Tung oil

[tg]

Who uses Tung oil for a stock finish? do you thin it a bit with spirits to hurry the drying between coats? i amd going to lighten up the color on my Fusil it came out darker thna I wanted and find myself with some time so the original finish and asphaltum filler has been taken down to where I think I want it and it is reday for a new finish, I always used BLO/spar varn/turp but decided to try something new for a change.

 

[rabjr]

I use Formbys Satin Tung oil straight. I use a base coat of something like True oil first, then several coats of Tung oil over it.

 

[bucktales]

I have refinished a few rifles with a Tung oil finish. I combined it with mineral Spirits and am very satisfied with the results. I applied about 8 coats, lightly sanding (scuffing) between coats and the final 2 coats, I added a few drops of Spar varnish to the soup.
They hold up well with bad weather and all and after cleaning, I wipe the wood down with Howard Feed Wax.

Here's my Lyman with a Tung/Mineral Spirits finish.

 

[Old40Rod]

I used Ace brand tung oil mixed with spar varnish 4:1 on the pistol I built about a year ago... it finished up nicely, pretty close to the BLO/spar mix I used on my GPR. I really didn't notice much difference in looks. I use Johnson paste wax over everything anyway, so I can't tell you much about water proofing with respect to the tung oil/spar mix as compared to BLO/spar.

 

[tg]

"Here's my Lyman with a Tung/Mineral Spirits finish."

That look very nice,I might drop in a bit of varnish if I can find it in the workshop, if not I will do without, I like a light coat of wax as the last hurrah also.

", so I can't tell you much about water proofing with respect to the tung oil/spar mix as compared to BLO/spar."

It would have to be at least as good as BLO as it offers little in the way of true water proofing, the spar varnish probably is the real water repelling ingredient.

 

[Old40Rod]

the spar varnish probably is the real water repelling ingredient.

True enough. I did a quick test on a slab of excess walnut board I had after making a coat rack. I did one section with BLO only and another section with my BLO/spar mix. Put on a couple of coats on each section, letting it dry well between coats. Ran each section under the sink faucet... the BLO didn't seem to fair too badly, but the BLO/spar shed water like a duck.

 

[Birddog6]

Keep in mind water running off a finish under a faucet & a finish letting in moisture is a a whole dif can of worms. BLO will not seal out the moisture. It may shed water, but being submitted to a humid enviroment for any extended period of time is a dif ball of wax.

I suggest you use Permalyn or Tru-oil to seal out the moisture & then light steel wool & then tung oil coats for the finish you want.Be sure to seal under everything, barrel channel, breech area & under tang, inside the trigger inlet, lock inlet, under the buttplate, toeplate, entrypipe, under RR pipes, I even swab the RR holes with it. Mop up any/all excess in the inlets.

Works for me. :thumbsup:

 

[shooter93]

If you're going to use Tung oil I'd use one of the exterior tung oil finishes. Standard tung oils are uv light degradable and not all that wear resistent.

 

[tg]

I have never cared for Tru Oil, I always use a mix of something with spar varnish,I wanted to try a different oil finish so I will give the tung oil a whirl.I get plenty of the stuff everywhere, and usually puton a light coat of wax at the end, I likely got as much as the wood could soak up in the initial sealer,slurry filler coats, thia type of gun would likely have a plain oil varnish finish on the originals so I will see what this new to me stuff will do.

 

[Birddog6]

Of several I have tried, I prefer Formby's satin tung oil. I hear this & that about it, (has ? whatevers in it, not PC, etc.) but it has worked fine for me. :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

"Of several I have tried, I prefer Formby's satin tung oil. "

That is what I have, I do think I will add some marine spar varnish, I really like it in the with BLO/turp

 

[Old40Rod]

True enough BirdDog... I've never had any problem with BLO/spar mix, but we don't have relatively high humidity here for most of the year. I've been out in a few rain storms but again, I think the Johnson's wax probably prevented any real problems for me.

 

[Birddog6]

I usually buy a new can every time I use it, as it is nice & thin & seems to work better. As for drying, if it is very humid out, I put about a teaspoon of the tung oil in the lid of a baby food jar & 1 or 2 drops of Japan Drier & that makes it dry quick on even the humid days.

I have acquired some nice finishes with the Formby's Tung Oil. Make a slurry with it & some 600 wet/dry paper & it will fill the grain of the wood fast if using walnut or a open grained wood. Then rub in about 8-10 very light coats & then rub inbetween the next 3-4 coats with some 1500 or 2000 paper & you have a stock that is slick as glass, if that be the desired finish.

But i always use Permalyn or Tru-oil to seal the stock up good first, then 0000 steel wool & tung oil applications after that if I am going to use the tung oil. mainly get the end grain sealed anywhere you inlet, as that is where most of the moisture will creep in.
:thumbsup:

 

[Birddog6]

I think the Spar is the key on your finish. I just don't like using straight BLO on anything. Takes forever to dry & it never really does dry..... from what I used of it. I know allot of guys use it & like it & that is fine. Just depends on what a individual likes to use & the finish results he wants.

:wink:

 

[rabjr]

But i always use Permalyn or Tru-oil to seal the stock up good first, then 0000 steel wool & tung oil applications after that if I am going to use the tung oil.

Thats what I do too. :thumbsup:

 

[tg]

I use the mix that Fred Miller shows on a site that has finishes and other good stuff but I have lost the addy it used to be connected to the old MLML,I trust most anything Fred recommends. Thanks for all the responses guys the first coat of Tung oil/Spar Varn/Turp is on it "feels" good , like the blo/van/turp mix I have used for the last ten years I'll take some pic when done, I will likely put 3 coats on maybe more, I go very thin with finish coats.

 

[tg]

I think this will work out just fine...


Before

After with one coat on and more plus buffing to go.

 

[Old40Rod]

:thumbsup:

 

[tg]

Its is finished now with theree coats of Tung oil/spar varn/turp with a light coat of wax after taking it back from blackish to brown in color

before

the finished look, I can get some better pics on a sunny day the difference shows much more than the pics do.The first pic I posted above when working on the gun is in the sun and shows the color change pretty well.

 

[bucktales]

Looks like it worked. :thumbsup: