These finishing videos are an incredible resource. I am just finishing up my first Walnut piece and was contemplating trying out Tung oil. So to see this made me very happy. Thank you!
I refinished a gunstock my great grandfather gave me in 1976 with tung oil. After eight sandings and coats, the final coat of oil was rubbed in with a solid rubber pad. The finish is still deep and lustrous even to this day.
Beautiful table top, and grat information on hand rubbing, which will go well with a finish on a favorite rifle. Thank you for a good and informative video.
Hi, your table looks amazing. I’ve used tung oil on my dining table. I’ve sanded between coats. I’ve applied the last coat it seems to be taking ages to dry. How long should I leave it to dry before I use the polishing compound. This is the first time I’ve done anything like this, a bit scary trying to get the same finish as you. Any hints that will help me.
Incredible video, came here after seeing the Ultimate Guide to Walnut video. I'm going to finish a European Walnut piece and use as a desktop. Have never wood finished anything before so this is a great resource. Definitely going tung oil varnish and wet-sanding.. Thanks!!
Thank you for sharing. I followed your guidance to restore a sewing cabinet from 1937 and I have so many people on forums asking me how I did it. I’m referring them to your video now.
Very thorough video showing lots of details and workmanship! The only thing I can add is to use a Tack Cloth to remove all dust after sanding (didn't see that in video). And I've used Howards stuff -- great product but never tried it on new work. Good ideaa!
Dude! Great video! Most RUclips creators have all the table saw montage, or all the actual woodworking montage. But you’re finishing is amazing and probably one of the bigger things that’s overlooked in woodworking. I am a beginner to novice. After your first video I liked and subscribed and look forward to more of your videos! Nobody likes to sand or finish, but if you don’t do it>……………………….
The author does like to from scratch, ruclips.net/user/postUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practise the full stack project, is still great.
Very nice. Thanks for demonstrating the polishing compound. In the past I've used pumice and rottenstone. Tried some polishing compound and the results were great.
I think this is one of your best, Mark. Really informative and illustrates techniques very well. I only wish I had your patience............of course I wish I had your youth too.
Just tried this method on a couple of cookie-slice coffee tables I'm making from some Larch pieces I found lying around after some tree-felling on a hiking route - absolutely fantastic finish! Many thanks for at last giving me the finishing technique I've been looking for!
Dear woodworker source, I'm working on a western red alder telecaster guitar body from supra-tone.com and I want to stay natural with it if I can. My strategy so far has been to sand very thoroughly up to around 800 grit. I then wiped thoroughly with Naptha. That dried for a day. Then I added amber liquid tint from stewmac.com to Minwax Tung oil finish. I probably added about 5 drops of amber liquid tint to 3 ounces tung oil finish. It mixed well together. Then I flooded the wood with tinted Minwax , and wiped off 1 hour later. Then I wiped more Minwax on as a light coat and let dry at room temp for 24 hours (all dry steps dry @ room temp 68-70F for 24 hours and ~ 70% humidity.) Then I scuffed kind of "medium lightly" with 0000 wool and wiped on thin coat of tinted Minwax tung oil. Now I'm repeating the wipe on a thin layer, let dry for 24 hours, scuff, and repeat. I'll probably do 12-15 coats. I want a relatively durable shield that won't mark up a lot if rested on the floor or rubbed with a plastic button from a shirt sleeve on the strumming hand orglancing blows from a Nylon pick (there is a pickguard of course.) I want a glossy finish as possible with Tung oil finish. I plan to use the polishing compound as you suggest at the end of the dozen or so Minwax tung oil finish. Do you think this process will achieve a decent glossy somewhat durable finish? Thank you, Tim
Well done, amazing work. I did finishing like in part 2 exactly like you many times, I did it with liquid laquer (not spray), 6-7 layers with intermediate sanding. It gives very good result in 100 cases of 100. Thank you
Thank you for your instructional video. I just made a small oak/walnut box and following your instructions to the last detail I have made it absolutely beautiful with Tung Oil Varnish. I did have one question though, I've just applied the final 8th coat and I'm currently leaving it to cure for a week. I have not done anything else after applying last coat, and it looks absolutely beautiful, almost lustrous, and I'm satisfied with how it looks. Is there anything wrong with leaving it as-is? Will it retain its current luster without any additional buffing and adding Restore A Shine? Thanks again for your in-depth instructions, I think I've found a new favorite finish.
Having used a quart of this stuff on half a dozen projects I would make two points. After applying a coat and letting it sit a few minutes, be sure to wipe off any product that didn't soak in. Do so thoroughly with a dry cotton shirt material. This is not a typical film finish where it dries on the surface and hardens. If you don't wipe it off it will dry and never harden. It will feel sticky even after weeks. It's fully dry but won't ever harden like this. And I'm not talking about leaving a noticeable coat on the surface, but rather just insufficiently wiping off the stuff that didn't soak in. It's super important that the drying rag be absorbent so it actually soaks up the excess tung oil. This is especially true for something like a table top where you're going to put 8 to 10 coats on. Do not let it sit on the surface and dry, wipe it off. Second point would be that this stuff doesn't dry all that hard. You can easily scratch it with light finger nails dragging across the surface. This is true on maple, at least. I also finished some hickory pieces with this but they aren't two weeks old yet so can't tell if it's the softer maple that's susceptible to this or all wood. Hickory is quite hard so I assume it would fair better but maple is closer to walnut than walnut is to hickory in this regard. In any case my point is that I wouldn't recommend this for table tops. I did a small maple desktop with it and will not be using this again for any surface that sees lots of wear. Luckily its a computer desk and I use a mousepad so there won't be anything happening that would scratch it badly. For any surface you plan on writing on or eating on I would look elsewhere. All in all, it's fine, especially for small projects or projects that won't get touched a lot. But I'm going to look for a more durable rub on finish for future projects.
I've watched this video and your Finish Mahogany with Tung Oil on the smaller table top. I like the natural look you're getting, with slightly darkened hues. I'm wondering if wet sanding with tung oil on an African Mahogany exterior storm door would be suggested, followed by few layers of spar varnish. Or, would you recommend simply applying some grain filler to some oil-based stain for filling the porous grains and achieving similar tones? If yes to the latter, would recommend something like Old Masters wiping stain, or a oil-based penetrating stain? Keep up the videos! Your team does a great job communicating and showing things very clear and detailed manner.
