Advice Needed on Oil Finishes

[Stub Mandrel]

I've learned a lot about sanding! Patience with 600 grit gets rid of 'smeared' textures left by the original shaping of the body, even though they didn't look like a fault.

 

Also a tip on line for sanding back red/orange after staining, then doing everything in yellow really brings out the paler medullary rays. This pic before adding a touch more red around the corners where there were a few 'thin' patches.

 

Sadly, in the 20 seconds between doing the yellow and taking the pic, the alcohol had flashed off making the figure less dramatic. Hopefully the tung oil will bring it back.

 

[Andyjr1515]

6 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Hopefully the tung oil will bring it back.

Yes, it certainly will Going to be a beaut!

[Stub Mandrel]

4 minutes ago, Andyjr1515 said:

Yes, it certainly will Going to be a beaut!

 

By gum, you're right, one coat of tung oil cut with white spirit, and it's amazing. I really have to work hard to have the patience to do something like this properly, but it's paying off. Thanks for the guidance and encouragement.

 

Sucked in and touch dry within a few hours, but rather than rush, I'm leaving until tomorrow for the next coat.

 

Just to add, I went for purple over the red around the sides and just onto the very edges front and back. I did a test on some similar scrap wood first (mahogany face ply) and rather than purple it's given a lovely plum colour that looks great grading into red then orange and yellow. Also, and this was a surprise, unlike the red, the purple made the mahogany grain on the sides leap out, and it's a bold s-shaped curve which was quite unexpected. But wow the burl looks amazing with the tung oil.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Stub Mandrel

[Stub Mandrel]

 

After today's second bit of tung.

[PaulThePlug]

Firey! There be Dragons...

Edited November 22, 2021 by PaulThePlug

[Andyjr1515]

This is going to look great!

[Stub Mandrel]

No pressure 🤣

[Stub Mandrel]

Sixth coat of Tung oil today. Seems to be building up so I will do my first sand and slurry tomorrow. 😰

 

To be honest it looks great when the oil goes on but fades as it dries.  Not too worried about filling the grain so will take it very gently, I want a satin finish not gloss.

[Stub Mandrel]

No more coats since Friday and after five days in the warm it's finally stopping feeling quite so 'waxy'.

 

I'm starting to realise tung oil != tru-oil. It isn't building up, it just keeps soaking in. Note this is pure tung oil, not a modified one.

 

It looks good at the moment, but is unprotected and the finish is uneven as in some bits matt, some shiny, most in-between. I also worry it's getting a little darker with each coat.

 

I think I'll park the slurry idea and instead go for applying a coat of microcrystalline clear satin wax or two, once it feels completely unsticky, which I guess will be a couple of days now as most of it feels OK. I think a high gloss would highlight imperfections and the holes in the timber.

 

[Stub Mandrel]

This is how it turned out, darker and less contrast than I'd hoped. Pure tung oil probably wasn't the best choice; I hadn't understood how different it is from tru-oil. Also, I think I overdid the stain, I should have sanded it back more. The restoration wax (satin finish), I could have built it up even more, but it was starting to leave white residue in the holes.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bridgehouse]

59 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

This is how it turned out, darker and less contrast than I'd hoped. Pure tung oil probably wasn't the best choice; I hadn't understood how different it is from tru-oil. Also, I think I overdid the stain, I should have sanded it back more. The restoration wax (satin finish), I could have built it up even more, but it was starting to leave white residue in the holes.

 

 

 

 

 

I’m waiting on my finishing oil at the moment - have both the Crimson penetrating and high build oil on order. 
 

I’ve sanded back quite a bit on the medium scale body, and it’s really very light now - even tempted to get the wire wool on it and give it a final going over. I’ve noticed when wet it’s a lot darker. I wonder if the slight tint to tung oil has darkened yours more.. 

[Andyjr1515]

2 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

This is how it turned out, darker and less contrast than I'd hoped. Pure tung oil probably wasn't the best choice; I hadn't understood how different it is from tru-oil. Also, I think I overdid the stain, I should have sanded it back more. The restoration wax (satin finish), I could have built it up even more, but it was starting to leave white residue in the holes.

 

 

 

 

 

Dark or not - that's flippin' gorgeous

[ezbass]

Classy Tele that. Reminds me of some of the instruments built by Wormwood.