# What is YOUR Danish Oil recipe?



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

It has finally sunk in that that Danish Oil is a generic term that refers to a mix of varnish, oil and thinner. 

But there are many different varnishes and also more than one oil and thinner. Then there are the many different combinations of proportions in which those 3 ingredients can be mixed. 

The specific application I am focusing on at this time is my workbench (STILL!).

I already have BLO for my oil, and can get MS or paint thinner (not so sure if turpentine is still available), and I can get lacquer, shellac, spar or polyurethane for the varnish.

So ... what is YOUR Danish Oil recipe, and what do you use it for?

Or if you would prefer ... if YOU were going to mix a Danish oil for YOUR douglas fir workbench, how would YOU make it?

Thanks in advance.

PS - Thank you all for your patience in my other thread about the difference between Danish and BLO.


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## Tommie Hockett (Aug 26, 2012)

Well I don't have one I'm fairly new to oil finishes. But I asked about blo with poly as a topcoat and someone told me to mix them together and try it on a piece of scrap. It looked terrible on cedar(no pic the scrap went in my fire pit the other night). But try it on a piece of scrap and if it don't look good don't do it lol:thumbsup:


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

For me it's almost always about 1/3 each: MS, BLO, varnish. Sophisticated finishers vary the ingredients to get desired effects, i.e.: more BLO for a softer finish, or more varnish for a more durable one. I, however, am anything but a sophisticated finisher. More like a survivor, and learning every day.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Fred Hargis said:


> For me it's almost always about 1/3 each: MS, BLO, varnish. Sophisticated finishers vary the ingredients to get desired effects, i.e.: more BLO for a softer finish, or more varnish for a more durable one. I, however, am anything but a sophisticated finisher. More like a survivor, and learning every day.


 Thanks, but which varnish?


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I don't use polyurethane varnishes (or poly-anything else for that matter) so the varnish I'll use is Pratt and Lambert 38 (soya/alkyd resin), the Cabot 8000 series (soya/alkyd), or the SW Fast Dry Oil Varnish (linseed oil/alkyd resin). I still have a can of McCloskey's Heirloom in my stash (now rebranded as the Cabot 800, and since discontinued...I think)...any of these work very well. I suppose there are so good urethane formulas as well, I'm just not familiar with them but would probably look at the same companies as above.


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## Bill White 2 (Jun 23, 2012)

I'm hooked on Captn. Eddies "Shine Juice".
1/3 BLO
1/3 Clear (blond) shellac
1/3 DNA
Can't be more simple than that.
Bill


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Bill White said:


> I'm hooked on Captn. Eddies "Shine Juice".
> 1/3 BLO
> 1/3 Clear (blond) shellac
> 1/3 DNA
> ...


thanks bill. would that be good for a workbench?


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## HowardAcheson (Nov 25, 2011)

>>>> Thanks, but which varnish?

As long as it's an oil based varnish spar varnish or poly varnish, it makes little difference. You can use any clear, semi-gloss or satin. Just be sure to thoroughly mix. As you wipe off the excess as part of the application process it makes little difference what oil based clear finish you use.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I have FINALLY decided on a recipe. :thumbsup:

I am going to do three equal parts of: (1) BLO, (2) Lacquer, and (3) Mineral Spirits.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I think you are going to find out that lacquer is incompatible with blo and mineral spirits so mix a very small batch. You could substitute varnish for the lacquer. Personally I would prefer to just purchase a can of Watco Danish oil. Nothing to mix, just use it.


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## Crusader (Jan 14, 2013)

For what it's worth, I recently used this product on the advice of a trusted and way more knowledgeable finisher. I absolutely love this finish! Very easy to manipulate,and sanding between coats was a dream. I am very impressed with General Finishes.
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10928&Max=999


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I think you are going to find out that lacquer is incompatible with blo and mineral spirits so mix a very small batch. You could substitute varnish for the lacquer. Personally I would prefer to just purchase a can of Watco Danish oil. Nothing to mix, just use it.


lacquer is incompatible with BLO and Mineral Spirits? really?



ehow said:


> Varnish consists of three components: drying oil, solvent and resin. The drying oil is a natural plant product; the most commonly used is linseed oil. The solvent that works best with linseed oil is paint thinner. The third component of varnish usually is lacquer. By mixing these three compounds you can make your own varnish. More oil means better exterior protection. More resin makes it better suited for interior use. Solvent dilutes both compounds. You will get less protection but faster drying times.
> http://www.ehow.com/how_8112983_make-wood-varnish.html


lacquer is one of the many different resin types that are used in varnish:


Wikipedia said:


> Outside America, the rule of thumb is that a clear wood finish formulated to be sprayed is a lacquer but if it is formulated to be brushed on then it is a varnish. Thus the vast majority of wooden furniture is lacquered.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

I've done BLO, MS, and Sherwin Williams Varnish and been happy.
For a work bench I would do it again.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Yes lacquer is incompatible with blo and mineral spirits. I've never actually tried it but I would expect it to curdle up like soured milk. Sometimes if you spray lacquer over blo that isn't quit dry it will turn it white in the grain and in cracks and crevices. Mix up a teaspoon quantity and let us know how it went.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> Yes lacquer is incompatible with blo and mineral spirits. I've never actually tried it but I would expect it to curdle up like soured milk. Sometimes if you spray lacquer over blo that isn't quit dry it will turn it white in the grain and in cracks and crevices. Mix up a teaspoon quantity and let us know how it went.


now i have to try it, just to see if you are right!

sorry to sound so skeptical, but i have searched and searched for other people who also say they are not compatible, and i have not found even one other reference to lacquer and BLO being incompatible.


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

Chris Curl said:


> now i have to try it, just to see if you are right!
> 
> sorry to sound so skeptical, but i have searched and searched for other people who also say they are not compatible, and i have not found even one other reference to lacquer and BLO being incompatible.


Try dissolving BLO in lacquer thinner and see what happens. If it dissolves in lacquer thinner you can probably mix BLO, lacquer, and thinner and have finish that will work. But I think that the BLO will curdle in the thinner. Haven't tried it so I can't say for sure.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

Chris Curl said:


> now i have to try it, just to see if you are right!
> 
> sorry to sound so skeptical, but i have searched and searched for other people who also say they are not compatible, and i have not found even one other reference to lacquer and BLO being incompatible.


Have you found any reference to say they _are_ compatible?

I don't think you'll be happy with your MS/BLO/Lacquer mix.

On the other hand, MS/BLO/Poly makes a very good mix.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> now i have to try it, just to see if you are right!
> 
> sorry to sound so skeptical, but i have searched and searched for other people who also say they are not compatible, and i have not found even one other reference to lacquer and BLO being incompatible.


I tried it this morning and it didn't curdle like I expected. It did better without the mineral spirits as it was thin enough without it. How it does on wood long term will take a while. The lacquer dried with the blo still wet in it.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I'm not a chemist, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night....but the info you found about the lacquer resin I believe to be so wrong it's way out there. The resins in varnish are typically one of three: polyurethane, phenolic (Waterlox Original), or alkyd (the ones I mentioned earlier). Lacquer, OTOH, is made by dissolving cellulose (cotton or such) in nitric acid, hence the name nitro-cellulose lacquer. The things called lacquers that are water borne are just much the same acrylic waterborne finish as the others. I'm sure some technical person could shoot some small holes in what I just said, but by and large I think I described it a little more accurately. BTW, I found another spot on wiki that explained varnish was made mostly from shellac.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Steve Neul said:


> I tried it this morning and it didn't curdle like I expected. It did better without the mineral spirits as it was thin enough without it. How it does on wood long term will take a while. The lacquer dried with the blo still wet in it.


thanks steve. as easy as it would be to just use this watco danish oil i bought the other day, i'd really like to mix my own so that i can start learning about finishes.


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## tc65 (Jan 9, 2012)

I think the best way to learn more about finishes is to use, discover and _understand_ the properties of each _individual_ finish component before you start mixing things you've never used before. 