Thanks for great video! I just finished a popular coffee table with tung oil and went back to the garage to do some additional wet sanding! I can already tell the difference. Much appreciated!
Thank You for your video, I am finishing a 16" x 16" black walnut base for a display box or a glass sculpture glued to the wood. Once finished I won't be able to open the box again. Will this type of finish yellow or fade with exposure to the sun or other light.
Hi there! Great video! I just got a walnut table and I'm debating between the tung oil finish or using the rubio monocoat. The advantage of the latter is that it's only one coat! Any opinions? Thanks!
Good video, just making one of these with the same MRMDF. could you tell me which varnish you find suitable for the top please? Didn't really think about a finish until I watched your film. Looks good the the trim too, think I will be adding this to mine. Cheers Rich.
Wonderful job, Beautiful walnut! I am making some maple desk/bookshelf combos and plan on using a water based dye finish. I want this type of finish since it is similar to the finish we have on some Hooker furniture bookshelves. Will this finish work with water based wood dye? I want the water based dye so the finish color penetrates the wood instead of laying on top like most oil based stains. Thanks, Bob
I am building a a/v rack with cherry wood; it will hold stereo equipment and records. I have applied three coats of pure tung oil (diluted about 50% with mineral spirits). So far so good. I plan on applying a few (three?) additional coats with progressively less dilution. Do you recommend a clear coat over tung oil? Lacquer? Poly?
What is the durability of the polishing compound finish with regard to smudging, fingerprints, water glass rings, etc… If I’m willing to give up some shine, will using just the Olde Masters give me a more maintenance-free result?
Complete beginner: I have a finger jointed Acacia tabletop. I applied 2 coats of tung oil 1 days apart and wiped off the excess with a sponge. A few weeks later, table is still relatively sticky and tacky. Otherwise happy with the finish and texture (it's a work desk, so doesn't need to be super fancy). Is two coats enough for a 1.5" top for a dry winter/humid summer environment? What is the easiest way to buff the table smooth without taking of the finish? Thanks
Hi, thanks, I like this look, it brings out the highlights without over doing the contrast. One question does this finish have to be renewed like pure Tung oil?
What did you do about the cupping? Is it mounted to cross pieces that flatten out the top? There are two things I recommend. First, you can get by with A LOT less compound - like 1/4th what you used. Also you would probably save some money buying pumice, rotten stone and oil over pre-mixed stuff. In all cases a little goes a long way and it buffs out faster when you use less.
Would planing work for this problem, or is it unnecessary given the support beneath? I suppose it would be a lot of work, since most of us won't have access to an electric planer, but would it stop the cupping, or would it just deform again after the planing?
@@GNieddu1 Planing may flatten it, but you'd end up with a top that's very thin at the edges. And it'd likely cup again as you've just relieved a bunch of new stressed fibers. It's thin and flexible enough as is, so best to simply fasten it as he did.
The cupping is a result of unequal drying. Drying creates shrinkage. A finished side will inhibit drying due to the sealing properties of the finish. If both top and bottom are finished at the same time, the cupping forces are equalized.
@@GNieddu1 The trick is making sure the wood is equilibrated to the room's moisture content. When it has done so, flatten and square the boards with a jointer. Then do the glue-up. Then plane to the desired thickness. If the board is cupping it is because it is equilibrating to a new ambient moisture content, or it was put together without equilibrating first.
Great video! So clearly laid out and explained. I just followed these steps to refinish a mid-century walnut coffee table. I started with a coat of sanding sealer, then a coat of woodgrain filler tinted with wiping stain, then I applied 8 coats of tung oil varnish (waiting at least 6 hours between coats), sanding lightly between coats with the medium abrasive pad, and then a long round of going over the table with both the medium and then light abrasive pads at the end. I didn't add any polishing compound at the end. Now, a full month after the final coat of varnish, the table has the feel of a high quality glossy photo print: very tacky, almost sticky to the touch; if you put your hand on it, it feels like it will leave a handprint, even though it doesn't. Is this what it's supposed to feel like? It's an unsatisfying feeling for a table top, tacky, plus it's a total dust magnet. Thoughts? Advice? Will adding the polishing compound solve everything?
Awesome finish! Finishing generally scares me so your videos give me the encouragement I need after all the cutting and gluing are done. I'm curious how you handle the underside. Rule off thumb I've had for a while is that what ever you do to the top, you should do to the bottom to prevent uneven moisture levels in the woods over time. How do you typically handle that when you have 3 to 4 weeks invested in just the one side?
Wet sanding = sanding while it’s wet. You gotta try it to believe it, but it has a nice grain filling effect and look. Not sure about spar urethane with this process. Haven’t done it.
What a beautiful desk! I love the finish. I'm about to tackle an island countertop made from a slab of cherry wood. Would you recommend this method for use on a kitchen island that will likely receive lots of food (mess) action and possible liquids. I guess my main question is: does this finish hold up to daily wear in a kitchen? THanks for your clear explanation and wonderful inspiration!
When using plain-sawn lumber, you can minimize the cupping in multi-board glueups by alternating the grain pattern of boards. Hard to explain without a picture. One bark side up, the next one bark side down, the next bark side up, etc.
Hello. What a beautiful table, but this may seem like a stupid question but what shop towels did you use? Are they paper or microfibre? I am only asking as I am just about to try a similar finish on my first ever project and I am worried that if i use the wrong type I will be picking paper or fine fibres of for a week. I know I can use lint free material but I would prefer to use a relatively cheap disposable solution. Thanks again for showing the techniques you used because the results are really beautiful.
I purchased a beautiful joined wood table, but it's a bit sticky from the previous owner adding the wrong stuff to the finish and there is glitter stuck to the table... I'm a beginner and don't know how to sand and prep the wood before following your instructions in the video. do I just use mineral spirits to remove the gunk on the table and then sand it down to a smooth finish before following the instructions in the video? thanks for your help!
