Re: Tung oiled necks/bodies, pro's-con's?

ohm-men · Post by **ohm-men** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:25 pm

So, what is the consensus on Tung oil in general? I wanna do a body and perhaps a neck with tung oil as main finish.
Anything in particular I should be aware of? Best way to apply the stuff? wood prep? Differences between Tung oil and other finishes in general (vs laquer, nitro, poly)
And last, any other oils I should consider?

I'm getting a few guitars ready for some restoration/modding. Most need refinishing (necks, bodies) so I wanna try a few different aproaches. Most are older non pricey (read cheap) vintage parts (but of resonable quiality), so I can experiment a bit. Looking for different feels.

I wanna do a "Paduak" body in Tung oil and a maple neck as well (parts will be on different guitars though) rest will be finish with regular paints (laquer and car paint)
both neck and body are "raw" only body has some previous applied oil on it, so I guess it needs some degreesing?

Thanks!

mcjt · Post by **mcjt** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:44 pm

an old friend of mine who was an antique restorer taught me about tung oil. he helped me work on the finish of several guitars and we did a few pieces of furniture together...
he swore by tung oil. we did a few guitar pieces with tung oil, some others in shellac-french polish, a traditional finish of luthiers.
i just did my JM neck with about 12 coats of tung and teak oil. it is sleek and resistant. it feels much nicer than poly or nitro. it is polymerized and tough as hell. Easy to apply. will easily reject moisture. re-apply in a couple of years if the finish starts looking dry. Padouk will turn brown over the years as it oxydizes. An oil finish will prevent that.
mmmm padouk.... i love padouk!

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/tungoil1.htm
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... n+Teak+Oil
http://www.woodcentral.com/russ/finish6.shtml

Mighty Tom · Post by **Mighty Tom** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:09 pm

I'm also considering tung oil for my 12-string project.

mcjt, can you share any details about how you applied the finish, what steps you took, etc.?

DB · Post by DB » Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:07 pm

After just doing a nitro project (on a $100 USD bass!), I'm a huge fan of nitro. It was meant to be sanded, pollished, and buffed. Want a gloss finish? Keep on buffing. Want a satin. Buff with a different grade of sandpaper. Really, nitro is made to do what you want with it.

DB

ohm-men · Post by **ohm-men** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:38 pm

Thanks a lot!

mmmm padouk.... i love padouk!

I did a thinline Tele body in Padoak a few years back. Started from orange to a nice natural brown, this is how I hope to keep it. So I hope the Tung-Oil helps. But as far a Paduak goes, it's a really nice sounding wood. Hard, maple like but less dense. Gives the tele "Twang". Also works for a very transparant in your face sounds, something very different from a JM. Not the easiets wood to work with. Puts your tools under a lot of stress so to speak...but the result is super....I went thinline because of the weight of the Paduak.

As far as Nitro goes, I'm sure it's nice, but it's not very healthy and I work with enough unhealthy stuff as it is. So I don't wanna go that route in my free time. And it's not widely available here a well. Although I love the feel of it....especially when worn in. But I'm sure the Tung oil finish will get me close, although in a different way with a diferent feel.

mcjt · Post by **mcjt** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:48 pm

The instructions were right on the can of Circa 1850...

"Make sure surface is clean" (use naptha)
"apply liberally with fingers"
"let dry an hour"
"Repeat"

It really is that simple. you might want to even it out with some steel wool between coats, but i didn'T find that i had to. there were no issues.

i put on 12 coats. it doesn't look like poly or nitro, and yet there is a lustre AND you feel like you are touching finished wood, like a french polish, instead of plastic or glass. i used a water-based stain underneath my recently finished neck. that worked very well too.

By using oil, you are not throwing nasty chemicals up into the air either. it's fun, old school, and works very well.

The guys over on the RERANCH- guitar refinishing forum swear by Tru-oil, but i don't know that stuff.

Mighty Tom · Post by **Mighty Tom** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 4:48 pm

How hard do you have to rub it in? Or do you just fingerpaint it on?

mcjt · Post by **mcjt** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 5:11 pm

heh.
Fingerpaint. no wonder it's so fun to apply!
Tru-oil apparently penetrates better with some friction and heat in the form of rubbing with the fingers, but not tung,
Easy, no?

Mighty Tom · Post by **Mighty Tom** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:11 pm

Indeed. My dad was trying to tell me it would take a loooooooooong time to do an oil finish, but he was talking about linseed oil.

But what's the significance of applying it with your hands? Why not use a brush or a sponge?

mcjt · Post by **mcjt** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 7:12 pm

why not?

it comes off your hands easily with soap.

and that's what the manufacturer says.

Mighty Tom · Post by **Mighty Tom** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 10:35 am

Well fine, but what I'm really asking is if there's some special significance to using one's hands.

mcjt · Post by **mcjt** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 11:48 am

Like i said, it's recommended by the manufacturer to use your fingers.

Mighty Tom · Post by **Mighty Tom** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 5:56 pm

Sorry, but I've been having a hard time understanding your answers. Could be a language barrier. Isn't Montreal a French-speaking part of Canada?

Just for clarification, what you're saying is that one applies the tung oil with one's fingers without rubbing it in hard, and you don't know what the significance is of doing it with one's fingers. Do I have that right?

cmatthes · Post by **cmatthes** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:13 pm

I wouldn't use it on anything I'd possibly want to finish later.

mcjt · Post by **mcjt** » Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:41 pm

Dude, that reply sounded very enthnocentric. The problem isn't my command of the English language or that of the inhabitants of Montreal; the problem is the usual occasional confusion stemming from communication in digital form- in emails, SMS, internet posts... or maybe the additives in the beer in Milwaukee?? (that was a JOKE)

So:

Ohm-men asked about experiences with tung oil. i told how it was recommended to me by an antique restorer (i guess it's good stuff!), i described how i applied tung and teak oil (based on the instructions, as i recalled them) and gave all of you the links to the manufacturer. i never said anything about rubbing or not rubbing hard the oil... ?? i replied, yes, fingerpaint it on. And the special significance of applying with one's fingers?? i said repeatedly, the manufacturer's instructions recommend application with fingertips- what else do you want me to say? this product worked for me and it was easy to use. i can't really comment on why they tell people to use their hands. maybe coz it just works? why use a brush when you don't have to? You should go to Home Depot, find the product and read up on it.

p.s. i'm a beer loving, former English teacher, so there!!