I'd also recommend to not use Wiki as a source of information but rather rely on recognized experts in the field and buy (or borrow from the library) one of the many excellent books on the subject.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

thanks to everyone who has helped me learn about danish oil.

so lacquer and shellac are out as varnishes, right?

last question, is it safe to say that an oil-based poly or spar is the most commonly used substance for the varnish component?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Chris Curl said:


> thanks to everyone who has helped me learn about danish oil.
> 
> so lacquer and shellac are out as varnishes, right?
> 
> last question, is it safe to say that an oil-based poly or spar is the most commonly used substance for the varnish component?


Well I may have been wrong about mixing linseed with lacquer. It mixed together and dried on the wood. What I didn't like about it is when I put a second coat on it took three days to dry to touch. It may very well work however I don't know how it will stand the test of time. I think shellac would have much the same results and it's only available in high gloss which you would have to mix a flattening agent to it to tone it down.

A varnish is different from poly as it is derived from pine resins where oil-based poly is a plastic resins (polymers). Depending on brand a spar varnish can be made from phenolic resins, alkyds and or polyurethane. It is formulated to be elastic so it can withstand being used outdoors.  

From what I understand Danish oil is a mixture of linseed oil, tung oil, varnish and thinned with mineral spirits.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks Steve. I think my first foray into mixing my own will be equal portions of Tung Oil, Turpentine, and Spar.

The specific brands of the above that I end up with will be driven by what they have on the shelf at Home Depot.


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

Chris Curl said:


> thanks to everyone who has helped me learn about danish oil.
> 
> so lacquer and shellac are out as varnishes, right?
> 
> last question, is it safe to say that an oil-based poly or spar is the most commonly used substance for the varnish component?



I can only reference what I typed in my earlier post, but polyurethanes are the most common resins found in varnish. "Spar" is a type of long-oil varnish made to be a little softer (flexible)...it's not a resin per se. The urethanes are the most common not because they are the best, but they are the cheapest of the types available (my opinion). They (urethane) do have a good resistance to abrasion....so they are wonderful for floors and such.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

dang it. home depot apparently doesn't stock tung oil, only the "tung oil finish"

lunchtime will be consumed by a trip to another hopeful source


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I would bet a lot of money that your only source for real tung oil is going to be a woodworking specialty shop, or the internet.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Fred Hargis said:


> I can only reference what I typed in my earlier post, but polyurethanes are the most common resins found in varnish. "Spar" is a type of long-oil varnish made to be a little softer (flexible)...it's not a resin per se. The urethanes are the most common not because they are the best, but they are the cheapest of the types available (my opinion). They (urethane) do have a good resistance to abrasion....so they are wonderful for floors and such.


yes, i understand that pretty much all of the products available for the varnish component of a home-brewed danish oil will also be mixtures that include their own thinner(s) and oil(s) and some resin-like substance.

but now that opens another question ... what oils are "long"?


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

I'll go back to my statement that I'm not a chemist, but I believe in this case long oil refers to the amount of oil in the mixture compared to the resins...in other words a long oil formula has more cooked oil into the mix. As opposed to being a specific type of oil.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Fred Hargis said:


> I would bet a lot of money that your only source for real tung oil is going to be a woodworking specialty shop, or the internet.


Apparently, Lowes carried Formby's Tung Oil Finish. From looking at the Formby web site, All it says is marketing blurbs about why rubbing tung oil into wood is good. It is not clear about whether it is 100% tung oil, or if it is a mixture.

*edit* on further research, no, the formby stuff is not pure either.

i might just go with BLO


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

You don't have to guess, look at the MSDS (it's a pdf file, and I can't link it real well). But the product "class" is "modified soya tung alkyd resin finish" (that's varnish). The main ingredient is "aliphatic petroleum distillate (mineral spirits)" and it's listed at 70%. So, it's simply wiping varnish, very thin wiping varnish at that. Bob Flexner spells that out in this article, it's pretty interesting.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

Greetings,

This is my first post and i found this thread when goggling for DIY Danishg Oil. I'm living in Portugal and is pretty much impossible to find Danish oil for sale.

