What's David Marks' finishing mix?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I've been watching "Woodworks" with David Marks on cable TV for some time now and he's often mentioned finishing with a mix of linseed oil, tung oil and polyU. I've experimented around a bit, trying to work out the ratios but on tonights' episode (a bookcase) I heard him say something I hadn't noticed before: "a commercial mix of..."

Does anybody know what such a mix would be sold as? Please don't say "Danish Oil"

Or the ratios? I've also been assuming he doesn't mean boiled linseed... or would he? That may be where my mixes have gang aglay.

[Paul O'H. Ingersoll Canad]

I don't know about Mark Davis"s finish, but Don Kondra, a Canadian cabinet maker and moderator " Ask A Pro " on a can. WW forumn and a WW magazine has this formula.
25% pure Tung Oil
25% Spar ( exterior ) Varnish
50% paint thinners
4-6 drops of Japan Driers

Wipe on a thin coat, it should dry in a few hours, continue wiping on thin coats

Paul

[MacS]

Here is another 'home brew' you may want to try.

!/3 Poly or Varnish
1/3 Tung or Boiled Linseed Oil
1/3 White Spirits

You can alter this user friendly formula in may ways depending on the size of the work you will be doing. You can add an 'oil colorant' if you want color in the coating.

Good Luck

[bennylaird]

Japan Driers? Please explain?

[MacS]

These are 'chemicals' that are added to either the Tung Oil or Linseed Oil to speed up their dry times. They are also known as "metalic driers.' When added to paste pigmented colorants they are then called "Japan Colors".

Once, added to the Tung Oil, the tung oil is no longer 100% pure. When added to the Linseed Oil, it then becomes Boiled Linseed Oil.

[Paul O'H. Ingersoll Canad]

Benny Laird
Japan Driers ( sometimes spelt Dryers ) Are available in paint & art stores and are used to speed up the drying process. Use only a few drops .
Paul

[bennylaird]

thanks........

[NewLou]

Gidday Skew

Check out these webpages I'm sure you'll find what your looking for

http://www.djmarks.com/stories/faq/W...hane_46687.asp

http://www.ccsi.com/~mbrown/Woodwork...vid_marks.html

http://www.ccsi.com/~mbrown/Woodwork...rks_class.html

REgards Lou

[Wongo]

Does anybody know what such a mix would be sold as? Please don't say "Danish Oil"

MinWax wipe-on poly (me think)

[ubeaut]

Sorry Skewie but they're all just danish oil recipes, the original ones were made using spar varnish the latest use polyurethane because spar is hard to find now. There's a recipe for it in "A Polishers Handbook".

Cheers - Neil

[Tex B]

The American woodwork forums seem to be fixated on the 'rude and crude' finish, which is 1/3 pure tung oil, 1/3 boiled linseed oil, and 1/3 polyurethane varnish. http://www.kyler.com/index.php?optio...ask=view&id=31

Then the rude and crude champion started calling it weasel spit, and now sells weasel spit labels for empty cans for people to mix their own, cans not included (I am not making this up). http://www.weaselspit.com/component/...page/Itemid,1/

I expect David Marks is using something similar, and Sam Maloof has something like it in his book, with his products sold by rockler http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2004. All sounds like Danish Oil to me, and my guess is the MinWax wipe on poly is not too different.

Tex

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Thanks folks, that's cleared up one confusion but raised more questions.

I'm damned sure some so-called Danish's have about as much tung oil in 'em as my morning cup of coffee and the same is probably true for linseed oil as well. It seems that anything not 100% polyU gets the label... So when can a product honestly be called a real Danish Oil, as compared to just being a marketing ploy?

I really should just stick with the brands I know and like, concentrating on improving my finishes instead of worrying about minor details. But should and do are two different situations that rarely agree in my shop.

The Weasel Spit idea has merit... wonder if there's room in the Aussie market for Wombat Pee?

[bennylaird]

Wombat Pee is hard to come by, maybe the cheaper finish Koala P-ss? Just pick one up and you'll get a free sample. (Oh and a few scratches)

Cute and Cuddly? My a-se.!!!!!!!

[BrettC]

Ha Ha, that made me laugh.

[soundman]

I have heard of the use of cow manure and hores urine as components to a finishing system so.
There would probably be some merit to the koala as a finish chemical as it would have reasonable concentration of eucaliptus oil.
If you managed to get hold of a large angry and pissing koala you could probably achieve a unique new distressed finish all in one go.
The problem would be working out the correct personal protective equipment.
:eek:
cheers