Reply by woodjewelry

What was the weather like when you finished the piece?

I have done a lot of finishing with tung oil, and when the workshop is cold (you finished in Feb 2009) the oil can soak into the wood and not make a good film, this allows more oil from later coats to soak in and never really cure. If the workshop is cold, I usually leave the first coat 3 -7 days to cure. Also as Hobomonk says pine cones can have all sorts of resins in it.

Was the dome ever in direct sunlight, the heat would make any oils come out?

-- Mark, Lithuania, http://www.woodworkers-online.com