I'm an archer and i found in a lot of forums that Danish Oil would be the best finished for my wood arrows. Unfortunately i can't find it for sale anywhere so i started looking for the "recipe". The first problem i encounter was the naming conventions between English and Portuguese...

Do you guys think these are the correct ingredients:

Polymerized Linseed Oil : Acrilex - Artistc Paints -Artistic-Aceite de Lino Polimerizado








Turpentine: Acrilex - Artistc Paints -Artistic-Trementina








All-Purpose Varnish: Acrilex - Artistc Paints -Artistic-Barniz General










1/3 each as someone said...also Mineral Spirit and Quick Drying available if needed.

Each bottle costs somewhere between £2 to £4

Cheers


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

Sounds right to me. Just be certain that the varnish is oil based.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

Thanks for the info. 

Manufacture says " Varnish to be applied with a brush. Provides brilliant finish and quick drying. Optimal durability and adherence. Can be used to waterproof and protection of different materials. Soluble in Acrilex Mineral Turpentine."

Since its soluble in mineral spirits I supposed it was oiled based. I'll try to get more info. 

Now the noob question: how to apply? Since it is a oil product I suppose we use a rag to do it?


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

jigs-n-fixtures said:


> Sounds right to me. Just be certain that the varnish is oil based.


According to the manufacture information here this is a Acrylic Resin en solution.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? lool


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

bump for me


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

yes, you can use a rag. but use a lint free rag, like an old t-shirt for example.

and do NOT ball it up and throw it in a trash can when you are down with it, because it can start a fire that way. hang it in air to dry.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Chris Curl said:


> yes, you can use a rag. but use a lint free rag, like an old t-shirt for example.
> 
> and do NOT ball it up and throw it in a trash can when you are down with it, because it can start a fire that way. hang it in air to dry.


I purchased a bundle of the cotton material, going to last me many years.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=49422&cat=1,190,43034

+1 with allowing the rag to dry. Many stories of fires being started by solvent soaked rags being put into containers.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

i've also read about rag spontaneous combustion...kinda scary!

as to the varnish is this the correct one?



SchattenMann said:


> According to the manufacture information here this is a Acrylic Resin en solution.
> 
> Is that a good thing or a bad thing? lool


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The term "varnish" is just a term. It's usually applied to a coating that gets brushed on or wiped on. It could be any of the film finishes and just referred to as "varnish".

Most of the labels on danish oil type finishes that use the term "finish", like "Tung Oil Finish", are basically a mix, and could be Tung Oil free, made with Soya Oil, or BLO.

A long oil mix is one with a greater ratio of the oil part of the mix. It's mixed that way to be more flexible. If you mix your own, the thirds is a good start. You can use any interior oil base varnish (not polyurethane) as the resin. Or you could use an oil base polyurethane. You can use BLO for the oil part of the mix. You can use mineral spirits (which is better than paint thinner), for the solvent. You can substitute VM&P Naptha for the mineral spirits, and it will dry faster.

If you want more of a durable finish, reduce the oil content . If you reduce the oil content drastically, you wind up with a wiping varnish, which is a very durable film finish, which will dry faster than the mix with the oil in it.

Keep in mind that any oil base varnish, or oil base polyurethane already has their own ratios of oil and solvent.



















.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> The term "varnish" is just a term. It's usually applied to a coating that gets brushed on or wiped on. It could be any of the film finishes and just referred to as "varnish".
> 
> Most of the labels on danish oil type finishes that use the term "finish", like "Tung Oil Finish", are basically a mix, and could be Tung Oil free, made with Soya Oil, or BLO.
> 
> ...


That was indeed helpful cabinetman, thanks.

I understand that different ratios will produce different results ofc and that there is no perfect "recipe" as each case is different.

