beautiful workI’ve used Tru-oil for many stocks over fourth years and have no problems getting a dandy finish. It can be dull to shiny depending on how you apply it. My technique is to thin it with mineral spirits about half. Then apply very thin spreading with the palm of my hand very briefly to flatten it but not to the point of it getting tacky. In an average day it drys fast enough to apply two to three coats a day. If it gets to thick or shiny for the effect I want break it with Scotch Brite pads then tack cloth. A couple of examples,
IMG_0507 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
61F9779D-D402-456B-B8A1-93652CF5142E by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
TRU-OIL problem
- Thread starter labrat
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You have used thick coats using oil based finishes and it cured? Please tell me how to do it! I have worked with oil based finishes pratically all my life and never could get them to dry? All the oil finishes I have used required very thin layers for me. I use several coats and let them dry between coats and have success !
TruOil is not your typical BLO type of finish. I have sprayed on very heavy coats of it and also applied it as heavy as possible by hand. I do have a drying box but it simply accelerates curing time it is not magic. My drying box consists of a chipboard box that will hold about 4 rifle stock safely without concern for them bumping into each other. I'd post a photo but I am at work at the moment. I have lined the box with Styrofoam insulation and my "heating element" is a 100 watt light bulb. I have put more than one coat on in a 24 hour period, even when sprayed on.
You sound incredulous but I have used that product and my drying box for literally decades and have NEVER had a problem with TruOil not curing...Believe it or not!
Maybe what you think is a thin coat is really a thick coat for Truoil .By that let me tell you that I dip one finger into the bottle and do most of the stock sometimes all of it depending on how long the stock is I may dip my finger again to finish . After the first coat the rest of the coats take less of the finish than the first . You have to find the method that works for you but do not use much at a time .
MAC1967
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While I've used the bottle many times. . . I kind of prefer True Oil in a spray can because it seems to go on thinner. It's hard to be patient in this last and fun stage. . . letting it fully dry is key. I usually don't do more than two coats. . . and I cut them both back with a scotch pad to a dull finish. True oil works best in the summer - ha !!
I haven’t been able to get the spay can version for a while. As stated, I do spray TruOil (thinned with naphtha using an airbrush) but the old cans did put a very thin coat (which would run very easily if put on even a little too heavy). I would use the cans if the person I was finishing the stock for wanted a high gloss finish. It would be my final coat and as long as it was a dust free application, it produced a very nice high gloss finish (if you like that, personally I don’t) but “to each his own “.
It left a slight orange peel effect immediately after spraying but leveled out quite nicely upon curing.
Do you know a current source for TruOil in a spray can?
It left a slight orange peel effect immediately after spraying but leveled out quite nicely upon curing.
Do you know a current source for TruOil in a spray can?
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I have used a lot of oil based finishes but I must say I have never used TruOil? I mostly use Danish Oil but I don't think it is the best or the worst. As I said in my previous post I apply a thin coat and then wipe it off. I generally put at least four coats on this way but I look for the look if three coats Fine if six coats fine? I am now courious at to the make up of TruOil?
labrat
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Yep! I believe it's a result of not allowing it to dry out completely. The coats that I applied were put on thinly. I just finished a rifle using Tried & Tru with 8 coats and it come out beautiful with no drying problems. I turned to Tru Oil because it sounded so much easier to work with and faster than Tried & Tru. What a mistake that was! I thought the solution may be bad but I tested it on a piece of metal and it dried correctly in a couple hours. So it was something I did. Anyway Thank You all for your imput. I will wait to see if it dries and if not I'll start over........labrat
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take it to Turlock, the weather is so much better!
Before I attempt to refinish the stock I would remove ALL of the existing finish that is already applied. Then I would let the stock air dry two or three days. Next I would throw out that old bottle of Tru-Oil and buy a NEW bottle of the stuff. When I apply Tru-Oil my first few coats have been diluted with mineral spirts 50/50. I apply it liberally for about 1 minute then wipe off all that remains on the surface. I let this dry for at least one day. I then make up about a dozen cotton balls wrapped up in a 4" square of nylon stocking tied tightly with a piece of strong string so that it does not come apart. I then put about a cap full of the Tru-Oil in a shallow tin dish and LIGHTLY dip my cotton - nylon stocking ball into the Tru-Oil and start to rub it onto my stock. When I get done wiping the stock completely, I hang the stock away from people/pet traffic to dry which will take a few hours. I then do the application process using the cotton - nylon stocking ball again. I let it dry for another two or more hours. I continue doing this for about ten coats or more until I like the look. I then let it dry for about two days and then using rottenstone and water paste take another cotton - nylon stocking ball LIGHTLY dip my cotton - nylon stocking ball into the rottenstone paste I proceed to LIGHTLY rub the stock all over. The key word here is "LIGHTLY" rub. I then wipe the stock with a clean dry soft cloth to remove any of the rottenstone off the stock. I will finish up with a coat of good quality wax. Achieving a very nice long-lasting finish is not a quick process.
Ditto. DOUBLE DITTO. The steel wool dust gets stuck in the finish, and then you're just asking for a total restart. Well said!!
Compensate for it.
Yes.
How old is the T/O? If its been sitting around for awhile it will never cure right.
Yes, best to use a freshly-opened bottle for a new project.
Using steel wool at most any phase of finishing is anathema IMO. I use 3M scuff pads which come in different levels of coarseness. I must admit that when I need an extremely fine knock down of a previous coat of finish I do use steel wool, but only Elephant brand and only 0000 grade. I have heard of people using brass wool but I’ve never even seen any to be honest.Ditto. DOUBLE DITTO. The steel wool dust gets stuck in the finish, and then you're just asking for a total restart. Well said!!
After using steel wool I brush off the stock with a good quality paint brush (used only for that purpose) and then blow it down with compressed air (from my airbrush compressor, not too powerful) and then a tack rag. That should take care of any bits of remaining steel wool.
Thank you. Exactly as I reccomended, plus a quick wipe with acetone, is my method for dealing with steel wool dust. Wouldn't it be cool if there was such a thing as a magnetized tack rag?
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Good idea!
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I think we all have courted disaster by rushing it a bit. It was hard for me to not mess with a piece of work before it had totally cured.
