The LIES and confusion of Tung Oil wood finish

Sorting through the mess of contradictory information about what should be a simple subject
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[StumpyNubs]

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[Saneyboo]

Youtube is so weird, i don't have a shop, i don't work with wood or anything like that, i still got recommended this video and fully watched it from start to finish, i will never use this information for anything whatsoever, but he was so good at explaining that i kept listening.

[tetraire]

"Made from the nuts of the Tung tree, which doesn't hurt at all". You, sir, are a very underrated humorist. Thanks for the links and thanks for posting.

[ericlaudenslager]

The distinction between “adding to a first coat” and “adding a second coat” was very helpful

[gregoryhall]

I too worked in a family hardware store in my 20's. All I ever knew about tung oil was what was on the can. I feel like I know 1000% more after this video. I really appreciate how you spell things out without talking down to the audience. We need more people with skills like this in the world.

[jcyork]

Wow. After watching your video. I realized I have nothing but time for a beautiful natural tung oil finish for the old barn wood shelves that I am about to put but time.
Thank you.

[skillsonian]

Dude, you should be the one to make all instructional videos for all subjects on YouTube. Your perspective, preparation and speaking techniques are first-class all the way! Congratulations and thank you!

[DKWalser]

Lot's of great information! I just want to add: Pure tung oil, like all natural products, varies somewhat from one batch to the next. This is one of the reasons it's so hard to say with any definity how long it will take to cure. Not only do you need to take into account temperature, humidity, and air movement, the type of wood, the oil in two different bottles of the same brand of pure tung oil may have different cure times. That's okay. We're dealing with a natural process and cannot rush it.

[jamesstanlake]

I was first exposed to Tung Oil as a finish back in the late 70's while working as a cabinet shop manager. We had a joe building stereo speaker cabinets and the person who had us building the cabinets specified the Tung Oil finish for them. He worked as a engineer for Chrysler in their trim plant and he had taken all readily available wood finishes and made test samples that were placed inside the climate chamber at the plant and were exposed to freezing cold all the way to extremely hot climates and the whole spectrum of humidity. Of all the finishes tested the Tung Oil was the only one not effected by the wide range of climate conditions. It was easy to apply and I always recommend it as a great finish for people just starting out. The trick to Tung Oil is you MUST read the label on the container to assure you are getting pure Tung Oil. Nothing else will do. Tung Oil rules!!

[billkirchner]

My wife applied tung oil to a cheap old table and chairs that we bought over 40+ years ago. About a month later, she applied the second coat - and - about a year later she added the third and final coat. We still have that table and chair set, but - it sits in the basement now. I just looked at it with a more critical eye after seeing this video. The finish is still in GREAT condition. There are two small gouges in the finish (kids) - but other than that, the tung oil held up amazingly well over all that time.

[musamor]

It's always a pleasure watching (and listening to) your videos. Al though I'm an "old boy" myself now, I still learn new stuff thanks to your very well documented reports.
As to the question of oil finishes, as a cabinet maker myself, I once met an instrument maker and restorer (baroque clarinettes, flutes, and oboes) in Paris. He used to submerge his wooden "blanks" (unfinished blocks of wood) in different oils for up to two years!! He showed me a future baroque boxwood mouthpiece that he had soaked for two years in sweet almond oil. Honestly, simply rubbing over a piece of wood with some oil will never penetrate like actually submerging it in the oil. Today everyone wants an "instant" or very quick finish. I've done French Polishing (Shellac) here in France for over three decades. The "real Mackoy" takes about six months to do a genuine French Polish job- two to three seasons. At nearly 65 I now prefer oil finishes. I still think soakings the best method. In which case it would be better to slightly dilute the oil solution for better penetration.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Greetings from France.

[BeauChampion]

I really appreciate you taking the time and energy to help break down such a confusing subject. It's practically a public service! 😉

[waynekitt]

Thank you, James. It is very pleasant, in our current environment, to hear someone cut through the B.S. and just tell the plain truth about something. No obfuscation, no diversion to self-interests - just plain talk and honesty. Very refreshing. Thank you.

[CMDPromptify]

I'm deep in a late-night relaxing woodworker YouTube binge and this is some primo ish.

[silvermediastudio]

This is spot on, and agrees with the extensive research I had to do about 15 years ago when applying finish to a new M1 Garand rifle stock, which was made of nice dark, dense walnut. I used pure Tung Oil, applied it moderately thick and let it soak for an hour, wiping it every 20 minutes or so to saturate evenly. Wiped off excess and let it sit for ten days. Repeated that cycle for seven coats, I used 600 grit between, not sure how much that matters in the end. It took a ton of oil and the final result was impressive. When all the coats were done I gave it a buffing, a very light application of natural carnauba wax, and buffed it out again. Water beads and slips off like a car hood, but it isn't slippery in the hands. Maintaining the wax finish every time out in the field keeps it in great condition. Yeah it took almost three months, but time well invested.

[travismolnoskey]

For my butcher block countertops I used a 50/50 blend of pure tung oil and d-limonene orange oil solvent that I bought separately and mixed together. Did 4 coats with ~12 hours between each, and I've been very happy with it, completely food safe and has been very water and stain resistant.

[LutaRed]

This was a great presentation! I've been using pure tung oil on most of my turning projects over the last 8 years and I love it. But, I did have to learn that tung oil takes time to properly harden. I wish I had seen this video when I started turning. I have one lidded box that I turned out of cherry burl that by the time I was "done" with it had more than 60 coats on it and it absolutely glowed! I didn't want to give it up after that, but I had turned it for a friend's daughter's 16th birthday (it would have been nice if my buddy told me more than the day before her party!). Anyway, I quickly got the box and lid turned and fitted, gave it to her and then took it back! I told her I needed to finish it and she looked at me kind of weird, but gave it back. I brought it home and over the next year I applied and reapplied and reapplied etc etc every few days or until the previous coat was hard. I had a couple of wood worker friends tell me there was no way that was pure tung oil... but I know it was and I know how much time I put into it. When I gave it back to her, she loved it, so I guess I am ok with having given it up. That was the most coats I've ever put on a project. Maybe I'll try for a 100 coat project at some point, but that will take a couple of years the way I do it! I should ask the gift recipient for a picture of the box since I totally forgot to take one before handing it over!
Rick in NH

[JosephMollica]

Man, I really appreciate your style of explanation! Your patient, thorough, and methodical ways tell me you truly understand your subject matter. Keep up the great work!

[auto]

I’ve been finishing wood for 60 years and didn’t know this. Mostly used Deft (Lacquer), waterspar varnish, shellac, polyurethane. For gun stocks I like the harder, more durable finish of poly blends and multiple coats, sanded in between. But sometimes I still use a Linseed Oil blend (True Oil) that dries quickly, if the customer wants a “hand rubbed oil” finish, usually 6-10 coats, polished to a high gloss with 4-ought steel wool. Thanks very much!

[polymerasiecondens]

This YouTube video provides a superior explanation of tung oil compared to all other videos on the subject. The clarity of the narration and the adept handling of the confusions found in other videos make this one exceptionally valuable.