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Danish vs. Tung Oil on Scroll Sawings
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I am retired, and my hobby is cutting out figures on a scroll saw. I mainly use oak, walnut or Baltic birch plywood. I pour Danish oil into a shallow pan and immerse the items for a few minutes, then wipe off the excess and hang them up to dry. After 72 hours, I coat the items with spray lacquer, applying a couple of coats until it looks good. A friend of mine told me she uses tung oil. What are your suggestions on using Danish oil vs. tung oil? Any input would be valuable.
- Ken Lehmann Rapid City, South Dakota
Michael Dresdner: Danish oil is a thin varnish designed to be flooded on and wiped off exactly the way you are using it. Tung oil is a natural drying oil, not a varnish, though there are varnishes made from tung oil. Tung oil takes far longer to dry than Danish oil and leaves a much softer, weaker finish. My advice is to stick with what you are doing. It works for you, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the finishing sequence you described.