Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DC on December 11, 2016, 06:21:06 pm

Title: Tung oil
Post by: DC on December 11, 2016, 06:21:06 pm
When you are putting on multiple coats of tung or whatever oil are most of the coats just enough to dampen the bow? The first couple you apply liberally according to the instructions but after that, just a slight sheen??
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: PatM on December 11, 2016, 06:31:24 pm
Thin coats. Even a liberal first coat gets mostly wiped off.
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: Stick Bender on December 11, 2016, 06:47:13 pm
I made a pecan board bow last year that I use tung oil with a citrus solvent & slightly heated the bow and with that citrus solvent seemed to penetrate better then just plain tung oil but put about 7 thin coats on.
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: upstatenybowyer on December 11, 2016, 07:56:00 pm
Thin coats. Even a liberal first coat gets mostly wiped off.

+1 and many of them
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on December 12, 2016, 08:00:20 am
I rub the first coat right into the wood, lots of pressure. Its an oil finish not a surface finish. If you wipe it on and wipe it right back off you aren't gaining the benefit of an oil finish.
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: koan on December 12, 2016, 08:49:03 am
I rub the first coat right into the wood, lots of pressure. Its an oil finish not a surface finish. If you wipe it on and wipe it right back off you aren't gaining the benefit of an oil finish.
+1 on Pearly's statement... Oil is made to penetrate the wood... Brian
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: DC on December 12, 2016, 10:11:17 am
Do any of you thin the first coat or two? I noticed a couple of sites recommended that.
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on December 12, 2016, 11:25:43 am
No.
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: Stick Bender on December 12, 2016, 02:44:22 pm
I found that citrus solvent & Tung oil by  mistake I built a wooden counter top for our kitchen & my wife was doing research on food safe finishes & found it as a food safe water repellent finish ,I have used tung oil on many peaces of furniture  but this citrus solvent tung oil seems to penetrate a lot deeper you get a slightly darker color in the wood because of the deeper penetration , I'm going to use it as a finish on the osage bow I'm working on now  & see how it works out , it was originaly designed as a natural flooring finish , so I figure if it was designed to be walked on all day it would work for other wood products.
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: bow101 on December 12, 2016, 03:11:38 pm
Not all Tung oil products are food safe. Most contain toxic ingredients like solvents and/or chemical driers.  Give it a sniff test first.  I would be more inclined to use Mineral oil or Walnut oil. 

PS. just like most things we use on our skin and food products, the poisons are rarely listed in the ingredients list......... >:D >:D
Title: Re: Tung oil
Post by: Stick Bender on December 12, 2016, 04:26:11 pm
Not trying to side track DC thread but that's a good point not all Tung oils are the same some take more coats to get absorbed  etc , & some seemed to show the grain better then others, the one I used is food safe.