First "PoP" with Watco Finishing Oil........

Stuart Ablett

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Location
Tokyo Japan
.......Boy am I impressed :D

I have recently got hold of some Watco Danish Finishing Oil in the "Natural" tint, meaning no color, or not much I guess, the only other Watco I have had is the "Dark Walnut" and it is a "Pigment" stain which I do NOT like on most things, leaves the grain in the wood "Muddy" IMHO.

I did another shallow square bowl tonight, getting these down fairly well now, took about 35 mintues from mounting it on the screw chuck to wiping the oil on it.

here is a pic of it before the oil.......

pre_pop.JPG

This is some of the "Tochi" wood I got with the curl in it, nice stuff. The piece is about 6" square.

Here are two pics of it after a very LIBERAL coat or three of the Watco Natural oil...........

popped1.JPG popped2.JPG

Boy did that grain POP! :thumb:

Now this is the "Hardening Oil" so in a day or so, I should be able to buff it out to a nice shine, (is a day or so long enough?).

Boy I can't wait, beats the heck out of the rattle can lacquer :D

I wonder how "Tough" the Watco is, anyone care to comment on that?

Cheers!
 
Looks good, Stu. Now you see why I put a coat of oil finish on before I use the rattle can lacquer. ;) I still prefer the lacquer for a high gloss finish, but I always start with oil.
 
Stu....there are a few old timers that don't believe in oil...just put a finish on.....I really like to use an oil...then dewaxed shellac.....then lacquer!
 
Stu - been using Watco Natural for a few years now and still love the stuff! I am not 100% sure but I believe you have to wait 72 hours before top coating with anything else. As a general rule I wait 72 hours before buffing - just to make sure the oil is somewhat cured!
 
Stu,
ymmv of course, but Watco is one finish I have a love/hate relationship with. I absolutely Love the results, but I have developed a sensitivity to it. If I get it on my hands, even a very little amount, (Bill's new handles for his Doug Thompson Gouges had it on them, still curing, and the day after the robustfest I recognized my Watco reaction/hangover) I feel sick for a day or more. So, I've taken to using it very sparingly, always with Nitrile gloves and always just before I leave the shop. (Speaking hypothetically right now of course).
 
Good to know Ned, thanks.

I always use gloves with finishes, mainly because at almost any time of day, I can get a call from the L shop that a customer is there, and wants me to pick out a good bottle of wine, or some cigars etc. Bad form to show up with fresh stain on my fingers :doh:

I find that I don't mind the smell at all, now I do not know if it minds me, but I also always have the exhaust running in the Dungeon, sucks out some of my warm air, but at least I have fresh air in the Dungeon all the time :D

Still, like I said, good to know that some have a problem with the finish.

Domo! :wave:
 
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