Danish oil

[chris_stam]

I have just completed my dining table out of recycled jarrah and finishing it with Rustins danish oil. I am having a few problems with applying the final coats on the top. When I apply the danish oil with a brush and then wipe it off with some rags I am finding hard to wipe it off without leaving some sort of marks which cause a bit of roughness. If I use 0000 steel wool over it it removes the roughness but I feel I shouldn't have to do this. What do people recommend rubbing between coats...Some people have said 1200 wet and dry sandpaper. Any recomendations would be appreciated....

[Scally]

Chris
The only time I have problems with Danish oil is if I am too slow wiping off the excess. You end up dragging the cloth through the partially dry oil causing a rough finish.
Steel wool and wet and dry can both improve a finish. Normally a surface sanded to 320 grit wouldn't need this. They also take off much of the excess oil. You have to work quickly or add more oil to keep the finish from drying out before you polish it off.

Try using less time between applying the oil and wiping it off. Then change to a clean cotton rag and polish the surface until it is smooth and dry.
good luck

[Cliff Rogers]

G'day.

I think that Rustins have had a bit of a dick around with their danish oil receipt... :confused:

It seems to go dull & not polish up like it used to.

Do like Scally says, wipe it off sooner.

[jur]

I also have had less than success with Rustins. I contacted them to ask if I could dilute the stuff, eg with gum turpentine, they said yes. This will have the effect that the oil will remain fluid longer and wiping off will be easier. If it becomes tacky, it means that you dont have enough oil on there. It should be flooded.

This whole issue of flooding and then wiping is very wasteful to me. Heck, the stuff costs enough, then you end up wasting 80% of it in the rags that you discard. If you have a large workpiece like a table or my benchtop then this is a serious consideration, because I simply could not rub off fast enough before tackiness set in, due to the massive size.

I ended up making my own Danish oil and I am very happy with the results. (I took 40% Feast Watson Tung Oil Finish, 40% white spirits and 10% Organoil.)

[chris_stam]

Guys thanks for the prompt responses. That is why these forums are so valuable. I also think that my other problem was that I was applying it every 8-10 hrs which might of lifting the previous coat which was causing it to be tacky. I am planing to leave the current coat on for about a week before I have another attempt. I have applied for coats on the legs and rails and have had no problems. I think because the workpiece is so large its daunting when you flood it and trying to get it all off with a couple of rags. When I put it on next time I might have a lot more rags on standby....

[Greg_stewy]

I ended up making my own Danish oil and I am very happy with the results. (I took 40% Feast Watson Tung Oil Finish, 40% white spirits and 10% Organoil.)

Jur,

What did you use for the other 10%???

[jur]

Bugger. Must have been elbow grease.

Make that 50% Tung oil finish.

[chris_stam]

My other question is if you do end up with a couple of streaks from wiping the danish oil, instead of trying to put on another coat everytime trying to avoid streaks can I just rub it back with 0000 steel wool and buff it with traditional wax or should I use eee cream instead or both......

[rsser]

I ended up making my own Danish oil and I am very happy with the results. (I took 40% Feast Watson Tung Oil Finish, 40% white spirits and 10% Organoil.)

Why the Organoil JUR, and which one?

PS I've had variable results from the Rustin's - my first tin - and have put it down to variation in the porosity of the timber and time left before wiping.

When I did get streaks I buffed the bowl with the famous ubeaut Swansdown buff. That got rid of them but raised the level of sheen beyond what I was aiming for.

[jur]

Why the Organoil JUR, and which one?

To be perfectly honest, I don't know myself.

But there are a couple reasons that i imagine to be valid:

1. The oil will lengthen the working time - this worked very well. There was no tackiness at any stage, but I was still pleasantly surprised how quickly it dried once I stopped working the surface. I can't explain that, seems contradictory.

2. I like the smell.

3. The other thing I noticed about Organoil is, it darkens/deepens the color of redgum quite dramatically.

I used Organoil Hard Burnishing Oil (name correct?).

This project was my redgum island bench top.

I have to add here that I did not wipe it all off after the final application because after many experiments I found the wet look showed off the vivid redgum grain to best effect, so at the final stage I wiped my oil formula on with a sponge wrapped in a soft paper disposable "cloth". This allowed very easy application with no streakiness, and due to the delay in drying, I was able to work and re-work places until I was perfectly satisfied. I then had the fear of dust settling, but to my great surprise, there was absolutely none, not even the smallest speck. I can't explain it. It is the most perfect surface I ever produced, so good that I am unwilling to do it again for fear of failing to reproduce that result.

Just this weekend I made a chopping board from the round piece that came from the bench top where the round prep sink bowl is installed, and again I was struck by the darkening of the redgum after doing the Organoil wet sanding.

I routed the edge so it fits into the sink bowl, the woodgrain matching the benchtop perfectly because that's where it came from in the first place, looks really magic. SWMBO does not want to use the chopping board, it looks too good.

[scooter]

Sounds grouse Jur, any chance of some closeup pics??

Cheers........Sean, another fan of oiled fiddleback redgum

[jur]

OK, I'll take some pics tonight and post them tomorrow.

[jur]

Posted my pics, see "Benchtop from hell" in the photo section.

[Stuart G]

I am also interested in making my own Danish oil. From what I have read (including Neil's book), it seems that the DO is a mix of varnish and oil.

Given that Jur's recipe is FW Tung Oil Finish mixed with white spirits, isn't that more like thinned Tung Oil, rather than a DO? Or is there enough varnish in the FW Tung Oil Finish to give it DO characteristics?

Any thoughts?

thnnks,
Stuart

[conwood]

Guys thanks for the prompt responses. That is why these forums are so valuable. I also think that my other problem was that I was applying it every 8-10 hrs which might of lifting the previous coat which was causing it to be tacky. I am planing to leave the current coat on for about a week before I have another attempt. I have applied for coats on the legs and rails and have had no problems. I think because the workpiece is so large its daunting when you flood it and trying to get it all off with a couple of rags. When I put it on next time I might have a lot more rags on standby....

Hi Chris,
The I have tried rustins and cabots. Don't like the rustins either. Cabots is better as is doesn't dry too quickly. Other finishing advice given is good.

conwood