Wood finishing

[Ron Wiliiams]

I learning on your site a mix of 1/3 eurothane, 1/3 tung oil and 1/3 napha can produce a good finsh coat.

What drying time shoud I allow and is buffinf needed.  The surface after 24 hours feels oily still.

[Wimayo]

What you are doing is making your own danish oil and that is fine. I have used a similar mix and like the results. The process of using this mix requires that you wipe or brush it on, let it sit and soak in for a while, and then, before it starts to get tacky, wipe it off with a dry towel or cloth. If you don't do this, it is likely to cause the problem you are having. Following this procedure, it should dry and be ready for another coat in 12-24 hours. You can also add some japan drier to the mix to speed it up. Be sure you follow the instructions on the japan drier container. It doesn't take much.

[drzaius]

Right, what he said. When you wipe it off, it should be wiped off well, with no visible oil on the surface. To the touch, your finger should only pick up the slightest trace of oil from the wood, not even enough to get it wet.

[gee-dub]

I don't know your location but, here in the SoCal desert basin I generously pad on the mixture, wait 20 to 30 minutes and then wipe it off as if I've changed my mind.  I apply the next coat right away.  Over the years my method has morphed a bit.  I use mineral spirits, BLO and a gloss modified phenolic resin (poly).  I use a straight sided jar and a stick of scrap.   I mark the stick in the increments I want.

I can then pour each ingredient till the level reaches the mark.

And I use the stick to stir with.  My first coat is something like 2:1:1 to act as an initial sealer.  The next few coats are 1:1:1 with the last coat(s) being 1:1:2.  That is, heavy on the thinner at first and heavy on the poly at the end.  The hand application gives me a satin-like finish from the gloss top coat.