I have never used tung oil; it seemed too expensive for what it was.

At a garage sale today I bought a large, very old, bottle of pure tung oil
for $0.50.
I emptied it into a clean bottle and found it was a very syrupy brown
liquid. I put in about 10% turp and it thinned up to a reasonable
consistancy.

I put some on a scrap of mahogany, with BLO next to it. It is hard to tell
the two apart, but maybe the tung is a tad lighter. Don't know how it dries
since I just did it.

Does this sound like a usable product, or has it gone bad from long storage?
The brand is "Hope". Seems like a good idea...

"Toller" wrote in message
...
I have never used tung oil; it seemed too expensive for what it was.

I swear by Formbys Tung Oil Finish which I get at walmart. I do lots of
woodworking and the finish is great. I've put 20-30 coats on a lot of my
pieces. I use the high gloss and get that glassy deep look.

"Toller" wrote in message
...
I have never used tung oil; it seemed too expensive for what it was.

At a garage sale today I bought a large, very old, bottle of pure tung oil
for $0.50.
I emptied it into a clean bottle and found it was a very syrupy brown
liquid. I put in about 10% turp and it thinned up to a reasonable
consistancy.

I put some on a scrap of mahogany, with BLO next to it. It is hard to
tell the two apart, but maybe the tung is a tad lighter. Don't know how
it dries since I just did it.

Does this sound like a usable product, or has it gone bad from long
storage?
The brand is "Hope". Seems like a good idea...

Now that you've opened it and brought in fresh air, the clock will begin to
tick.

It looks a bit lighter in two ways - won't darken the wood as much, and
dries a bit hazy, like a satin varnish. If that's what you're after, have
at it.

I think it stinks, so I use linseed. Smells better.

"Toller" wrote:

I have never used tung oil; it seemed too expensive for what it was.

At a garage sale today I bought a large, very old, bottle of pure tung oil
for $0.50.
I emptied it into a clean bottle and found it was a very syrupy brown
liquid.
The 100% tung I got from Woodcraft and Rockler was nearly clear--only
very light tan. But definitely syrupy. I followed advice I found
somewhere to use 50/50 mix with solvent for deep penetration of first
coat.
I put in about 10% turp and it thinned up to a reasonable
consistancy.

I put some on a scrap of mahogany, with BLO next to it. It is hard to tell
the two apart, but maybe the tung is a tad lighter.
Having used turp for the solvent, you probably won't be able to tell,
but the smell is dramatically different. BLO has a very strong (but
not unpleasant to me) smell. Tung has a very mild smell that reminds
me a little of peanut oil.

Don't know how it dries
since I just did it.
My experience is that it is slower curing than BLO, but faster than
raw linseed oil, of course.

Does this sound like a usable product, or has it gone bad from long storage?
The brand is "Hope". Seems like a good idea...


--
Alex -- Replace "nospam" with "mail" to reply by email. Checked infrequently.

Toller wrote:

I have never used tung oil; it seemed too expensive for what it was.

At a garage sale today I bought a large, very old, bottle of pure tung
oil
for $0.50.

SNIP

Does this sound like a usable product, or has it gone bad from long
storage?
The brand is "Hope". Seems like a good idea...

SNIP




I never understand this line of thinking. If you buy an ancient bottle
of tung oil, what were you thinking you would use it for? It may or
may not have been opened before, and on old cans and bottles it can be
really hard to tell. So is this something you would use on a project?
On a piece of furniture that you have sweated over to make as perfect
as you can? Pretty bold not knowing the actual age or history of the
bottle.

I wouldn't use it on anything. Watch the Wooodcraft near you; about
twice a year they put on a pint or 24 oz bottle for $9.95. Then you
get fresh stuff, ready to go that will thin and mix correctly.

Robert

wrote:
Toller wrote:

I have never used tung oil; it seemed too expensive for what it was.

At a garage sale today I bought a large, very old, bottle of pure tung
oil
for $0.50.

SNIP

Does this sound like a usable product, or has it gone bad from long
storage?
The brand is "Hope". Seems like a good idea...

SNIP




I never understand this line of thinking. If you buy an ancient bottle
of tung oil, what were you thinking you would use it for? It may or
may not have been opened before, and on old cans and bottles it can be
really hard to tell. So is this something you would use on a project?
On a piece of furniture that you have sweated over to make as perfect
as you can? Pretty bold not knowing the actual age or history of the
bottle.

I wouldn't use it on anything. Watch the Wooodcraft near you; about
twice a year they put on a pint or 24 oz bottle for $9.95. Then you
get fresh stuff, ready to go that will thin and mix correctly.


What he bought is pefectly good and useable, so why not
use it?

--

FF

wrote in message
ps.com...
Toller wrote:

I have never used tung oil; it seemed too expensive for what it was.

At a garage sale today I bought a large, very old, bottle of pure tung
oil
for $0.50.

SNIP

Does this sound like a usable product, or has it gone bad from long
storage?
The brand is "Hope". Seems like a good idea...

SNIP




I never understand this line of thinking. If you buy an ancient bottle
of tung oil, what were you thinking you would use it for?

Because it is $10 bottle for $0.50. If it is good, then I have a gloat; if
it is bad I have lost $0.50.

The piece I tested it on yesterday dried nicely and looks good. I think it
is a gloat, but will test it on a larger piece before getting carried away.

wrote:

What he bought is pefectly good and useable, so why not
use it?

--


FF

No reason not to if that's what you want. I tend to think of things in
time/money/warrantability. If I have 40-50 hours in a project, I am
not concerned about the bottle or half bottle I would use (5-10 bucks)
on a project that I could save. And for the sake of my reputation, I
wouldn't put that on anything I made for one of my clients if I had one
shred of doubt.

If you use it and it works well for you, you did great. You will feel
silly if that syrupy stuff doesn't ever cure completely, and as it is,
most refinishers will tell you that when it is no longer oily smooth,
it has started to polymerize.

But I would never think to deny anyone their right to find out.

Good luck!

Robert

In article , says...

Because it is $10 bottle for $0.50. If it is good, then I have a gloat; if
it is bad I have lost $0.50.

The piece I tested it on yesterday dried nicely and looks good. I think it
is a gloat, but will test it on a larger piece before getting carried away.


My can of tung oil is well over 10 years old. It's a bitch to prise open the
first time when I want to put it back into action, but other than that it's
good as gold. I thin it with vege turps 10%-30% for first and second
application.

Can be very slow drying - I used it on a eucalypt hearth surround and we had to
step over it for weeks, but it's given that bluegum a beautiful purple finish
and nothing has marred/stained that timber in 15 years now :-)

It's definitely a tryer-outer though, on some timbers I don't much care for its
appearance, on others it's just beautiful.

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com

In article .com,
says...
If I have 40-50 hours in a project, I am
not concerned about the bottle or half bottle I would use (5-10 bucks)
on a project that I could save. And for the sake of my reputation, I
wouldn't put that on anything I made for one of my clients if I had one
shred of doubt.


Fair enough, I am with you all the way here.

Then again, if you have never sat in a Mercedes Benz and you want to see what
it feels like, you would't go out and buy a brand spanking new one, would you
g. Of course, it wouldn't help either to get a 35 year old jalopy as a try
out...

... as I seem to recall the OP said he'd never used the stuff before.

-P.

--
=========================================
firstname dot lastname at gmail fullstop com