[sts9fan]

I am finishing up a pair of speakers and am considering using Danish oil to finish them. Anyone use this?  Tips? How smelly is it?

[srb]

I like to massage the Danish oils (Watco, Deft, etc.) into the wood using a palm sander and 600 grit or higher wet and dry sandpaper.  You have to wipe off any residue afterward before it starts to dry or gum up.
 
Danish oil and tung oil-soaked rags can spontaneously combust, so they should be soaked in water and left outside to dry before disposal.  The fumes are quite obnoxious and not recommended to breathe.  If I use any oil finish inside it is only for very small touch ups or very small pieces.
 
I used to leave that as my final finish, but it seemed to get duller and flatter over the years, so now I put two to three coats of wipe-on polyurethane finish as a top coat.  If you topcoat Danish oil finishes, they must be left to cure much longer than stain, usually 72 hours or so.
 
Sanding finishes in between polyurethane coats can quickly load up and clog sandpaper, so I have started using synthetic steel wool pads available at most woodworking shops (They can be found at home big box stores, but usually in smaller sizes and not a lot of different "grits").

I have also found that using Danish oils instead of stains can bring out more figuring in the wood, if present.
 
Steve

[sts9fan]

Hmmmmmm I think this may ha e to wait till spring then. My basement is small as is my house. Strong fumes basiclly fill the whole place. Maybe I will try a water based poly which I know is not quite as bad.

[Wayner]

I use the Watco stuff on all my oiled walnut stuff. It's pretty good and yes it stinks up the house for a few days, but so does frying bacon! 

Wayner

[sts9fan]

I don't mind the pork fat in my bloodstream. Those organic solvents not so much.

[Wayner]

I save old rags for stuff like this. I think the disposed rag stinks up the house more then the item that was oiled, so get rid of the rag immediately (outside, in the garbage).

W

[srb]

From the Watco MSDS:
 
*** Emergency Overview ***: Harmful if inhaled. May affect the brain or nervous system causing dizziness, headache or nausea. Harmful if swallowed. Causes eye irritation. Vapors irritating to eyes and respiratory tract.  Combustible liquid and vapor.
 
Effects Of Overexposure - Eye Contact: Causes eye irritation.
 
Effects Of Overexposure - Skin Contact: May cause skin irritation.
 
Effects Of Overexposure - Inhalation: High vapor concentrations are irritating to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.  May cause headaches and dizziness. Harmful if inhaled.
 
Effects Of Overexposure - Ingestion: Aspiration hazard if swallowed; can enter lungs and cause damage.  Substance may be harmful if swallowed.
 
Effects Of Overexposure - Chronic Hazards: Reports have associated repeated and prolonged occupational  overexposure to solvents with permanent brain and nervous system damage.
 
Primary Route(s) Of Entry: Skin Contact, Skin Absorption, Inhalation, Ingestion, Eye Contact
 
 
Steve

[WGH]

Waterlox Original will give you a much better finish than Watco or DeftOil. I dries much quicker - overnight instead of days, the finish builds quicker, and the smell dissipates faster.
http://www.waterlox.com/products-item/waterlox-original-satin-tung-oil-wood-floor-finish.aspx
You can get quarts at Amazon



As Steve mentioned always be aware of spontaneous combustion. Balled up rags will catch fire. I let them dry outside for a week before putting in the garbage so I don't get a dumpster fire.

The tung oil in these products "dry" by chemically bonding with oxygen which produces heat, which ignites the mineral spirits in the oil, which catches the cotton rag on fire. Putting the rags in water only eliminates the oxygen for a while and is only a temporary solution. The flash point of mineral spirits is 104 degrees F - 110 degrees F; the ignition temperature is 473 degrees F. Cotton ignites at 250 degrees F. Once the temp reaches 250 degrees the entire rag or sponge burst into flames - it's cool to watch. I have seen rags half in and half out of water with the top half completely charred. The rags still have to be dried before placing in the garbage.

Wayne

[sts9fan]

Thanks for the info Wayne. For something like baltic birch how many coats would you expect to need? 2? Maybe I will try and use a friends garage.

[srb]

Waterlox Original will give you a much better finish than Watco or DeftOil. I dries much quicker - overnight instead of days, the finish builds quicker, and the smell dissipates faster.

Wayne, I've never tried the Waterlox finishes.  Since they don't come in colors like the Danish oils, what type of stain do you use if you need to color the wood?
 
I know you build doors, do you use the marine version for your exterior doors?
 
Steve

[WGH]

4 coats might work. The first coat will soak in and almost disappear.