But right now what i don't know is if that brand "varnish" is an oil based or not. I'm aware that is an extremely noob question but those that "Acrylic Resin Thermoplastic" means it's an oil based or polyurethane?
I can't find nothing refering to polyurethane base on the brand .pdf so i suppose it's an oil based...better safe than sorry 

Once again, thanks for all the helpfully information provided on this forum...really getting into this "wood craftsmanship"


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

SchattenMann said:


> That was indeed helpful cabinetman, thanks.
> 
> I understand that different ratios will produce different results ofc and that there is no perfect "recipe" as each case is different.
> 
> ...


Just check the product label for what to use for thinning or clean up. If it's mineral spirits, Naptha, or turpentine...it's an oil base. If it's acetone, or lacquer thinner, it's a lacquer product. If it's water...it's waterbased. The term "varnish" is just a term, but for labels it usually refers to an oil base product.



















.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

Now i understood! thanks!

It's really easy indeed! 

This one is Soluble in Mineral Turpentine and therefor a oil based product!

Thanks!


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## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

If you really want to learn finishes, get the books below. You will see that lacquer is NOT compatible with any oil based finish. You can, however, over coat shellac with lacquer and put shellac over lacquer (all fully cured 24 hrs or more of course). You can't mix lacquer with BLO or MS or oil based stain. Not oil based anything. It's apples and oranges as others have said. Occasionally, I have been able to spray lacquer over an oil stain that's cured for 3-4 days, but it's generally problematic with the underlying surface wrinkling or crazing or both.

The bible: http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-American-Woodworker/dp/1565235487

For extra credit: http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Woodworking-Finishing-Refinishing-Articles/dp/0918804469

Read these and you will be a wood finishing guru!


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## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

Cabinetman nailed it, but just to clarify, "polyurethane" is just one of several resins used in oil based varnish. It's relatively new in the past 50 yrs maybe and is considered by some to be a "plastic" finish. It imparts a plastic like look, but will buff up nicely for a warm/worn look. Traditional Alkyd or Soya resins go back 100 yrs or maybe 150 and are used in a traditional "old school" varnish. You can still get this at ACE, HD or Lowes. A poly varnish while tough as nails will not adhere to itself once cured more than 8 hrs or so and nothing will stick to it because it's so hard. You can rough it up some with fine sandpaper, but the results will be less than optimum. Use if for a utilitarian project that will take some abuse but not on a fine piece of furniture or a restoration of a family heirloom. Poly will also not take sun, even exterior grade "spar" poly. I did an oak park bench and it lasted a year then all flaked off. This is in Sac CA with hot 100 deg summers. I'm still pondering my next move as I don't think an marine grade alkyd spar will work either in full sun.

BTW, I did use Poly on my clear, straight grain fir work bench I made in 1965 and it's going strong. No oil undercoat however. Not sure what that will buy you. Maybe a little grain enhancement.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

Those are some very interesting posts. Guess it really is a more complex art then initially i think off.

I will be coating some wood arrows so yah those will have some rough times with dirt and rocks.

As to the Danish Oil i understood we should use some lint free rag. pour some Oil into the rag and apply it generously to the wood. allow 24h to fully dry, sand the wood with a very fine grain and apply a second coat. guess thats it?

cheers!


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

SchattenMann said:


> Those are some very interesting posts. Guess it really is a more complex art then initially i think off.
> 
> I will be coating some wood arrows so yah those will have some rough times with dirt and rocks.
> 
> ...


Wipe it on let it set for ten or fifteen minutes, then apply a second coat. Let that set for ten, or fifteen minutes, and then wipe off what hasn't absorbed. 

If you let it set overnight you will end up with a gooey nasty surface that is very difficult to remove.

The rule I learned from my Dad is: once an hour for a day; once a day for a week; once a week for a month; once a month for a year; once a year forever.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

*Late to the game*

Chris,
I am not a fan of Danish Oil (i.e. Watco) 

My favorite, which I can no longer buy in California, is Minwax Antique Oil Finish. Two or three coats and it has all the advantages of Danish and it seems to be so much easier to use. 

http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/interior-clear-protective-finishes/minwax-antique-oil-finish


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

jigs-n-fixtures said:


> Wipe it on let it set for ten or fifteen minutes, then apply a second coat. Let that set for ten, or fifteen minutes, and then wipe off what hasn't absorbed.
> 
> If you let it set overnight you will end up with a gooey nasty surface that is very difficult to remove.
> 
> The rule I learned from my Dad is: once an hour for a day; once a day for a week; once a week for a month; once a month for a year; once a year forever.


