I've mixed some with minwax poly and it worked fine on some boxes i used it on.

 

Good to hear. Quicker than regular varnish drying?

 

No I havent. I find just using thinned poly and applying it the same way - flood on, keep wet for 10 min, wipe off gives the same look as danish oil but dries faster and is more durable. Comparing to otc danish oil.

 

I tried the 3-part mixture once and it took too long to dry so used the minwax wipe-on poly instead with better results. When I want a more tradition (non-poly) finish, I use Tried and True Varnish oil. It takes longer to cure and requires more coats than the wipe-on poly for example but I love the results.

 

Hi Tom. Lately I've been doing a 2 part mix using oil based poly or varnish. I mix anywhere from 50-50 to 1/3 mineral spirits to 2/3 poly/ I use old sandpaper to rub the finish in till it's almost completely gone. Then wipe off any remainder. It leaves a baby smooth finish and is almost completely dry after wiping. The sand paper helps fill in any pores in the wood and helps with defects. This finish has been my new go to lately. I haven't done it with any oil so no comment on that.

 

For a wipe on finish, I like to mix Watco with oilbased poly @ a 50/50 ratio, adding about 25% more poly with each successive coat. The final coat, usually the fifth, is pure poly, sprayed on. Time consuming but a great finish.

 

OSU55, Dave, Gene, and Nathan,

Thanks for your input. I think as I start to make more boxes( I have a few I'm making for my family out of 1945 pine) I will try the poly in the mix.

I've always wanted to try the old Sam Maloof mix known as Danish oil. Making my own and testing out various finishes will give me knowledge from experience as you have done.

Thanks for checking me out!

 

I recommend going to walmart if possible and getting that multi pack of mason jars and a sharpie. Then get some wood cutoffs and masking tape. Mask off a few inch intervals so you have a bunch of sections to sample with your various mixes. And use a few of the woods you normally use. Its interesting to see how the different amberings and tones affect different wood colors and tones and how some finishes bring out more or less chattanoyance etc.

 

My rules, for decades, has been - if it mixes, it's fair game.

Add to that a bit of knowledge gained from others:

More oil means a more flexible surface, but less durability;

Less oil means a harder surface, so less flex, but more durability; and,

More flexibility means more tolerant of wood movement due to moisture.

 

Kelly,

Lol! And good rule of thumb!

What about tactile and visual?

 

SMP,

Had similar thinking.

My current available woods are ash, maple, walnut and pine.

 

It's, to my knowledge, been a "what you put in is what you get out" thing. If you use clear, you get clear. If it ain't lumpy, it won't be bumpy (especially if you run the brush up and down your cyclone fence to knock the nibs out….).

 

To bad they don't have mems on LJ's! LOL!

 

ive used the maloof mix for years 1/3 of blo,tung and satin oil based poly and love the finish and ease of use.i figure if it was good enough for the worlds most renown woodworker on 25 thousand dollar rockers it's good enough for me-lol.

 

The formula, as I learned it, is 1/3 oil, 1/3 varnish, 1/3 mineral spirits. For oil, you can use either linseed oil or, if you want a lighter color, tung oil. For varnish, you can use alkyd oil varnish (if you can still find it) or polyurethane. Of course, mineral spirits is mineral spirits except for the odorless stuff. I haven't used the latter but, haven't heard or read anything good about it. Some say they don't use this finish because it takes too long to dry. Try adding a small amount of japan drier to the mix. It will be ready to sand and apply another coat over night. As mentioned above, the idea is to apply multiple very thin coats. I always use a folded piece of blue shop towel to apply it. Also as mentioned above, you can rub in the first coat. I always use 300-400 grit wet/dry sandpaper for this. The idea here is to work up a slurry of fine sanding dust and finish working it into the pores of the wood until the finish starts to stiffen up. Beautiful finish.

 

bilyo,

Thanks,

Doing test pieces before application in various combinations! Haven't used a slurry method …yet!

 

bilyo,

Thanks,

Doing test pieces before application in various combinations! Haven t used a slurry method …yet!

- DocSavage45

I love the slurry method, i use it with Minwax Antique oil quite a bit. But I was recently at a Lie Nielsen event and Russ Filbeck was there. I have to say his finish on his chairs and bowls etc was the nicest Finish I have seen in person. When I asked him what it was, he handed me a copy of this Wood article he did:
https://russfilbeck.com/866-2/

 

For varnish, you can use alkyd oil varnish (if you can still find it) or polyurethane.

- bilyo

Just a heads up, if you didn't know this already. SW used to market their Fast Dry Oil varnish which was an alkyd resin/linseed oil formula. Somewhere in the acquisitions and changes they've made that varnish apparently got relabeled as a Miinwax product with the same name: Fast Dry Oil varnish. I've seen it at SW stores, but not at most other places that carry MW products.

 

Fred and SMP,

Thanks for your input.

Downloaded article for future use. Last box I made appears to be 4 years ago. LOL!