# Advice on applying danish oil - having problems



## Shesho (Jun 12, 2012)

Hi. I've been trying to use it as a finish for instruments. Initially I sanded up to 400 grit, then did wet sanding to fill the grain with the dust created from the sanding.

The problem i'm having is the longer im sanding at this last wet stage the more the finish becomes sticky and thick which when you sand leaves marks and smears. 

I'm confused how you're meant to avoid this, you can add more danish oil to your sanding paper and this helps but then you have too much oil on the piece so I don't understand at what point to stop at.

Does anyone have experience with this? I find I get a better result with just many very thin layers but this misses the wet sanding step.

Any help would be appreciated.


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## Millzy (Nov 30, 2011)

Thought that 120 grit was the finest u should sand before applying Danish oil and then wet sand thinned varnish to 800 grit


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## Shesho (Jun 12, 2012)

I think maybe it was 220 or lower I should be using. Then maybe a bit higher on the wet part. But I wouldn't of thought it would make all that dramatic a difference.

What i'm having problems with is smearing and other marks that i'm getting left as the oil becomes thicker as time goes on during wet sanding. Once the oil becomes dried i'm left with unevenesses and scrape marks which im obvciously not trying to achieve.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Shesho said:


> Hi. I've been trying to use it as a finish for instruments. Initially I sanded up to 400 grit, then did wet sanding to fill the grain with the dust created from the sanding.
> 
> The problem i'm having is the longer im sanding at this last wet stage the more the finish becomes sticky and thick which when you sand leaves marks and smears.
> 
> ...


Seems like your procedure is a bit off course. You don't add oil to the sandpaper. Do your initial sanding to no higher than 220x. Blow off the area away from your finishing area. You don't want to make ambient dust. Wipe on a thin coating of your danish oil. It's actually a stand alone finish (varnish/oil mix). Let dry and cure. Then sand with 320x, and apply another coat, and when cured sand off nibs. When you have done this with sufficient build layers, you can leave it with the cured finish if you're satisfied with it. 

Or, you can wet sand with wet-or-dry silicone carbide sandpaper and WATER with progressively smoother grits up to 1500x to 1800x. That finish can be rubbed out with a lint free cloth, and smooth polishing compounds to a high piano type gloss finish.









 







.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

You can wet sand the danish oil into the wood. I have done it many times and it creates a beautiful tactile finish. I think you are just wet sanding way too much. Usually 2 coats is plenty of wet sanding from that point on you just apply the oil and then wipe off excess with a rag until you get the build you are after.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Rick Mosher said:


> You can wet sand the danish oil into the wood. I have done it many times and it creates a beautiful tactile finish. I think you are just wet sanding way too much. Usually 2 coats is plenty of wet sanding from that point on you just apply the oil and then wipe off excess with a rag until you get the build you are after.


No disrespect intended for your style of finishing, or what could be done, but he isn't you. Sanding in a varnish type of mix can get him where it did. There are many techniques that can produce nice topcoats, but a straight application of the media is a predictable fail safe method. Maybe with practice on samples he can master it.

Personally I don't like that method, and instructing one to use it would be a whole lot easier if done shoulder to shoulder, so it could be tutored. My intention was to help him get a successful finish.








 







.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

cabinetman said:


> No disrespect intended for your style of finishing, or what could be done, but he isn't you. Sanding in a varnish type of mix can get him where it did. There are many techniques that can produce nice topcoats, but a straight application of the media is a predictable fail safe method. Maybe with practice on samples he can master it.
> 
> Personally I don't like that method, and instructing one to use it would be a whole lot easier if done shoulder to shoulder, so it could be tutored. My intention was to help him get a successful finish.
> 
> ...


No disrespect taken. We used to do the Danish oil finish on commercial millwork jobs back in the 80's. Air jitterbug sander to wet sand the oil into the wood and then a paste wax finish. Very simple, very fast and a beautiful finish to boot. I think he is having problems because he is still trying to wet sand after many coats. I f you want a nice closed coat finish danish oil isn't the best option.


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## Shesho (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks for the help. 

I think I probably have been using too much of the danish oil and doing the sanding for too long. I think i'll have to systematically try a few techniques and write down what works.


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## Jophus14 (Aug 21, 2012)

I found these instructions on another woodworking site (forgot the name) and my finish turned out beautifully.

1) Apply coat #1 and keep wet for 1 hour. At the end of this time, wipe off the excess oil and continue to check for any oozing for the next several hours. Allow this coat to dry for a full 48 hours (very important).
2) Apply coat #2 and keep wet for 20 minutes. At the end of this time, wipe off the excess oil and continue to check for any oozing for the next several hours. Allow this coat to dry for a full 48 hours (very important).
3) Apply coat #3 and wet sand with 360 grit (I sanded with 400 grit). Spend time on the end grain and you will be amazed at the results. Wipe down after wet sanding and continue to check for any oozing for the next several hours. Allow this coat to dry for a full 48 hours (very important).

Each time I wiped the excess oil off of the piece, I wiped perpendicular to the grain. I used Watco's Natural Danish Oil on my project. The box that I made was really smooth and it had the sheen that I was looking for. This was my first time applying danish oil and I have a lot to learn, so I am just saying that this technique worked for me. There are members on here that can offer much better advice than what I just posted.


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