On Feb 4, 8:22*pm, "Lew Hodgett" wrote:
Subject

A question for Robert.

If Watco Teak Oil is basically BLO + some dryers why not just use BLO
cut with turps per the manufacturer's direction on the can in the
first place and get on with life?

Most likely would be less expensive and certainly would eliminate
another special item from the finishing materials inventory.

Just curious.

Lew

I don't know, Lew. I am guessing that so many folks have enough
problems with finishing that they just don't want to experiment with
something unknown. Everyone I know wants bullet proof results, and
making your own finish just seems like voodoo to them.

A good resin based finish like poly or varnish can easily be converted
to a "wiping" application by cutting it about 50% with thinner.
Sometimes it is a bit less, sometimes more.

This has been done for some time by folks like me that don't want to
pay for yet another can or kind of finish. You will find a lot of
furniture guys do this as well, depending on how their shop is set
up. It is an ideal solution if you can't spray, or if you cannot put
a "long" finish on it like an unthinned resin finish that you wait
hours between coats. It works well for small projects.

None of the wipe on finishes make a good wear resistant top coat to
me, though. I am not sure why, but they just don't seem as hard when
cured. Good for a lot of things, but not table tops. But at least if
you make your own out of poly, you will know that you are putting down
something harder than Teak oil.

This is a good wiping home brew from my own test lab. The BLO was
added to make the application a little slicker and to slow down the
flashing off of the solvent.

8 ounces of poly (I made this recipe up with Minwax)

8 ounces of thinner (Sherwyn Williams or the like, NOT Kleen Strip,
Crown, Sunnyvale or other cheap brands)

1 1/2 teaspoons of BLO

1 to 2 teaspoons of Japan Drier (use any drier, cobalt, etc.,). Japan
drier is optional, and if used, the formulation should be tested on a
piece of scrap before using it on your project. In this case the Japan
Drier is not used as a drying agent (the thinner and the chemical
matrix of the poly will take care of that) but as an agent to make the
surface harder when cured.

You will know if you have too much Japan drier in the mix if the
surface "crazes" and cracks when fully dried. The easiest way to test
the formula is to put a drop on a piece of wood and wait a couple of
days for it to dry. No cracking or fissure marks (highly unlikely
with one to two teaspoons in a pint) and you are in good shape.

Mix well with a stirrer. Let it sit about 30 minutes, and use as
normal wiping material. It makes a very nice finish when it is cured
out and is very easy to apply.

It has another use, too.

It is IDEAL for guys that build their own cabinets and want to
stabilize both sides of plywood or wood. If you build a cabinet that
has plywood backing or sides on it and you want to minimize the
movement, this is an ideal finish to slather on with an old tee
shirt.

Put the client's (or your) finish on the show off side as needed, and
seal the other side with this stuff. It penetrates pretty well, dries
up reasonably fast, and is excellent at moisture protection. I don't
like to spray inside a house anymore than I have to, so if I can spray
frames only, I don't have much overspray and drift in the house.
(Doors are sprayed outside or off site).

I can swab this around inside any cabinet to give a pretty good seal,
seal the bottom side of a table top or back of a cabinet to help
stabilize it, or just as a utility sealer to make a surface more
cleanable. And this stuff is so thin it goes on fast with a brush.
Really fast. And on a porous surface like cheap plywood or one of the
flavors of particle board, it goes right in and is dry to the touch in
no time.

Besides being easy to use, this stuff is CHEAP to make, EASY to make,
and easy to repair.

And most guys already have the ingredients for this stuff out on the
shelf somewhere in the garage, except the Japan drier (optional).

As always... just my 0.02.

Robert