, so I can see what's happening. The way that oil penetrates, it should carry the stain well into the wood.

 

[CAS14]

Sean, apparently from what I read, there are different products marketed as Tung oil so I'm going to read more and read labels more carefully.

 

[CAS14]

Rus-Oleum makes WATCO products. Their support staff responded to my question regarding the use of Tung oil over Danish oil:

My inquiry:

" I like your WATCO Danish Oil sealer.
I like Tung Oil, for wood that will be scuffed up and may require touching up.

Can Tung Oil be applied over thoroughly dried Danish Oil? "

Rust-Oleum's response:

" Thank you for contacting Rust-Oleum Product Support.

Hi Vance, No Danish oil sealer will not allow it to soak in as needed.

Sincerely,

Luis "

In other words, the manufacturer of a Tung oil and a Danish oil product advises that we should not apply Tung oil after Danish oil.

Vance

 

[CAS14]

Tung oil - still very confusing to me, as so many products are advertised as Tung oil but many articles say most such products really aren't Tung oil or are cut.

Has anyone used this product, or know anything about it?

http://www.realmilkpaint.com/oil.html

What do you think about this article? It lists everything that isn't really Tung oil but doesn't say what is.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes-their-history-and-use

 

[CAS14]

I think Dallas is the nearest Rockler store. However we have a Woodcraft in Tulsa, and they sell an oil by WoodRiver that is advertised as pure Tung oil:

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084252/36932/woodriver-pure-tung-oil-gallon.aspx

If nobody has negative things to say about this, I'll pick up some this afternoon.

 

[CAS14]

Back when I was just 61 & 62, I spent the better part of two winters supervising drilling operations east of Bismarck. That was COLD.

I didn't want to use the porta potty for fear that I'd freeze to it and suffer the humiliation of screaming for the crew to pry me out.

Pheasants - they were abundant.

Farmers - they were as nice as those in Oklahoma.

You have my respect Fordj.

BTW, our drilling crew was from Havre. I didn't know that Montanans and NorDakers didn't get along until our driller was bragging about how many bouncers it took to throw them out of a Bismarck bar. Apparently a local told them to pipe down. They responded "we are from Montana, and this is what we do." And then it started.

 

[CAS14]

Shape it and put it in a PVC tube of Transmission Fluid for several months,

A lot cheaper than Pentacryl, if it works as well.

 

[CAS14]

I had a 1st grade teacher who allowed me to color outside the lines. I've done okay coloring outside the lines ever since.

Straight sticks aren't appealing to me, guess I'm weird. But I do like the bark on idea, as well as partly bark on. I'm still a novice, but it seems that different trees, different wood strengths, and different barks, offer different potential beauty with the possible treatments.