Softness of Oil Finish

[NMexJim]

Wow, I just can’t imagine the problems you’re having. My only thought is that you’re applying too heavily.

After a finish sets this long (part of the reason for 12-24 is to not let the finish get too dry for good adhesion between coats) you really want to rough the surface before the next coat. If you’re close to being done and the surface looks pretty good, use 0000 steel wool to lightly score the surface.

If you plan to apply several more coats, I’d recommend using 600/800 grit wet or dry sandpaper which will allow you to smooth out the finish quite a bit or even to thin if need be. The sandpaper really shouldn’t gum up if the finish is indeed dry.

After the next thin coat, go to 1000 grit and so on until you get to where you want. If your box is doing good at keeping dust motes out, use even finer grit.

I go to paint shops that cater to automotive work for my paper and the 3M glaze for final rub out.

It really only takes a few drops to coat a stock. Shouldn’t take too much time either. Remember to smooth lengthwise as a final rub. I find swirls harder to smooth.

Good luck.

 

[sign216]

NMexJim,

I'm applying about one drop over a 5x5" section, which is slightly more than the "few drops to coat a stock" that you said. I can't imagine getting 1 drop of Genuine Oil to spread over a larger area. Do you think I should cut it with solvent on my next application?

I agree about the auto paint shop sandpaper. I was talking w a chum that the grit of auto paint sandpaper has a finer feel, even for the same grit size, than wood shop sandpaper.

Joe

 

[Blue68f100]

I would remove much of the old finish and start over since it has not cured as it should in over a month.

Sandpaper are rated by grit size. The cheap paper is a average of the grit where high quality paper the grit is max, not to leave any gouges. I use to polish samples for microscopes. We tried some cheaper paper and it was junk. I ended up returning it to the mfg for refund and told them it was useless. As I worked down in grits I would get random scratches across my sample requiring me to back up a step. What normally took me 5 min to do was taking over 30 min.

 

[NMexJim]

No, I wouldn’t cut it. Cutting helps in the first coat for penetration. Not having used this product myself, I don’t know, but your application still sounds heavy.

If I remember correctly, this is a new, bare stock? I can’t remember that far back. The manufacturer didn’t put anything on it by chance? The reason I ask is that there are some finishes that are a bugger to get out of the grain and will cause you much grief.

Have you tried to lightly sand it? Is the paper gumming, slicking over? If the paper is gumming, you might be better off to start over as Blue says. No shame in that, believe me. Years back, I had to redo a couple. One in particular drove me nuts. It’s actually easier than trying to slog ahead.

If no gumming, sand off all the dust motes, dog hairs, etc and lay on another layer. Sand evenly, lightly.

 

[sign216]

No, I wouldn’t cut it. Cutting helps in the first coat for penetration. Not having used this product myself, I don’t know, but your application still sounds heavy.

If I remember correctly, this is a new, bare stock? I can’t remember that far back. The manufacturer didn’t put anything on it by chance? The reason I ask is that there are some finishes that are a bugger to get out of the grain and will cause you much grief.

Have you tried to lightly sand it? Is the paper gumming, slicking over? If the paper is gumming, you might be better off to start over as Blue says. No shame in that, believe me. Years back, I had to redo a couple. One in particular drove me nuts. It’s actually easier than trying to slog ahead.

If no gumming, sand off all the dust motes, dog hairs, etc and lay on another layer. Sand evenly, lightly.

It started off as a fresh, new stock. I did the sanding and inletting. After a month in the hot box to get the previous coats to cure, yesterday I did sand one portion and there was no gumming; it sanded fine. There's no dog hair or dust, as it's been sitting in the box, protected.

How do I ensure a really thin coat? A drop of oil spreads out for 5 square inches, but beyond that, it doesn't seem like I'm pushing it our much farther.

Also, what is the normal wait time between coats? The bottle say 12-24 hrs.
After 24 hrs in the box, finish feels soft.
After 48 hrs it feels hard, no smell of oil, unless I put my nose right up to the wood, when it's hot from the box, and then I can just smell the oil.

 

[NMexJim]

If you can get ahold of Birchwood Casey, they might confirm what I related before - that there is a window when the finish has not fully set, but is hard enough for the next coat. In that window, you can apply another coat and get good adhesion between the coats. If you let the finish dry too long, then the surface gets hard and may not fully take another coat.

I’ve never personally experienced this problem (thank you, Lord), but then I’ve never pushed my luck either. If I don’t get a coat on in the specified time frame, I use fine wool or do a light sand depending on where I am. The longer the finish sets, the more thorough sanding/wooling I do. Make a dust rag using a clean white cotton t-shirt or undies that is slightly damp with alcohol or acetone to get the sanding dust off between coats..

As far as coverage especially over a “good” base, I’ll put maybe two drops and then spread it out fast using circular motion. I spread as far as I can before things start to get sticky. I then touch my finger tip to the surface in the cup of finish and keep moving, When I complete an application, I then take my palm and smooth the finish coat out from one end to the other. I can get an application on in less than 10 minutes. The faster you get back in the curing box, the less airborne junk you get.

A trick for those finish containers that have a seal on the top is to put just enough hole in the middle of the seal to get finish out. Put your finger over the hole, tip the bottle, and off you go. I think that Birchwood has that somewhere. Helps you keep finish viable longer too.

I use about an inch wood dowel down inside the forearm and screw it where I can - a sling hole or action hole. The dowel allows me to move the stock around without worrying about leaving handling fingerprints. Nothing wrong putting one in the butt as well for a pivot although it’s not absolutely necessary.

 

[sign216]

NMexJim,
Calling Birchwood's tech support is a good idea. I tried to contact B. Casey's a while ago, and they were not responsive. Some other manufacturers are much better on that point.

Thanks for the other tips. I'm already following nearly all of them. This will work out, it's just a slow road.