Phil's Tar and Turps

[Groggy]

I recently rediscovered the recipe for this mix so I thought I'd put it up here.
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4lt Mineral turpentine
Small tin of brushable roofing tar ( 250/500g) I use a brand by the name of "Ormanoid". This is basically runny bitumen used for sealing roofing and gutters.
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Mix some turps and a few dollops of tar together to form a slurry (into a 2lt ice-cream container - remove ice cream first!) and pour into container of turps.

Test for colour - darken by adding more goop - or lighten by adding more turps.

About half a 500g tin should give a nice depth of finish to four litres of turps - If that is more than you are likely to use, adjust accordingly.

Usually it stays in stasis but some sediment will form - I chuck some old bolts into the container and shake him up a bitty.
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This stuff sprays, wipes and brushes with very little wastage. The turps act to soften and break down the tar goop and as a carrier which evaporates off - leaving a nice coppery bronzed pigment when applied to light woods - especially Pine.
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This will take any manner of finish - good with poly or resin based finishes and remains colour fast.
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Remember though if you are spraying it - This is atomised tar, either don't breath for a good hour or so, or wear a mask ( organic mist carbon filter type - you know, a proper one.) The responsibility is yours.

[Tex B]

Pics?

[ubeaut]

Ahhh... Ye goode olde Black Japan.

Used to make it from tar (pitch) nicked from the back of the council truck. Make it thicker and it's the same as what used to be painted on to old baltic pine floors. doesn't even need to be sealed as it will dry quite hard.

Can be polished when dry with wax and works really well. Gives beautiful colours on pine and other white woods from light teak through to almost full ebony and every shade of brown in between. Can also be coloured with universal tint to give mahogany, redgum and many other red shade timbers.

Extremely versatile and useful stain. Only major draw back is that it can blanket the grain a bit when used too concentrated, but even that can be an advantage for some things.

Cheers - Neil

PS Good one Greg.

[Groggy]

Pics?

Sorry Tex, I haven't used this since, umm, early '90s?

I lost it and recently found it in an email archive when looking for something else.

[philf]

Thx Greg saved for further use