I need your advice. Ive watched your videos over and over but im still nervous. I have walnut kitchen cabinets from the late 60's but they look brand new. They are beautifully stained but i do not like the reddish stain look. Do i just strip them, sand and then stain and seal. It the tong oil varnish the best? Do i put a conditioner on the wood before i stain? What do i seal the cabinets with after i stain?
Love the look of your finish. Do i need to fill the grain of walnut or does the wet sanding take care of that? i am doing a black walnut slab now and plan on using your method. Does the wet sanding take the place of filling the pores? I have a epoxy filled crack in the middle of the slab that i want to be able to see the red metallic swirl will the wet sanding keep that looking clear or should i stay away from that area? I'm new to finishing and need all the help I can get.
I purchased an unfinished French door. It was ready for staining. I’ve stained it with minwax stain and is allowing it to dry. In a few days I want to add a top coat so I will use tung oil. Do I just apply the tung oil to the stain coat or do I need to sand it first with a 220 grid sand paper sponge before applying the tung oil?
Hi mister. I am very impress with your fine work. Keep it up! I actually have some question about the wood finishing (I am an amateur btw). How to know that the varnish is a kind of food friendly?
Very nice 👍! Would this also work for a walnut gun stock? Will this protect well for protection from the elements? What about long term maintenance? If you were doing a walnut gun stock would you do it this way? I love the look! Thanks for sharing
fantastic table, what grit would you say the gray and white pads are. also being newer to woodworking how could I deal with wide panel glue-ups cupping, I follow alot of you youtube woodworking warriors, but I don't recall seeing a video addressing cupping after the glue-up
Well, cupping in solid wide panels is just a part of the game. Since table tops and desk tops get fastened down anyway, it's usually not that big of a deal. It's not that fastening prevents the cupping, it just masks it. However, if the cupping is severe enough, yeah, you might want to try doing what I did in this video to reduce it. Either wet the cupped side, or heat the convex side. Both methods pull it back to where you want it to be, more or less. The gray and white pads are more like steel wool, neighborhood of #0 and #000 respectively.
Thanks for this great video! Running a test finish following this process on my first walnut piece. I'd like to finish off lastly with paste wax. Do I need to wait for the full cure time before doing that or just a good day or so after the last polish?
Love this video! Did you do the wood polish step before or after the two weeks curing time? It didn't say in the video. Also, the directions on my tung oil say to wait 24 hours between coats, not just 6, is that normal?
Polished after 2 weeks. Different brands will have different instructions for re-coating. Or you might have a can of pure tung oil which dries much slower and doesn't contain a varnish. The product used in this video is a "tung oil varnish" which is some mixture of tung oil, varnish, and a solvent or drier. As finishes, they do behave differently.
When I put tung oil on birch; it gets dry and sticky fast; what do you use to “wipe it off” , like how do you buff it? Or do you just wait for it to try then sand with the fine green cloth
Thanks for this video - I don't understand why you have to scuff between coats. I'm working on a cherry chair with minwax tung oil finish and the chair just keeps sucking up the finish and the wood looks hydrated but not like it's been finished with anything. I've only done 2 coats, so I know I have to do a bunch more, but will sanding in between help?
Scuffing between just removes dust nibs that may have settled while it dried, or any imperfections that might prevent you from getting a perfectly smooth final finish.
Thank you very much for such an informative video. I planning to refinish me dining table and like your idea with tung oil, my question is it good for heavy usable dining table? I would really appreciate your answer.
Yulia Bendebury pure tung oil is not as durable as tung oil with varnish or even polyurethane. Problem with poly is that if and when it needs to be repaired or refinished it is very difficult to do. With tung oil and varnish it’s much easier to repair and refinish and if the tung oil has a varnish additive it can be very durable. Pure tung oil is more water resistant I believe than tung oil varnish mix as varnish allows water through it. Hope this helps.
Really helpful. Thanks. A question-I have put four coats of watch danish oil on a sapele table top. Can I now switch to Minwax Tung Oil Finish in order to get a more durable surface? I would probably put on at least four coats. Thanks for your help.
You can apply another finish on top that's harder. But Minwax Tung Oil Finish is no more durable that Watco Danish oil. They're both oil + varnish mixes. You can build up Danish oil to 8-10 coats or more and it will provide a nice, hard finish.
Nice narrative for your finish. I don’t think the polish will endure though. Thought I was gonna see card scraping...but card scraped walnut is a whole different league of finish though. Get a card scraper, elbow grease and pure tung oil and air dried black walnut
This is like a master course in finishing! I think Waterlox and other tung oil-varnish blends recommend 8-10 coats but I've never gotten past 6 myself. And haven't tried polish, I usually go straight to wax applied with #0000 steel wool. But that desktop sure looked great, and I'll bet it feels great too. I assume all that rubbing, scuffing, wet sanding is the reason you don't need to sand past 220?
Wow, that's quite a compliment! Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. I'm with you, on other projects, christening the whole enchilada with a coat of wax is a very nice touch (and nice *to* the touch!). I can't say I have any particular reason for not putting on a coat on this one. Other than it doesn't strike me that wax adds anything to a desk top that's going to get used daily. Arguably it'll only cause more work when it comes time to give this finish a refresh with a new coat of varnish (would have to remove remaining traces of wax first). But that doesn't make it wrong to do a coat of wax! Just choices. Wood finishing is just a series of choices. Likewise, regarding your question about sanding, I could have sanded the wood finer. Perfectly acceptable to do so. To some degree, I suppose you're right, all the work on the subsequent layers rendered finer sanding kind of needless. On the other hand, I think my choice has to do with what the project at hand demands. On a desk top, let's not go *too* overboard, you know? But I'd probably sand finer on something like a jewelry box I would give to a family member or something like that. Thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate it!
I'm working on a live edge slab walnut dining table. My primary concern is maintaining no cupping once secured to the legs I've ordered. I'm leaning towards using neutral Danish Oil and then some sort of poly. I'd love if you can suggest what you'd use to finish. Love your channel - easily the most informative i've found. Thanks.
Nicely done! Quick question though, what type of pads did you use to scour the surface in the final step before polishing? I'm at that step right how and don't want mess it up!
