some finishing trouble

It could be a temperature issue…. I’m not sure. I would try to buff off as much as will come off, then let it sit for a few days and see what happens.

Also, I’m wondering….. is the top sanded to a much higher grit than the underside? In a dense wood like this, it could be that you have basically closed the pores, preventing the oil from soaking in.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Did you do the same process for you raw woods? The difference in sanding could affect the chemical absorption.
It also can be resulted from the oil. Did you check the oil you use?
Your oil for the top table may too thick since it already exposed for awhile.
Wait for next few day, if the oil is dry then it is okay.
But if the oil is seem that won,t dry. You need to remove your oil and start refinish it with the right process.

Good luck

wisno

-- http://www.wisnofurniturefinishing.com/

I don’t know how thick the table top is. One factor of many could be the bottom dried from both sides, into and through the wood pores. The top can only evaporate out into the air because the bottom is now, for the most part, sealed. I’m sure the temp and humidity have a greater influence. Finishing is not my strong suite and it’s issues like yours that make it a mystery to me!
I’ve used multiple layers of tung oil in the past and never had as long a drying time as your describing.
Good luck, BTKS

-- "Man's ingenuity has outrun his intelligence" (Joseph Wood Krutch)

1. Temp – pure Tung oil is affected by the temperatures below 70 degrees
2. Air flow – put a fan by the table on the lowest setting to keep moving air around
3. Alway start Tung Oil with a polymerizing agent; mineral oil is the easiest. Three to five coats at 25% strength, three to five at 50% and three to five at 100% strength
4. Normal drying time for Tung Oil below 70 degrees is 3 days per coat. Curing (Smell related) will take another several weeks
5. Apply, wait about an hour then wipe with a clean rag
6. Surface will be dull once dried if you’re using pure Tung oil. The easiest and most compatable top finish is finishing wax buffed to the sheen you want. It isn’t durable, but it is very easy to reapply.