Thanks!
Guess you saved me from doing something stupid. I as pretty sure I've read somewhere to use fine grain sand palaver between coats. 
When you say to wipe off I suppose I'll just use a clean dry rag?
Cheers


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

rrich said:


> Chris,
> I am not a fan of Danish Oil (i.e. Watco)
> 
> My favorite, which I can no longer buy in California, is Minwax Antique Oil Finish. Two or three coats and it has all the advantages of Danish and it seems to be so much easier to use.
> ...


Rich, thanks. As I'm sure you already know, the Watco stuff is just one company's rendition of a Danish Oil; "Danish Oil" being a generic term for a mixture of varnish, oil and thinner. I bet the Minwax stuff also fits the definiiton of a Danish Oil.

I wonder which type of varnish the Minwax finish uses ... ?

For me, being the frugal person I am, the idea of spending that much money for something that is more mineral spirits than anything else seems silly. Plus, I would like to know exactly what is in it so that I can learn.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

Chris Curl said:


> For me, being the frugal person I am, the idea of spending that much money for something that is more mineral spirits than anything else seems silly. Plus, I would like to know exactly what is in it so that I can learn.


Don't know if i agree with that.

I did some math and to me, in Portugal, is more expensive to buy the ingredients than buying the product already made...


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

the way i look at it, if i buy 1 qt each of mineral spirits, poly, and tung oil, i end up with more than the equivalent of 3 qts of danish oil.

plus, i can use each part by itself as needed, so i have more options.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

Totally understandable!
In my case i would spend more or less £2 100 ml Mineral Spirit, £2 100 ml polymerized linseed oil and £4 100 ml Varnish so i would spend £8 for 300 ml...Danish Oil costs £6 for 500 ml


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Chris Curl said:


> the way i look at it, if i buy 1 qt each of mineral spirits, poly, and tung oil, i end up with more than the equivalent of 3 qts of danish oil.
> 
> plus, i can use each part by itself as needed, so i have more options.


Your option is you can mix less than the 1qt of each if needed. But, using one of the parts changes the overall mix quantities if you want thirds.



















.


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## amalina (Apr 1, 2013)

*Watco Danish Oil*

I like the stuff. I like to hand work it into the wood the wet sand it into a slurry, 30 minutes latter wipe it clean. So far cherry, maple and walnut finished with it.


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## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

My 2 cents on Watco "Danish Oil" is this: 

I started using Watco almost 60 yrs ago and find it an awesome product when used in the right place and I'm sure the Minwax product is comparable, but have not used it. By "right place", I mean these products are not particularly water proof and for furniture like, say a coffee table, you will get water spots; which can be easily repaired and that's the advanteage this finish. Compared to varnish or lacquer or shellac, for example. 

While I'm also very much a fan of DIY blends of near anything (have recently experimented with my own Tru Oil blend*), what you pay for when you buy a product like Watco is the benefit of years of well paid professional chemists working in an expensive lab. perfecting the optimum proprietary product. You can not duplicate this in your garage with boiled linseed oil as the main ingredient. You will never find the exact contents of Watco or Minwax, etc. anymore than you will find the recipe for COKE. I'm also pretty sure these products are "polymerized" which means the varnish element is cooked at high temp to change it's chemical properties (Google "polymer"). Don't try this at home, unless you have access to a expendable meth lab in a rural area and paid-up life insurance.

*on my Tru Oil experiment, after playing with it, I learned it's also a polymerized product, so impossible to replicate at home; that's why it cures so fast. I used Tung, paint thinner, alkyd spar varnish and a little Japan drier. I got a decent oil-varnish finish, but not a real Tru Oil finish. I'm using authentic Tru Oil (can't buy it locally so a friend gave me some he bought in bulk online) on a home-made fly fishing net and not yet convinced it's better than traditional alkyd spar varnish, but will give it a chance. It dries soft as all oil finished do including Watco. I can easily score the surface with my fingernail. Another net I made and finished with McClosky spar varnish is wearing like iron.