Wish I would've seen this before polishing my little wood craft project. I just lightly applied 3 layers of oil 8 hours apart one after the other. Started as this beautiful light brown colour now it just looks like this ugly splotchy mess. I've got a dremel with a circular polish tool attachment, do you think this would help it? Or should I just try and sand down what I've got already?
Great video! Thank you! With all of the steps at the end to protect it, how safe would you say it is to wet drinks leaving rings or even hot cups burning it? Do I need to always be using a coaster?
Yeah, it's still a good idea to use a coaster. I'll admit I don't always use one, and I've even spilled coffee on the desk, but it shows no rings or wear in those areas since I clean it up right away.
I am using tung oil on a walnut guitar I’m building . It really looks beautiful . What would you recommend for a rubbing product for a high gloss punish for protection . Thanks in advance jared it’s in my photo
Old Masters Tung Oil Varnish is mostly linseed-based with 2-5% tung oil. I love it and use it a lot, but I don't understand the name. Favorite finish: Wet sand with pure tung oil or a tung/citrus mix then top it off with thin layers of Old Masters.
Does the underside of the desktop have any finish? Did you do the same process on the other side of the desk top, or does only the top side get finished?
Hi, I tried applying danish oil on my worktop and after the third coat, the surface feels sticky to touch, any suggested solution and why it feels sticky?
Thanks for the video and the information that you provided us, not enough words to say. I am building a planter's box from mahogany wood. I am using 100% tung oil and I have added mineral spirits in order to thine it out. I have waited 24 hours between each coat and I have done it twice. Now I am doing one more coat and I want to get the shiny coat out of it in order to show the grain. I am growing herbs in it so I do not want to use any chemical liquid finishing on the box. How do I get the shine out of it and how long do i have to wait to plant herbs? thanks again
how stable is that finish against dishwashing detergent? I got problems with one my kitchen tabletop finished with tung oil, even small drop of detergent will make blot on it..
We are refinishing a oak dinning table. We had planned to stain and polyurethane it after stripping and sanding. Then I watch your video. Would Tung Oil process work for oak table with daily use? Or is a oak wood not worth the process?
Mark I'm finally doing the hand rubbed finish on my side table. Is it alright if I didn't start wet sanding until the 3rd or 4th coat? I forgot to do it but remembered when I checked your vid. Will wet sanding contribute to a smoother feel after each coat dries? It's filling in the pores of the wood and any scratches left by the previous scuffing right?
Beautiful wood and an awesome, really helpful explanation! Would you recommend the same process for a wood jewelry box? I'm working with a naturally deep colored walnut contrasted with spalted birch and trying to decide on the perfect finish for a rich, gleaming finish.
Hi there, this is my first major fine finish project and I am happy to practice on spare pieces but want to know if I'm on. The right track. I am building hifi speakers. ( in order to get them in the lounge they must look good-wife). I have applied Walnut veneer to MDF and wish to finish it. May I ask if my plan is correct: -fill cracks with putty and sand these flat. -Leave veneer unsanded and apply sanding sealer. Scuff sand. -apply mix of Tung oil/thinners/eurothane and wet sand with steel wool to fill grain. ( There is no premixed Tung varnish in Australia) - apply additional coats of mix with rags and scuff sand with steel wool when dry -if required apply furniture polish. I am hoping this finish will be tough enough to resist a wet cup if someone places one on top before I can stop them and looks natural ( I'm. To big on the wrapped in resin look for finished wood) Really appreciate your advice-hard to find info on finishing veneer as opposed to solid wood.
Thank you for the video and sharing our knowledge. Finish looks great!! I have a piece that has a very nice satin poly finish on and I want to take your advice on waiting 2 weeks to cure before maybe finishing. I liked how it looked after you used that grey finishing pad. I could just use that to remove my imperfections and keep that satin finish right? Would the white finishing pad add a little more sheen, maybe a semi? Could I accomplish something similar with just wet sanding with 200 grit auto paper? Not sure what sheen I would get with that one, I'm looking for lower sheen. Any thoughts/ advice would be highly appreciated!!
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These finishing videos are an incredible resource. I am just finishing up my first Walnut piece and was contemplating trying out Tung oil. So to see this made me very happy. Thank you!
sureshot311 this isn’t Tung Oil, it’s Tung Oil varnish. If you have the time use Tung Oil instead...way worth the wait and multiple coats.
@@gravybones8564 What's the cure time difference for regular tung oil?
I refinished a gunstock my great grandfather gave me in 1976 with tung oil. After eight sandings and coats, the final coat of oil was rubbed in with a solid rubber pad. The finish is still deep and lustrous even to this day.
Beautiful table top, and grat information on hand rubbing, which will go well with a finish on a favorite rifle.
Thank you for a good and informative video.
Easy flowing, clear, fact-packed presentation. Everything connects. Great job.
one of the better videos I've found on this process. Thanks!
Big Wow on finishing vid! Patience +consistency = quality here!
The Walnut desk top is just unbelievably beautiful. Thank you so much for the video.
Hi, your table looks amazing. I’ve used tung oil on my dining table. I’ve sanded between coats. I’ve applied the last coat it seems to be taking ages to dry. How long should I leave it to dry before I use the polishing compound. This is the first time I’ve done anything like this, a bit scary trying to get the same finish as you. Any hints that will help me.
Incredible video, came here after seeing the Ultimate Guide to Walnut video. I'm going to finish a European Walnut piece and use as a desktop. Have never wood finished anything before so this is a great resource. Definitely going tung oil varnish and wet-sanding.. Thanks!!
You have the very best videos on you tube! Thanks. You have helped me take my wood projects to another level.
Thank you for sharing. I followed your guidance to restore a sewing cabinet from 1937 and I have so many people on forums asking me how I did it. I’m referring them to your video now.
Very thorough video showing lots of details and workmanship!
The only thing I can add is to use a Tack Cloth to remove all dust after sanding (didn't see that in video). And I've used Howards stuff -- great product but never tried it on new work. Good ideaa!
I'm going to try this finish on a curly maple box that I made. I ordered the Old Masters and it's coming today. Excited to try it out tonight.
What an absolutely gorgeous piece of contemporary furniture. Thank you for a very helpful video.
