Results 1 to 13 of 13
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,096

    Default Organic solvent for thinning Tung Oil

    I want to thin tung oil with an (organic) solvent to try to muck about with the tung oil penetration and trying to deepen the finish layer. I can source concentrated, pure (94%), Limonene, from orange oil. Anyone gone down this route before?
    Last edited by Clinton1; 23rd December 2018 at 07:35 PM. Reason: Had a brain fart
    Cheers,
    Clinton

    "Use your third eye" - Watson

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinton_findlay/

  2. # ADS
    Google Adsense Advertisement
    Join Date
    Always
    Location
    Advertising world
    Posts
    Many





     
  3. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Drouin Vic.
    Posts
    166

    Default

    I have used for some time a mixture of 60% Tung Oil and 40% Limonene. For some applications I also incorporate 15% beeswax.
    Cheers,
    Paintman

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,096

    Default

    Thanks mate. I was going to start with 10% and work up, I might start heavier. You anticipated my other question, which about mixing with lanolin oil or wax. When do you use it with beeswax, and how is it work wise/application?
    Cheers,
    Clinton

    "Use your third eye" - Watson

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinton_findlay/

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Drouin Vic.
    Posts
    166

    Default

    Hi Clinton1, I melt the beeswax in a hot water bath and slowly stir it into the Tung Oil mixture. The incorporation of the beeswax into the formulation helps with buffing applications on turned articles on the wood lathe. You will get a little settling of the beeswax over time but it is easily remixed. I have not had any application issues and usually apply liberally with a soft rag. I mostly use this on cutting boards and Tapis server boards. For my other wooden furniture or boxes I use a totally different cross-linking system that is spray applied and gives a very fast drying and hard surface.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Sydney Upper North Shore
    Posts
    4,464

    Default

    Organoil Garden Furniture Oil is almost the same recipe - Tung oil, limonene and beeswax.
    I have thinned it with limonene bought from an arts supply store.
    Just gave the outdoor table its 6 monthly coating.

    16C8D60C-D208-4059-8CBE-A027FCC304A6.jpeg

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,096

    Default

    Lovely isn't it Lappa? I react easily to hydrocarbons now, which
    I don't subject with limonene, hence my investigation. Almost every modern timber treatment had hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons make my skin peel.
    Cheers,
    Clinton

    "Use your third eye" - Watson

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinton_findlay/

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,096

    Default

    Paintman, do you think you get better penetration of oil and wax via limonene thinning, or do you think the wax pools on top of the polymerised tung oil coat?
    Cheers,
    Clinton

    "Use your third eye" - Watson

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinton_findlay/

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    27,756

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clinton1 View Post
    Lovely isn't it Lappa? I react easily to hydrocarbons now, which
    I don't subject with limonene, hence my investigation. Almost every modern timber treatment had hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons make my skin peel.
    Limonene is a hydrocarbon C10H16

    From Wikipedia
    Limonene is a colorless liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic monoterpene, and is the major component in the oil of citrus fruit peels. The D-isomer, occurring more commonly in nature as the fragrance of oranges, is a flavoring agent in food manufacturing

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,096

    Default

    Thanks Bob. All I know is that it doesn't cause some nasty effects in my body. I'm sick of 2 day headaches and dermatitis. I'm pretty sure it's the thinner
    Cheers,
    Clinton

    "Use your third eye" - Watson

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinton_findlay/

  11. #10
    Mobyturns's Avatar
    Mobyturns is offline In An Instant Your Life Can Change Forever
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    "Brownsville" Nth QLD
    Age
    66
    Posts
    4,413

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clinton1 View Post
    Thanks Bob. All I know is that it doesn't cause some nasty effects in my body. I'm sick of 2 day headaches and dermatitis. I'm pretty sure it's the thinner
    The problem with SDS's is that many commercial finish products contain a number of thinners and specify a range of the proportions of ingredients, and unspecified "non-hazardous" ingredients. What is in the potential 10% of other ingredients of Limolene (90-100%)? Has the product been adulterated? Not all suppliers are squeaky clean.

    Limolene also has its hazards, one in particular has very high significance for me - "and cardiovascular effects (tachycardia)". It is known to cause sensitization in some people and though regarded as having "low toxicity by dermal route" the skin patch testing procedures use very low concentrations of limolene, not the 90-100% found in limolene thinner. Certainly fewer people who are allergic to turpentine are also allergic to Limolene.

    "The allergic response is caused by oxidation products of d-limonene, which are formed upon exposure to air. d-Limonene of very high purity is not expected to produce an allergic response."
    Mobyturns

    In An Instant Your Life CanChange Forever

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    3,096

    Default

    That's why am I want to source my own thinner. It's the unknowns that are not fully stated, There for your not fully informed. Some limonene suppliers provide a full chemical analysis, for a decent price. A known thinner and much better environmental and oh&s on fume protection. With the majority of products, as you say, the SDS is not detailed properly.
    Last edited by Clinton1; 3rd January 2019 at 06:37 PM. Reason: Spelling
    Cheers,
    Clinton

    "Use your third eye" - Watson

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinton_findlay/

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    2,178

    Default

    Hi Clinton,
    Hope you are well (apart from the Dermatitis). For what it's worth, you could try contacting Organoil and ask them what might be the cause. Their oils are made (mixed) in Australia, so you might get some joy there. It might also be worth calling the Pharmacy College and asking what could be used instead of Limolene. Finally, you could try using Pure Tung Oil. If that causes problems, then you know what you have to do. I've found Organoil to be reasonable people to deal with.

    Regards,

    Rob

  14. #13
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    NSW
    Posts
    489

    Default

    A few years ago now I built a dining table from some reclaimed timber slabs, probably Flooded Gum, from an old slab hut. While the mechanics of getting the slabs joined together and smoothed out were interesting......I used a combination of Tung Oil, Bees Wax and Gum Turpentine as the finish. This was rubbed in and buffed with a lamb's wool buffer on a slow speed power sander over a period of weeks. The Gum Turpentine (a totally different animal to "mineral turps") has a lovely aroma, reminiscent of some of the old furniture polishes that I remembered from my childhood. Wether it will cause you any allergic reactions is another question that I cannot answer. Gum Turpentine is quite flammable so keep it away from naked flames. I used a little electric hotplate gadget to melt the beeswax, add the Tung oil and then add the Turpentine. The ratios I used escape me now, it was sort of like add a bit of this and that and see what happens.
    Good luck with the project.

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 9
    Last Post: 9th April 2016, 01:24 AM
  2. heritage and organic seeds
    By HUON in forum GARDENING
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 15th December 2014, 10:29 PM
  3. flesh tunnel stretchers organic
    By chuck1 in forum WOODTURNING - GENERAL
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 17th March 2014, 10:15 PM
  4. Solvent for Shellac?
    By Horaldic in forum FINISHING
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 3rd October 2011, 10:13 AM
  5. Av 515 solvent
    By Grahame Collins in forum GENERAL ODDS N SODS
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 3rd July 2006, 07:27 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •