Thread: Danish oil application

You won't get a really "high gloss" finish with DO. It is about 60-70%,

That is after a few coats over a few days,

If Tim the Timber Turner sees this, he is the expert and will probably reply.

I used EEE over a few coats of Danish Oil on a Blackwood piece and the gloss was very good. I used the U-Beaut instructions found in Neil's Handbook.

Feast Watson Scandinavian Oil finishes with the highest gloss out of three oil mixes that I've used. At a guess that's because it has a higher proportion of resins.

The gloss level can be lifted by increasing the number of coats and maybe finishing up with ubeaut Trad Wax and some buffing.

The result I would describe as 'gloss' but not high gloss.

Originally Posted by rsser

Feast Watson Scandinavian Oil finishes with the highest gloss out of three oil mixes that I've used. At a guess that's because it has a higher proportion of resins.

The gloss level can be lifted by increasing the number of coats and maybe finishing up with ubeaut Trad Wax and some buffing.

The result I would describe as 'gloss' but not high gloss.

Just happens to be my oil of choice Ern. I thought the extra gloss might be from the dash of polyurethane they've got in it - or is that the resins you speak of - - -or are all oils polyurethanes - - crikey - - I've given meself a headache now

Yes, by resins I meant poly or similar.

I put a piece in a bucket filled with Danish Oil, weighted down, and leave it over night. I take it out in the morning, and let it drip dry, then wipe it off with paper towels. That evening, I go over it with 0000 steel wool, and put it back into the bucket. The next morning I take it out and let it drip dry, then wipe it off with paper towels. That evening....
I repeat those actions until it's spent at least 4 nights in the DO, then allow it to sit on a shelf for at least a week, so it gets it's chance to polymerize. Then I go over it again with 0000.
Then I buff it with Tripoli, White Diamond, and Carnauba. I get a really nice, high gloss. Not quite as glossy as with pure Lacquer, but a very high gloss, nevertheless.
The more coats of Danish you put on it, the higher the gloss will be. It will also make the grain really "pop" more than clear lacquer.

Hmm, thorough, but expensive downunder for the oil in sufficient quantity.

Tiger, IIRC I put 3 coats of FW SO on a blackwood platter. If your Tassie Oak is open grained you may need more.

It goes without saying that the degree of gloss is affected by other factors as well such as how fine you sand to or whether you wet sand to fill the grain. I've no idea how wet sanding goes with any oil other than Organoil Hard Burnishing oil. Of course the more 'solids' in the product itself the more readily it'll fill an open grain.

I think the finish one gets with D/O depends on the wood. Hard close grained timbers build up a good finish quite quickly whereas softer timbers will need more coats. As for the gloss level; I once put about 8 coats on a red gum bowl and would liken the finish to that which I get with a semi-gloss lacquer.

For my first coat I have been known to use wet and dry sandpaper to sand the wet oil on the wood which creates a slurry of wood dust and oil. This helps to fill the pores of the wood and builds the sheen quicker.

Another tip is to buff the piece when you have let your final coat dry sufficiently to get hard. THis can be up to 48 hours later. A tip from Tim Skilton is to use a lambs wool buffing pad because the cotton ones are too hard and can strip the coatings back. I use a U Beaut swansdown mop which works well.

Originally Posted by rsser

Hmm, thorough, but expensive downunder for the oil in sufficient quantity.

Tiger, IIRC I put 3 coats of FW SO on a blackwood platter. If your Tassie Oak is open grained you may need more.

It goes without saying that the degree of gloss is affected by other factors as well such as how fine you sand to or whether you wet sand to fill the grain. I've no idea how wet sanding goes with any oil other than Organoil Hard Burnishing oil. Of course the more 'solids' in the product itself the more readily it'll fill an open grain.

Yer right, there. I bought 8 or 9 pints on sale at the borg for $5 ea. I think they're going to something water based... darned EPA... has ruined a lot of good things...
Then I made the mistake of asking the manager of a building center here in town, if he could order some Watco Danish Oil for me. He said he thought so, and the next thing I knew, he called and said my Oil had come in. I went to pick it up and there were eight quarts of it, IIRC. He had to order two gallons of it to get it. I bought them all for 10.98 per. So I've got a pretty nice stock of it for now. Don't know what I'll do when I run out. By then they may have discontinued it... I don't know.

And yer also right about the wet sanding... I try to do that with the oil, if the piece has open pores. Using DO to wet sand surely makes a difference.

Isn't Organoil about the same thing?

We pay something like 10.98 per 10 fl oz for Rustins DO.

Yeah Organoil hard burnishing oil is meant to be wet sanded. No mention on their DO which dries flat as a pancake.

Yes to buffing with a lambswool bonnet on a 5" sanding disc and to raise the lustre use it with a very thin layer of wax else you get build-up.

Originally Posted by rsser

We pay something like 10.98 per 10 fl oz for Rustins DO.

Holy Mackerel !! That' over a buck an ounce!! Wonder why it's so costly down under....

Ern, in your post above you mention "the three"....what was that referring to....DO,Scandinavian Oil,and.....? Regards.......AL

Is my main finish these days. I buy mine from 22 Services (in WA) for a litre of Smart Coatings for approx $11. This coats quite a few bowls and burl platters.

I sand to 600 grit, then seal with cellulose sealer cut 40/60 with thinners, then cut back with abrasive mesh, recoat and then final cut back with white abrasive. I then apply the Danish Oil with 000 steel wool and buff off the excess. I generally give all my items 10 coats of Danish oil
Regards
Willy
Jarrahland

Originally Posted by rsser

We pay something like 10.98 per 10 fl oz for Rustins DO.

Yeah Organoil hard burnishing oil is meant to be wet sanded. No mention on their DO which dries flat as a pancake.

Yes to buffing with a lambswool bonnet on a 5" sanding disc and to raise the lustre use it with a very thin layer of wax else you get build-up.

Originally Posted by rsser

We pay something like 10.98 per 10 fl oz for Rustins DO.

'struth, thats cheap , we pay twice that