Wonderful, glad it's helped you. Thanks for checking it out!
Fantastic finish and a great video! A pleasure to watch, thanks!
So much to learn here,great information! Will watch your videos over and over to let it all sink in.I love working with walnut wood.
I have plans for a book case with walnut I purchased from you. Now I know how I will finish it.
Thank you
Dude! Great video! Most RUclips creators have all the table saw montage, or all the actual woodworking montage. But you’re finishing is amazing and probably one of the bigger things that’s overlooked in woodworking. I am a beginner to novice. After your first video I liked and subscribed and look forward to more of your videos! Nobody likes to sand or finish, but if you don’t do it>……………………….
🫡🫡 agreed thank you
The author does like to from scratch, ruclips.net/user/postUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practise the full stack project, is still great.
This is my favourite finish for walnut. Much more modern than all of the darker finishes.
Great video. Well produced with clear instruction and information. Thanks.
Thanks!
Thanks for a great, step by step video. I used your process on my walnut live edge slab table and I couldn't be happier with it. Thanks again.
Very nice. Thanks for demonstrating the polishing compound. In the past I've used pumice and rottenstone. Tried some polishing compound and the results were great.
I think this is one of your best, Mark. Really informative and illustrates techniques very well. I only wish I had your patience............of course I wish I had your youth too.
Just tried this method on a couple of cookie-slice coffee tables I'm making from some Larch pieces I found lying around after some tree-felling on a hiking route - absolutely fantastic finish! Many thanks for at last giving me the finishing technique I've been looking for!
that's great to hear, thanks!
Dear woodworker source,
I'm working on a western red alder telecaster guitar body from supra-tone.com and I want to stay natural with it if I can. My strategy so far has been to sand very thoroughly up to around 800 grit. I then wiped thoroughly with Naptha. That dried for a day. Then I added amber liquid tint from stewmac.com to Minwax Tung oil finish. I probably added about 5 drops of amber liquid tint to 3 ounces tung oil finish. It mixed well together. Then I flooded the wood with tinted Minwax , and wiped off 1 hour later. Then I wiped more Minwax on as a light coat and let dry at room temp for 24 hours (all dry steps dry @ room temp 68-70F for 24 hours and ~ 70% humidity.) Then I scuffed kind of "medium lightly" with 0000 wool and wiped on thin coat of tinted Minwax tung oil. Now I'm repeating the wipe on a thin layer, let dry for 24 hours, scuff, and repeat. I'll probably do 12-15 coats. I want a relatively durable shield that won't mark up a lot if rested on the floor or rubbed with a plastic button from a shirt sleeve on the strumming hand orglancing blows from a Nylon pick (there is a pickguard of course.) I want a glossy finish as possible with Tung oil finish. I plan to use the polishing compound as you suggest at the end of the dozen or so Minwax tung oil finish. Do you think this process will achieve a decent glossy somewhat durable finish?
Thank you,
Tim
3:34 I don’t recommend steel wool for oil because it sheds a lot of little particles and can get stuck on
I am a pretty good wood worker... Finishing has been my area of weakness. Thank you.
Well done, amazing work. I did finishing like in part 2 exactly like you many times, I did it with liquid laquer (not spray), 6-7 layers with intermediate sanding. It gives very good result in 100 cases of 100.
Thank you
Very impressive! Wood is such a beautiful medium.
Thank you for your instructional video. I just made a small oak/walnut box and following your instructions to the last detail I have made it absolutely beautiful with Tung Oil Varnish. I did have one question though, I've just applied the final 8th coat and I'm currently leaving it to cure for a week. I have not done anything else after applying last coat, and it looks absolutely beautiful, almost lustrous, and I'm satisfied with how it looks. Is there anything wrong with leaving it as-is? Will it retain its current luster without any additional buffing and adding Restore A Shine? Thanks again for your in-depth instructions, I think I've found a new favorite finish.
Beautifully done and very well presented. Thanks for sharing !
Having used a quart of this stuff on half a dozen projects I would make two points. After applying a coat and letting it sit a few minutes, be sure to wipe off any product that didn't soak in. Do so thoroughly with a dry cotton shirt material. This is not a typical film finish where it dries on the surface and hardens. If you don't wipe it off it will dry and never harden. It will feel sticky even after weeks. It's fully dry but won't ever harden like this. And I'm not talking about leaving a noticeable coat on the surface, but rather just insufficiently wiping off the stuff that didn't soak in. It's super important that the drying rag be absorbent so it actually soaks up the excess tung oil. This is especially true for something like a table top where you're going to put 8 to 10 coats on. Do not let it sit on the surface and dry, wipe it off.
Second point would be that this stuff doesn't dry all that hard. You can easily scratch it with light finger nails dragging across the surface. This is true on maple, at least. I also finished some hickory pieces with this but they aren't two weeks old yet so can't tell if it's the softer maple that's susceptible to this or all wood. Hickory is quite hard so I assume it would fair better but maple is closer to walnut than walnut is to hickory in this regard. In any case my point is that I wouldn't recommend this for table tops. I did a small maple desktop with it and will not be using this again for any surface that sees lots of wear. Luckily its a computer desk and I use a mousepad so there won't be anything happening that would scratch it badly. For any surface you plan on writing on or eating on I would look elsewhere.
All in all, it's fine, especially for small projects or projects that won't get touched a lot. But I'm going to look for a more durable rub on finish for future projects.
I've watched this video and your Finish Mahogany with Tung Oil on the smaller table top. I like the natural look you're getting, with slightly darkened hues. I'm wondering if wet sanding with tung oil on an African Mahogany exterior storm door would be suggested, followed by few layers of spar varnish. Or, would you recommend simply applying some grain filler to some oil-based stain for filling the porous grains and achieving similar tones? If yes to the latter, would recommend something like Old Masters wiping stain, or a oil-based penetrating stain? Keep up the videos! Your team does a great job communicating and showing things very clear and detailed manner.
Very nice finish! Thanks.
Nice work, beautiful finish!
I love this effect 😍😄
Thanks for great video! I just finished a popular coffee table with tung oil and went back to the garage to do some additional wet sanding! I can already tell the difference. Much appreciated!
