Officially hooked on Danish Oil

[durango dude]

Okay - I'm now hooked on Watco Danish Oil.

Context --
I typically have a slab of 3/4" white pine from the big box store -- and I throw some Minwax onto it.


This time around, I had some red oak - and wiped some Watco fruitwood colored Danish Oil on my work.

Candidly - not sure which made more difference --- the wood or the stain ---- but I sure as heck LOVE the look.

After my work dried (just a small box) ---- my wife (who criticizes everything I make) said "wow - that looks great!"

In any event - I'm hooked.

[greenacres2]

I'd bet a lot has to do with the red oak. Whatever you do--don't show her walnut or mahogany!!

I use the uncolored version (clear?) a lot--man is it easy to work with. Generally 3 coats with hand rubbing in between. Not a matte finish, not a high gloss finish--but just right for LOML!!

Lately i've used boiled linseed oil on a few larger pieces--a workbench with a poplar top that i found the BLO to be stunning on, and a blanket chest (cherry and white oak) that i like it but would have been happier with the Watco Danish Oil. Will try to post some pics tonight.

earl

[All Thumbs]

We use the Walnut colored Watco a lot to blend walnut. Solid walnut and plywood (even w/ quarter-sawn faces) can (always?) have a substantially different tone. Kiln and air dried solid walnut look substantially different, too. But the Watco oil in Walnut color does a great job making them all look quite a bit more similar. Walnut also bleaches out over time, especially in sun. The Watco helps maintain some nice tone.

[atgcpaul]

We use the Walnut colored Watco.

Is it available at the Borg?

[All Thumbs]

Is it available at the Borg?

It is around here, but everyone's mileage may vary as some states are cracking-down on oil-based finishes.

[cabinetman]

Wipe on finishes like that are easy to get hooked on. They are easy to apply, and you can mix up your own recipe.

.

[akronee]

I too love Watco Danish Oil. It's so easy. You can sand it wet, fills the pores in oak as you do so. I can buy walnut heart wood cheap (2 bucks a board foot) and it looks like the sapwood with the walnut colored danish oil. I buy the natural by the two gallon container.

I havn't tried the fruitwood, but I have some nice red oak that's dying for some attention. Can you post a picture?

[LCHIEN]

Watco Danish oil and Formby's tung oil finishes are basically a penetrating oil mixed with a bit of varnish.

[All Thumbs]

Watco Danish oil and Formby's tung oil finishes are basically a penetrating oil mixed with a bit of varnish.

Actually Formby's Tung Oil Finish has quite a bit more varnish. You can absolutely build a film finish with Formby's, not so much with Watco (it will stay soft if you try to build it).

The Formby's is actually a high-quality varnish, too, an alkyd resin which doesn't yellow too badly over time, and is very durable and chemical resistant. Problem is, there is a lot of thinner in the can and you do have to apply a great many coats to get to that film finish.

[Carpenter96]

I use Danish oil to finish the bow saws that I make and sell. It works great and provides a finish that any customer could recoat in the future with very little difficulty. I have also used it on boxes that I really want the grain to pop on. Regards Bob

[Bruce Cohen]

I've been using Watco for over 25 years. Actually it's all I really ever use. Learned this trick from reading a very early issue of Fine Woodworking magazine.
After my last sanding with 280 grit. I brush on the Watco (Natural color only) and keep applying more until I get an entirely wet surface. Rub off with an old Tee Shirt, till it feels dry, and then go back after a while for the amount that rises to the surface. I also blow out the finish in the joint areas with my compressor.
Let dry overnight, then apply by brush a second coat, that i rub in with 320 grit wet/dry paper. Again, rag off until it feels dry. Its important to build up a "sludge" when wet sanding as the sludge fills some of the defects and some open grain..
Again, let dry overnight.
Apply a third coat and wet sand with 400 gr. wipe off and let dry.
Depending on the wood, I sometimes buff using white rouge on the drill press or the grinder using a medium weight flannel wheel.

Finally (whew), I apply 2 separate coats of CLEAR Liberon wax, using Liberon's 4X0 steel wool. It costs more. but once you use it, there's no going back to the crap they sell at HD.

As I mainly make jewelry boxes, I don't worry about protection from liquids or rough use. Although, when I made a table I did use three light coats of rub-on poly.

Watco is sold at both HD and Lowe's, but Liberon must be ordered on line, unless you have a Woodcraft store near you.

The process does take more time than I care for, but the results are incredible.

Bruce

[akronee]

Watco is sold at both HD and Lowe's

Ace sells the natural in larger and more cost effective sizes then the Lowe's around where I live. Rockler also stocks a wider selection of colors than either.

[atgcpaul]

I picked up a small can of the dark walnut Watco and applied it to a walnut frame and panel I'm working on. There was some sapwood in spots.

It doesn't magically make the sap disappear but it really helps to even out the color from light to dark and imparts a dark, rich color to the walnut.

I'm not going to finish this project with Watco but I'm glad I started with it. When this coat is dry enough, I'll spray with WB over top.

[Bruce Cohen]

I picked up a small can of the dark walnut Watco and applied it to a walnut frame and panel I'm working on. There was some sapwood in spots.

It doesn't magically make the sap disappear but it really helps to even out the color from light to dark and imparts a dark, rich color to the walnut.

I'm not going to finish this project with Watco but I'm glad I started with it. When this coat is dry enough, I'll spray with WB over top.

Don't stop with one coat. Apply a second at least and wet dand it in with at the least 320 grit wet/dry, wait about ten-fifteen minutes and rag it off using an old towel. let it dry and then spray. I guarantee you'll be overwhelmed.

Bruce

[atgcpaul]

Don't stop with one coat. Apply a second at least and wet sand it in with at the least 320 grit wet/dry, wait about ten-fifteen minutes and rag it off using an old towel. let it dry and then spray. I guarantee you'll be overwhelmed.

Bruce

I'm satisfied with the color so that's why I'm stopping at one. I guess I could buy a can of the regular Watco, but at nearly $10, nah.

After-all this is the back of a dresser which, at least in my house, will be pushed up against a wall. If my daughter decides to have it in the middle of the room in her house, she'll have something nice to look at.

My first time doing raised panels. I'm very pleased that the beveled section which is essentially exposed end grain did not absorb more stain than the flat sections. However, I did pre-treat the boards with a quick wipe of a oi/varnish mix before I decided to try the Watco so that may have helped to block absorption.