Ways to apply tung oil?

[Toni Ciuraneta]

Hi.
I tend to apply tung oil on most of my pieces and basically what I do is what is suggested on the instructions. " Apply, and wipe off excess after one hour" " one or two coats for interior light use and three to five coats for exterior or heavy use" Thinning with pure turpentine oil (max 10%) or orange oil (max 5%).
I've never tried mixing it with linseed oil or wax, following one of the formulas that are around.

According to your experience is there any other way of applying it or a favourite formula that you'd like to share?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Don Baer]

I have often used Sam Maloof's oil finish 1/3 Boiled Linseed Oil, 1/3 Pure Tung Oil and 1/3 Wipe on poly. The other one is 1/3 BLO, 1/3 Tung and 1/3 beeswax. He would apply several coating (at least 4) sanding and waiting over night after each coating to let it dry.

 

[Chuck Ellis]

Don't care much for Tung oil myself... seems to take a long time to dry and cure... my preferred finish is Polyurethane... I generally will put about 6 coats on a pepper mill or bowl, drying overnight and sanding slightly between coats. I usually under coat it with a good sanding sealer (Old Master's) and on some woods will under coat that with my version of an abrasive past similar to Yorkshire Grit.

 

[Ryan Mooney]

Basically the same as you do Toni, although on some pieces I'll thin it perhaps a bit more than that. I'll also use a drop or three of japan drier in some cases.

I never really understood mixing it with wax, the wax will slow down polymerization. It would go on easier, but I can't see how it would help the finished piece. I'll top coat some things with wax but mixing it in never made much sense to me.

Mixing in a bit of poly would accelerate curing if it's a compatible poly, you'd have to be more careful picking what you use today given all the complicated formulations I think.

 

[Toni Ciuraneta]

Thanks guys, I think I'll make some trials on scraps before changing the way I've been using it.

 

[Dave Hawksford]

Tony when we've used tung oil we usually apply 2 to 3 coats of 50/50, thinner / oil sanding between coats then apply a couple coats of 75/25 then a couple full coats.

 

[Frank Fusco]

The one time I used it was on a replica Rev. War musket I built. Wood was plain walnut. I slathered on with a brush, wiped down and left. It dried overnight. Despite being used outdoors and sometimes being kept in humid conditions (tent) it is still in excellent shape 50 years later. BTW, I used pure Tung, no additives.