Thank You for your video, I am finishing a 16" x 16" black walnut base for a display box or a glass sculpture glued to the wood. Once finished I won't be able to open the box again. Will this type of finish yellow or fade with exposure to the sun or other light.
Very great video and professional work
Hi there! Great video! I just got a walnut table and I'm debating between the tung oil finish or using the rubio monocoat. The advantage of the latter is that it's only one coat! Any opinions? Thanks!
Good video, just making one of these with the same MRMDF. could you tell me which varnish you find suitable for the top please? Didn't really think about a finish until I watched your film. Looks good the the trim too, think I will be adding this to mine. Cheers Rich.
Wonderful job, Beautiful walnut! I am making some maple desk/bookshelf combos and plan on using a water based dye finish. I want this type of finish since it is similar to the finish we have on some Hooker furniture bookshelves. Will this finish work with water based wood dye? I want the water based dye so the finish color penetrates the wood instead of laying on top like most oil based stains. Thanks, Bob
This was a great video, and will help me the first time I use the tung oil I recently acquired. Thanks!
I am building a a/v rack with cherry wood; it will hold stereo equipment and records. I have applied three coats of pure tung oil (diluted about 50% with mineral spirits). So far so good. I plan on applying a few (three?) additional coats with progressively less dilution. Do you recommend a clear coat over tung oil? Lacquer? Poly?
What is the durability of the polishing compound finish with regard to smudging, fingerprints, water glass rings, etc…
If I’m willing to give up some shine, will using just the Olde Masters give me a more maintenance-free result?
Great looking piece. Always enjoys your vids. JimE
Complete beginner: I have a finger jointed Acacia tabletop. I applied 2 coats of tung oil 1 days apart and wiped off the excess with a sponge. A few weeks later, table is still relatively sticky and tacky. Otherwise happy with the finish and texture (it's a work desk, so doesn't need to be super fancy). Is two coats enough for a 1.5" top for a dry winter/humid summer environment? What is the easiest way to buff the table smooth without taking of the finish?
Thanks
Hi, thanks, I like this look, it brings out the highlights without over doing the contrast. One question does this finish have to be renewed like pure Tung oil?
What did you do about the cupping? Is it mounted to cross pieces that flatten out the top?
There are two things I recommend. First, you can get by with A LOT less compound - like 1/4th what you used. Also you would probably save some money buying pumice, rotten stone and oil over pre-mixed stuff. In all cases a little goes a long way and it buffs out faster when you use less.
Yes, exactly, the top is fastened down to cross pieces. RE: compound, noted. Thanks!
Would planing work for this problem, or is it unnecessary given the support beneath? I suppose it would be a lot of work, since most of us won't have access to an electric planer, but would it stop the cupping, or would it just deform again after the planing?
@@GNieddu1 Planing may flatten it, but you'd end up with a top that's very thin at the edges. And it'd likely cup again as you've just relieved a bunch of new stressed fibers. It's thin and flexible enough as is, so best to simply fasten it as he did.
The cupping is a result of unequal drying. Drying creates shrinkage. A finished side will inhibit drying due to the sealing properties of the finish. If both top and bottom are finished at the same time, the cupping forces are equalized.
@@GNieddu1 The trick is making sure the wood is equilibrated to the room's moisture content. When it has done so, flatten and square the boards with a jointer. Then do the glue-up. Then plane to the desired thickness. If the board is cupping it is because it is equilibrating to a new ambient moisture content, or it was put together without equilibrating first.
Great video, any tips or recommendations if I am using Red Oak for my desktop?
Great video! So clearly laid out and explained. I just followed these steps to refinish a mid-century walnut coffee table. I started with a coat of sanding sealer, then a coat of woodgrain filler tinted with wiping stain, then I applied 8 coats of tung oil varnish (waiting at least 6 hours between coats), sanding lightly between coats with the medium abrasive pad, and then a long round of going over the table with both the medium and then light abrasive pads at the end. I didn't add any polishing compound at the end. Now, a full month after the final coat of varnish, the table has the feel of a high quality glossy photo print: very tacky, almost sticky to the touch; if you put your hand on it, it feels like it will leave a handprint, even though it doesn't. Is this what it's supposed to feel like? It's an unsatisfying feeling for a table top, tacky, plus it's a total dust magnet. Thoughts? Advice? Will adding the polishing compound solve everything?
Killer!! Love this and I can't wait to try it.
Awesome finish! Finishing generally scares me so your videos give me the encouragement I need after all the cutting and gluing are done.
I'm curious how you handle the underside. Rule off thumb I've had for a while is that what ever you do to the top, you should do to the bottom to prevent uneven moisture levels in the woods over time. How do you typically handle that when you have 3 to 4 weeks invested in just the one side?
Great video! Can I apply the same steps if I use Spar Urethane? Except I usually apply 3 coats on the tabletop. And what exactly is wet sanding?
Wet sanding = sanding while it’s wet. You gotta try it to believe it, but it has a nice grain filling effect and look. Not sure about spar urethane with this process. Haven’t done it.
Great job again. Your video skills are also outstanding!
Lost Mountain Restoration m
What a beautiful desk! I love the finish. I'm about to tackle an island countertop made from a slab of cherry wood. Would you recommend this method for use on a kitchen island that will likely receive lots of food (mess) action and possible liquids. I guess my main question is: does this finish hold up to daily wear in a kitchen? THanks for your clear explanation and wonderful inspiration!
When using plain-sawn lumber, you can minimize the cupping in multi-board glueups by alternating the grain pattern of boards. Hard to explain without a picture. One bark side up, the next one bark side down, the next bark side up, etc.
Hi Mark, thanks for another great video. Is there a reason I shouldn't use 400 grit sandpaper on a Walnut table top?
Not at all. Sand to satisfaction 👍
Very nice job. Thanks for sharing. Wonder if can use this way for dining table.
Hello. What a beautiful table, but this may seem like a stupid question but what shop towels did you use? Are they paper or microfibre? I am only asking as I am just about to try a similar finish on my first ever project and I am worried that if i use the wrong type I will be picking paper or fine fibres of for a week. I know I can use lint free material but I would prefer to use a relatively cheap disposable solution. Thanks again for showing the techniques you used because the results are really beautiful.
