Reclaimed hemlock table top - Tung oil questions

Do ya want it to remain “rustic” or are ya gonna sand some to remove really irregular surface variations?
Pure tung oil doesn’t dry well. A tung oil/varnish mix will give ya a more durable finish, and can be wooled/waxed to a soft and smooth sheen.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

My only experience with pure tung oil was on a oak hardwood floor. I diluted 50% with odorless solvent, put on a coat and let it soak in, applied 2nd coat, let it soak in and then a third coat. The next day I did two coats. The third day on coat and after a few minutes what hadn’t soaked in was wiped off. I then let it dry for a week to 10 days. The tung oil does get a hard finish which many other oils (mineral oil, etc.) won’t get. What I love is that it has a very natural look, not the plastic look of poly. And, it can be touched up at any time. After being down for 7 years I have not yet needed to touch up.

Garry

-- Garry, Kentucky

Lee Valley provides good instructions with their tung oil, which really is tung oil and not one of the many imposters out there that go by “tung oil finish”. I would simply follow them. I wouldn’t bother with using mineral spirits as this is only to make it thinner amd soak in more, not necesary on a wood like hemlock.

-- Dwight - "Free legal advice available - contact Dewey, Cheetam & Howe""

Its my first day here, but for what its worth….
Larry made me a wall cabinet 60” wide, 4 doors, the doors (here I go again not knowing the right terminology), grrr sorry, the doors cover the openings to the cabinet, and they have panels. Once I get used to this site (I have never gotten involved with a interactive woodworking site before) I will post a cabinet photo.

Anyway, back to business, lol I used several old socks to apply the undiluted tung oil. Then every 2-4 days I hand sanded each door inside and out with steel wool . I believe if I’m not mistaken i did that 5 times… lets say 4-6 just to be safe, never did it look waxy, it looked and still looks like glass, its amazing. Now you have me looking at the cabinet real close…. I hope I can find a then and now picture of them because over the years, the finish has aged beautifully.

-- Chrisy & Larry GR. MI.