Wiping Oil/Varnish and sanding.

[Chip Byrd]

I really like the look and ease of use of BLO/varnish/mineral spirits on projects that will get little abuse. The only drawback is that you can't get much of a sheen from it. I was wondering if you gave the finish a few days to cure, you could get a semi-gloss by using high grit abrasives like Micro-Mesh or Abralon 4000 grit? Could you work up (perhaps burnish) to a semi-gloss doing that?

I have been woodworking for about three years and have learned much from the contributors on this site.

Thanks,

Chip

[Art Mann]

The problem I have had with wiping varnish mixes is it isn't easy to deposit enough of a surface coating to do anything with. I don't use it any more but when I did, I would wipe on 5 or more coats and it still left a thin finish. One thing I did after finishing keepsake boxes with Watco Danish oil, which is basically what you are talking about, is to apply several coats of Johnson's Paste Wax. Not only does paste wax improve the sheen, but it leaves the surface of the wood with a silky smooth feel. This finish is easy to maintain and can be brought back to its original condition with nothing more than a soft clean cotton cloth. I would not recommend it if the item is subject to a lot of wear.

[Prashun Patel]

I am able to get nice sheen (almost semigloss) with an oil varnish by sanding. Sand before - to 600, and after.

Also, don't use too much oil. To a yogurt cup filled 50/50 with varnish and ms, even a teaspoon or less of oil will have a dramatic effect on the ability to wipe on a very very thin polish. I say 'polish' and not 'film' or 'coat' deliberately here. When there's oil in the mix, you only want the surface to appear moist. If you are too aggressive with this, you will have a soft finish that remains sticky indefinitely. If you are just right with it, and patient, you will develop a sheen without any visible film.

Yes, you can buff such a finish with Abralon or Micromesh. I'm partial to Abralon because it's cheaper.

[glenn bradley]

Like Prashun, I sand down the gloss. The grit will vary with the material and the surface prep. A current piece out of sipo is knocked down with an 800 grit foam pad. On walnut I generally use 1500 grit. I then put a final coat that is mixed a little heavy on the varnish and wiped down with a cotton rag about 20 minutes after application.

[Steve Schoene]

Once you mix oil with varnish you move into the realm of Danish oil and should continue with the oil finish look, which is strictly in the wood, with no surface film. Satin is about the most you should expect to achieve. But why not ditch the oil. Just thin the varnish to wiping consistency. Then you could wipe on thin varnish coats to build a film. The best proceedure is to apply the varnish in sets of 3, with coats spaced closely enough the the preceeding coat is no longer tacky. Then after three coats give it a longer curing time--a day before applying another set of coats. Each wiped on coat is equivalent to about 1/3 of a full strength brushed on coat. You don't need to sand between closely spaced coats. After the next to last set of coats I would sand thoroughly to be sure you have a flat surface without defects. Then apply you last set of three coats. Allow those to cure fully before attempting to rub the surface to gloss. For semi-gloss two weeks or so will be enough. For full gloss sheen let it go a month before rubbing it out. Applying the thin varnish in sets allows it to be sanded without sanding though and developing "witness" lines.
F

[Chip Byrd]

Thanks guys. This provides me with some helpful guidelines.

[Howard Acheson]

A linseed oil, mineral spirits and varnish mixture does not dry or cure "hard". The large amount of linseed oil causes the mixture to get sort of rubbery at best.

An oil/varnish mixture is intended to be a penetrating finish where the finish is applied, allowed to set on the surface for 10-20 minutes and then wiped dry. It will not produce a high gloss hard finish. Nor will it "harden" to the point where you can sand or abrade the surface to produce a gloss.