Scott shop towels. Hardware stores & automotive shops usually sell them.
I purchased a beautiful joined wood table, but it's a bit sticky from the previous owner adding the wrong stuff to the finish and there is glitter stuck to the table... I'm a beginner and don't know how to sand and prep the wood before following your instructions in the video. do I just use mineral spirits to remove the gunk on the table and then sand it down to a smooth finish before following the instructions in the video? thanks for your help!
I need your advice. Ive watched your videos over and over but im still nervous. I have walnut kitchen cabinets from the late 60's but they look brand new. They are beautifully stained but i do not like the reddish stain look. Do i just strip them, sand and then stain and seal. It the tong oil varnish the best? Do i put a conditioner on the wood before i stain? What do i seal the cabinets with after i stain?
Love the look of your finish. Do i need to fill the grain of walnut or does the wet sanding take care of that? i am doing a black walnut slab now and plan on using your method. Does the wet sanding take the place of filling the pores? I have a epoxy filled crack in the middle of the slab that i want to be able to see the red metallic swirl will the wet sanding keep that looking clear or should i stay away from that area? I'm new to finishing and need all the help I can get.
Beautiful! Can it be done on mexican pine?
I purchased an unfinished French door. It was ready for staining. I’ve stained it with minwax stain and is allowing it to dry. In a few days I want to add a top coat so I will use tung oil. Do I just apply the tung oil to the stain coat or do I need to sand it first with a 220 grid sand paper sponge before applying the tung oil?
Hi mister. I am very impress with your fine work. Keep it up!
I actually have some question about the wood finishing (I am an amateur btw). How to know that the varnish is a kind of food friendly?
Would this also work on walnut finished plywood? Great work!
Yes it will
Very nice 👍! Would this also work for a walnut gun stock? Will this protect well for protection from the elements? What about long term maintenance? If you were doing a walnut gun stock would you do it this way? I love the look! Thanks for sharing
it was a lot of work but It came out amazing. ur a craftsman
fantastic table, what grit would you say the gray and white pads are. also being newer to woodworking how could I deal with wide panel glue-ups cupping, I follow alot of you youtube woodworking warriors, but I don't recall seeing a video addressing cupping after the glue-up
Well, cupping in solid wide panels is just a part of the game. Since table tops and desk tops get fastened down anyway, it's usually not that big of a deal. It's not that fastening prevents the cupping, it just masks it. However, if the cupping is severe enough, yeah, you might want to try doing what I did in this video to reduce it. Either wet the cupped side, or heat the convex side. Both methods pull it back to where you want it to be, more or less. The gray and white pads are more like steel wool, neighborhood of #0 and #000 respectively.
Woodworkers Source. thank you very much for the knowledge and your videos
Thanks for this great video! Running a test finish following this process on my first walnut piece. I'd like to finish off lastly with paste wax. Do I need to wait for the full cure time before doing that or just a good day or so after the last polish?
Love this video! Did you do the wood polish step before or after the two weeks curing time? It didn't say in the video. Also, the directions on my tung oil say to wait 24 hours between coats, not just 6, is that normal?
Polished after 2 weeks. Different brands will have different instructions for re-coating. Or you might have a can of pure tung oil which dries much slower and doesn't contain a varnish. The product used in this video is a "tung oil varnish" which is some mixture of tung oil, varnish, and a solvent or drier. As finishes, they do behave differently.
When I put tung oil on birch; it gets dry and sticky fast; what do you use to “wipe it off” , like how do you buff it? Or do you just wait for it to try then sand with the fine green cloth
Great video. Your explanations of the steps was very helpful. I am having a hard time finding dye, where do you go to purchase the product?
Thanks for this video - I don't understand why you have to scuff between coats. I'm working on a cherry chair with minwax tung oil finish and the chair just keeps sucking up the finish and the wood looks hydrated but not like it's been finished with anything. I've only done 2 coats, so I know I have to do a bunch more, but will sanding in between help?
Scuffing between just removes dust nibs that may have settled while it dried, or any imperfections that might prevent you from getting a perfectly smooth final finish.
Thank you very much for such an informative video. I planning to refinish me dining table and like your idea with tung oil, my question is it good for heavy usable dining table? I would really appreciate your answer.
Yulia Bendebury pure tung oil is not as durable as tung oil with varnish or even polyurethane. Problem with poly is that if and when it needs to be repaired or refinished it is very difficult to do. With tung oil and varnish it’s much easier to repair and refinish and if the tung oil has a varnish additive it can be very durable. Pure tung oil is more water resistant I believe than tung oil varnish mix as varnish allows water through it. Hope this helps.
Didn’t realize it’s from 2 years ago haha
Really helpful. Thanks. A question-I have put four coats of watch danish oil on a sapele table top. Can I now switch to Minwax Tung Oil Finish in order to get a more durable surface? I would probably put on at least four coats. Thanks for your help.
You can apply another finish on top that's harder. But Minwax Tung Oil Finish is no more durable that Watco Danish oil. They're both oil + varnish mixes. You can build up Danish oil to 8-10 coats or more and it will provide a nice, hard finish.
Nice narrative for your finish. I don’t think the polish will endure though. Thought I was gonna see card scraping...but card scraped walnut is a whole different league of finish though. Get a card scraper, elbow grease and pure tung oil and air dried black walnut
i am totally impressed.
this is an incredibly well executed video
seems like you found your calling
& i am grateful
This is like a master course in finishing! I think Waterlox and other tung oil-varnish blends recommend 8-10 coats but I've never gotten past 6 myself. And haven't tried polish, I usually go straight to wax applied with #0000 steel wool. But that desktop sure looked great, and I'll bet it feels great too. I assume all that rubbing, scuffing, wet sanding is the reason you don't need to sand past 220?
Wow, that's quite a compliment! Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it. I'm with you, on other projects, christening the whole enchilada with a coat of wax is a very nice touch (and nice *to* the touch!). I can't say I have any particular reason for not putting on a coat on this one. Other than it doesn't strike me that wax adds anything to a desk top that's going to get used daily. Arguably it'll only cause more work when it comes time to give this finish a refresh with a new coat of varnish (would have to remove remaining traces of wax first). But that doesn't make it wrong to do a coat of wax! Just choices. Wood finishing is just a series of choices.