My advice on the arrows is to just use a commercial "Tung oil finish" from the hardware store. NOT pure Tung, but something labeled "Finish". This will most likely be a blend of oil/varnish/mineral spirits/driers. Read the link below for excellent info on this topic. Why Tung? It's more water proof/resistant than linseed which offers little moisture protection.

Just found this link by the author of one of the books I recommeded in a previous post.


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## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

PS to above: for wiping near anything, I use plain, ordinary paper kitchen towels. You don't need old rags. I have a dispenser screwed to the wall in my shop so they are within arms reach. Work great. I use them for stain, Oil, everything. I have used cheesecloth occasionally for stain that was tricky to apply like lacquer stain that wants to remove the previous coat.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

cabinetman said:


> Your option is you can mix less than the 1qt of each if needed. But, using one of the parts changes the overall mix quantities if you want thirds.


Yes ... and no ...

If I were to use some of one (or more) of the ingredients, and then want a FULL 3 quarts of my home made Danish Oil, then you are right ... I would not have enough to make it. 

But in the more likely case where I want less, then I will still be able to make it ... unless I am low enough on one of the ingredients that I can't make the amount I need, in which case it is time to stock up again.


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## SchattenMann (May 25, 2013)

That's way more then just 2cents mate thanks!

paper kitchen towels is great idea. Do you use it just to remove the excess in the end or also to apply the oil?

Ps: there's now a small chance I will be able to import 500ml of watco original Danish oil


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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

What's the best thing to use if you can't get Minwax antique oil ? I want the Same warm look as Minwax.


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## ejp (Feb 25, 2013)

The best way to learn finishes is to get these books:

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Woodworking-Finishing-Refinishing-Articles/dp/0918804469

and/or

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Wood-Finishing-American-Woodworker/dp/1565235487

Both will tell you lacquer and oil based products do not mix. Also as far as varnish over oil, it has poor adhesion and is not recommended. It's in the 1st book where he did an extensive experiment.

I went down this DIY varnish/oil/MS blend path and ended up with plain old Tung Oil finish from a neighbor's garage sale. Not pure Tung Oil (not recommended and expensive), but a "finish" that's probably a proprietary blend not unlike Watco, which I also love, but it's not water proof nor for outdoor use. Tung is highly water resistant while Linseed is not, not even a little. I used a Tung finish on a refurbed (new wood) oak park bench on the patio and 6 mo later, is holding up well. Spar Poly flaked off in 12 mo.

I used Tung on 2 hardwood laminated trout nets and they look awesome. I did apply 10 coats with 24hrs to dry between coats, but they have a soft warm satin luster not achievable with lacquer or varnish. I'm using Behr Tung Oil Finish from Home Depot. Having said that, I'll use spar poly for future nets since it's tougher to take the abuse of a fishing net. The oil looks great but is not practical if the new will get any abuse.

Good luck, but your bench project is probably finished by now.

PS: many years ago, I obsessed over the finish on my bench top made from oak hardwood flooring strips glued to 3/4" plywood. Did BLO first (did not know about Tung at that time) and it did not hold up well at all. 10 yrs later, I sanded it down and applied 3 coats of satin poly and it's held up much better. Would not use poly on a fine piece of furniture however, but for a work bench that takes a beating, it's a good choice. I made the bench in 1965 from clear straight grain fir 4x4's, refurbed it in ~1990 and it's still getting regular use.


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## jigs-n-fixtures (Apr 28, 2012)

On working surfaces such as benches, and rifle stocks, I just apply BLO, and plan on reapplying it periodically. 

It is one of the better finishes for things that frequently get dinged and scratched. You just reapply BLO with a fine scotch pad and your are good to go. The secret is to do the frequent reapplications early on, and then follow up. 

Once an hour for a day, once a day for a week, once a month for a year, once a year for ever.


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