Wayne

[WGH]

I like Sher-wood stains from Sherwin-Williams. The stains have a high concentration of color and use mineral spirits and ethylbenzene as a vehicle so it sets up and dries quicker with an even color. Make sure your windows are open with this stain!




I use satin McCloskey Spar Varnish to finish my doors and furniture. Sometimes I put on a base coat of Exterior DeftOil, but the DeftOil will dissolve the stain so no oil on stained doors. The secret is to mix 20% of Waterlox into the varnish. The finish will level out and look like it was sprayed on if you are good with a brush.

Wayne

[Cheerwino]

+1 for Waterlox. Very easy to work with, self leveling so can apply with a bristle brush, foam brush or just rub on with a cloth. You can add many coats for a build up finish or buff out for more satin look. There's also a satin finish, too. Can be found at Woodcraft or your local woodworking stores.

They have a low odor version which is fine but it doesn't go on quite as easily. I don't think the stuff smells bad at all, though. Also, like many fine oil-based finishes, it starts setting up once opened to oxygen, so you need to go ahead and use it up within a few days after opening, unless you use Bloxygen to keep it from setting up. Or you can move it to a smaller container, filling it up so it has less surface exposed to oxygen (per Waterlox instructions).

What I really like about Waterlox is you don't have to sand or buff between coats (you can if you need to). But, it is easy to touch up. Not that you'd need to since it has a highly water resistant finish, so I even set drinks on my Waterlox finished items and it doesn't leave a ring. I've used it on speakers, doors, cabinets, countertops, tool handles, outdoor furniture. It's good stuff. 

[Don_S]

I prefer Osmo Hardwax oil. It is walk-on-it-tough. I used to use Tung oil but it discolors and makes wood too orange.  Osmo does not do that.  It may mellow a little but not much.  I used it on maple butcher block (audio rack) so I would have noticed if it turned too dark.  My rack is several years old and I am still very happy with the finish.

Osmo does not smell bad and is easy to apply. Other finishes give me a nasty headache. You do have to sand between coats and if you sand the final coat it will appear dull.  I fixed that with some Minwax paste wax.

Some new products I am not familiar with on these links.  I used the original Osmo Hardwax Oil.


http://woodanchor.com/osmo-products
http://www.ecohaus.com/C-223/polyx+oil

[fandersen]

I use deftoil. I can do two or three coats in the same day. It does require a well ventilated place when applying. Before the first coat I sand with 220 and seal the wood with Zinsser sanding sealer reduced 50% with denatured alcohol. This will prevent blotching which birch will do. When dry I sand with 320 and apply the first coat of oil. Let it soak for about 30 minutes and wipe off. An hour or two later I put on the second coat while lightly sanding with 400 wet/dry sand paper. For a really smooth finish a third coat can be applied while sanding with 600 wet/dry sandpaper. Wait 24 hours after the final coat. Give it a good buffing by hand and then apply a good quality furniture wax. The image below is birch and cherry veneer with two coats of oil.

[Wayner]

Watco products are just fine and they are usually available in any town, not needing to buy it on line and have it shipped to your house for twice the cost.

With any paint, stains or solvents, one should use some common sense when using these kinds of products, including the rag disposal (keep air from it and it will not ignite), and life will be good.

Watco products are not designed to be "huffed".

Wayner

[rklein]

+1 for Waterlox.  I used the original formula for my Selah TRT's.  I have to say that I started by using a Syntox brush made by Purdy.  I quickly moved to using rags which I bought from Sherwin Williams.  I just could not get a thin enough coat by using the brush.  You can get a big package of cotton rags from SW for under $10.  If you apply VERY THIN coats and then take a clean rags and go over your wood a second time pretty much immediately after applying the initial coat, you will have minimal odor in your basement.  Here is a link to my speaker build.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=71964.0

Keep in mind that VOC compliance has forced Waterlox to change their original formula.  You can only get the "real" original formula in pint cans at this point.

Randy

[sts9fan]

Randy
those speakers look great. I think I will have to head down to my local Woodcraft this week and pick up some waterlox.

[rklein]

Thanks,  BTW, in my thread, I mentioned that between each coat I wet sanded starting with 1000 grit paper.  By the time I got to the 4th coat, I was using 1500 - 2000 grit paper.  You can find these grits at an automotive supply store.

Randy

[newportcycle]

I use "Tried and True" polymerized linseed oil with pure beeswax, works great, no fumes.  I put on the three coats as recomended making sure to apply them to a finely sanded surface.  After the final coat dries I apply four coats of a high qualitity carnuba furniture wax.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?c=&p=45105&cat=1,190,42942