It's just my own preference, but I thin the first few coats WAY down .. ..
probably 75% thinner .. .. .. this lets the limited suspended solids settle
into the pores due in part to lowered surface tension. It takes many more
coats, but they dry very quickly and you can apply 3-4 coats per day. I
hardly ever use less than about 40% thinner even in the final coats, but then
I normally use Waterlox which, I believe starts out a whole bunch heavier
than Minwax. I know the "super-thin" concept sounds like a lot of extra
work, but it's very easy and gives excellent results. give it a try & see
what you think.

David Patnaude wrote:

Hello,

I am finishing what I am calling my first real woodworking project. It is
a mantle clock that I have constructed from Birch. I decided to finish
the Birch with Tung Oil. I ended up with Minwax Tung Oil.
Questions/Problems:

1. What do you use for application and buffing? I had some cheese cloth
which seemed to work ok, but even though I think I sanded this thing
really well, the cheese cloth seems to pull apart too easily. Trying to
buff, foget it. The tackyness of the finish just pulls it apart.

2. Should I sand at all between coats?

3. Hand protection: I didn'y want to get the oil all over me, so I wore
some heavy rubber gloves, but they had some previous finish on them and
the oil ate through this year old finish and started to transfere to my
work. I then tried some latex gloves. The latex gloves started to turn
green and again transfer to the project. What do you use?

4. Do you put anything on top of the Tung Oil? Wax? I know that the
Minwax Tung Oil is not pure Tung and is building up a glossy coat
already.

Thanks,
Dave

--
I AM NOT PARANOID .. .. .. but EVERYONE thinks I am !! !! !!

__ Bob __