Watco Danish vs. Minwax Antique

[Frank Kobilsek]

My local Ace had thier 20% off anything in the Bag sale last Saturday and I bought a 'red' can of Minwax Anitque Oil. Used it last night for the first time on a dyed piece of maple. First reaction is I like it slightly better than the Watco.

Antique oil is definately thicker and you can tell it has more resin than the Watco. I noticed the sweating you get from Watco for several hours after applying was much less with the Antique oil. 'Sweating' is the shiney spots that seem to wipe off for as much as 8 hours after applying the oil.

Here is my procedure:

Apply the oil with paper towel.

Wait for the slightest dry patch to show, ussually only a few minnutes. Reapply with new paper towel.

Repeat the wait and wipe on again cycle for at least 30 or 40 minutes.

Wipe dry throughly with paper towel.

Remove from chuck and take in the house.

Wipe off 'sweat' every time I walk by for the next several hours.

Several days later reverse to turn the bottom and give the whole piece another coat or two.

Am I doing it right?

Frank

[Nancy Laird]

Frank, have you tried the J.E. Moser products? We have found that it dries a lot better than the Watco with no sweating--at least on our (shhh - flatwork). I haven't tried it on any turnings, but I would guess that the results would be the same.

Nancy

[Dennis Peacock]

--at least on our (shhh - flatwork).
Nancy

Ah-h-h-um-m-m-m-m.....I'm tellin'!!!!! You said ----work.

[Dennis Peacock]

Frank,

I've used a fair amount of Watco and I like it's results. I've also used some Antique Oil that I liked the results even better. Currently, Travis, Mark and several others are using Antique Oil with outstanding results.

[Al Willits]

Not sure how I ended up down here in turnerville, but I caught the word Watco and had to look....
Watco danish natural is at the moment my current favorite when not using tung oil, would one of the finishes listed work better than the watco?
Newbie enough that I don't know what better would be though...

Al...who has a metal lathe if that helps a little....

[John Hart]

I really like the Antique Oil...although I've not used the Watco so I have no comparitive analysis. I'm not sure how it would work on Metal pieces turned on a metal lathe though. Might have trouble soaking into the pieces.

[Mark Cothren]

Frank, I use antique oil a lot. I completely finish my turning - including the bottom - then apply a liberal coat of oil. I let it sit for just a couple of minutes and then wipe off with a clean, dry towel. After about 4-6 hours I repeat that process.

Most of the time my routine is that I finish turning/sanding something at night and apply the first coat of oil. Then the next morning before I leave for work I apply the second coat. Then when I get back to the shop that evening I can either buff or apply a third coat.

Now I didn't figger this out on my own... I consulted with Travis, since he was getting excellent results using the antique oil.

[Al Willits]

Thanks John and I'll remember that the next time I finish some metal part...

Does the Antiuqe oil darken the wood or can you get it in different shades?

Al...who's not sure a walnut finish would look good on a crome moly part anyway...

[Mark Cothren]

Does the Antiuqe oil darken the wood or can you get it in different shades?

Take a look at the Pecan bowl Travis just posted... doesn't look like it darkened it any. The only times I've personally had it darken the wood is if the wood is soft/punky.

[Jim Becker]

The Antique Oil product from Minwax is one of the only things they make that I actually like...it and shellac are my two preferred finishing products for turnings. It buffs out beautifully and can also be "pushed" with friction to allow multiple application builds in a reasonably short period of time.

[John Hart]

The Antique Oil product from Minwax is one of the only things they make that I actually like...it and shellac are my two preferred finishing products for turnings. It buffs out beautifully and can also be "pushed" with friction to allow multiple application builds in a reasonably short period of time.

A while back....maybe a year ago, I started experimenting with various mixtures. I thought the Antique Oil and Shellac mixture, along with a little DNA...and a smidgeon of BLO, made a very nice finish. I know that's not what you're talking about Jim....but you reminded me of it.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Thanks Guys

I have a bad habit of turning several items 5 or 6 and then doing all the bottoms at one time. I think it came from having to change jaws ( cole jaws). Lately I jam chuck. I need a vac chuck.

Frank

[Dick Strauss]

There goes Nancy saying the F--- word again in the round forum! Didn't your momma teach you any manners?

[Nancy Laird]

There goes Nancy saying the F--- word again in the round forum! Didn't your momma teach you any manners?

That's why I whispered it--I was hoping no one would hear.

Nancy

[Ed Scolforo]

I forget who first directed me to the Minwax Antique Oil, but I like it, and have been using it for a couple years.