Likewise, regarding your question about sanding, I could have sanded the wood finer. Perfectly acceptable to do so. To some degree, I suppose you're right, all the work on the subsequent layers rendered finer sanding kind of needless. On the other hand, I think my choice has to do with what the project at hand demands. On a desk top, let's not go *too* overboard, you know? But I'd probably sand finer on something like a jewelry box I would give to a family member or something like that.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I appreciate it!
vr 360
vr 360
I'm working on a live edge slab walnut dining table. My primary concern is maintaining no cupping once secured to the legs I've ordered. I'm leaning towards using neutral Danish Oil and then some sort of poly. I'd love if you can suggest what you'd use to finish. Love your channel - easily the most informative i've found. Thanks.
Nicely done! Quick question though, what type of pads did you use to scour the surface in the final step before polishing? I'm at that step right how and don't want mess it up!
they're just synthetic finihsing pads. Steel wool also works, as does 600-grit sand paper (or finer)
Wish I would've seen this before polishing my little wood craft project. I just lightly applied 3 layers of oil 8 hours apart one after the other. Started as this beautiful light brown colour now it just looks like this ugly splotchy mess. I've got a dremel with a circular polish tool attachment, do you think this would help it? Or should I just try and sand down what I've got already?
Great video! Thank you! With all of the steps at the end to protect it, how safe would you say it is to wet drinks leaving rings or even hot cups burning it? Do I need to always be using a coaster?
Yeah, it's still a good idea to use a coaster. I'll admit I don't always use one, and I've even spilled coffee on the desk, but it shows no rings or wear in those areas since I clean it up right away.
I am using tung oil on a walnut guitar I’m building . It really looks beautiful . What would you recommend for a rubbing product for a high gloss punish for protection . Thanks in advance jared it’s in my photo
Old Masters Tung Oil Varnish is mostly linseed-based with 2-5% tung oil. I love it and use it a lot, but I don't understand the name. Favorite finish: Wet sand with pure tung oil or a tung/citrus mix then top it off with thin layers of Old Masters.
Beautiful table. Was this air dried walnut or kiln dried? The walnut I usually get doesnt have this rich of a color.
Does the underside of the desktop have any finish? Did you do the same process on the other side of the desk top, or does only the top side get finished?
Truly beautiful!!!!
Hi, I tried applying danish oil on my worktop and after the third coat, the surface feels sticky to touch, any suggested solution and why it feels sticky?
A lot of great tips here! Thanks!
Thanks for the video and the information that you provided us, not enough words to say. I am building a planter's box from mahogany wood. I am using 100% tung oil and I have added mineral spirits in order to thine it out. I have waited 24 hours between each coat and I have done it twice. Now I am doing one more coat and I want to get the shiny coat out of it in order to show the grain. I am growing herbs in it so I do not want to use any chemical liquid finishing on the box. How do I get the shine out of it and how long do i have to wait to plant herbs? thanks again
Use those synthetic finishing pads to rub the finish. The red or gray one would be sufficient. That will dull the sheen without chemicals.
how stable is that finish against dishwashing detergent? I got problems with one my kitchen tabletop finished with tung oil, even small drop of detergent will make blot on it..
We are refinishing a oak dinning table. We had planned to stain and polyurethane it after stripping and sanding. Then I watch your video. Would Tung Oil process work for oak table with daily use? Or is a oak wood not worth the process?
Thank you for the video! This is helpful as I start the process on my walnut dining top today.
Mark I'm finally doing the hand rubbed finish on my side table. Is it alright if I didn't start wet sanding until the 3rd or 4th coat? I forgot to do it but remembered when I checked your vid. Will wet sanding contribute to a smoother feel after each coat dries? It's filling in the pores of the wood and any scratches left by the previous scuffing right?
Beautiful wood and an awesome, really helpful explanation! Would you recommend the same process for a wood jewelry box? I'm working with a naturally deep colored walnut contrasted with spalted birch and trying to decide on the perfect finish for a rich, gleaming finish.
You bet, it would look great
I have a 6x4’ walnut dining table that I’d like to refinish in this manner. How much of the Old Masters product will I likely need?
Get a quart, you’ll use about half of it
Thank you. From your answer as well as those on Amazon, it sounds like I may squeak by with a pint.
Hi there, this is my first major fine finish project and I am happy to practice on spare pieces but want to know if I'm on. The right track.
I am building hifi speakers. ( in order to get them in the lounge they must look good-wife). I have applied Walnut veneer to MDF and wish to finish it. May I ask if my plan is correct:
-fill cracks with putty and sand these flat.
-Leave veneer unsanded and apply sanding sealer. Scuff sand.
-apply mix of Tung oil/thinners/eurothane and wet sand with steel wool to fill grain. ( There is no premixed Tung varnish in Australia)
- apply additional coats of mix with rags and scuff sand with steel wool when dry
-if required apply furniture polish.
I am hoping this finish will be tough enough to resist a wet cup if someone places one on top before I can stop them and looks natural ( I'm. To big on the wrapped in resin look for finished wood)
Really appreciate your advice-hard to find info on finishing veneer as opposed to solid wood.
Thank you for the video and sharing our knowledge. Finish looks great!! I have a piece that has a very nice satin poly finish on and I want to take your advice on waiting 2 weeks to cure before maybe finishing. I liked how it looked after you used that grey finishing pad. I could just use that to remove my imperfections and keep that satin finish right? Would the white finishing pad add a little more sheen, maybe a semi? Could I accomplish something similar with just wet sanding with 200 grit auto paper? Not sure what sheen I would get with that one, I'm looking for lower sheen. Any thoughts/ advice would be highly appreciated!!
What a finish!
Is sealing the other side necessary to prevent any further movement?
It's good practice, yes. Don't assume it'll "prevent" any more movement -- it'll just stack the odds in your favor.
I have a table made of American walnut with a matte finish but it scratches easily. any tips on getting the scratches out? THANKS!!