# Leopard Wood and Tung oil?



## douginaz (Jun 11, 2007)

Merry Christmas all. I'm in the middle of making a rather large 16X21X10" box for my nephew. I pretty much have the mechanics of it made so the mind goes to finishing. My standard in the past has been bullseye shellac and wipe on poly. I normally don't use a stain. The wood is new to me, leopard wood has always held a little mystery to me. I just love the look but don't have a clue what to use for a finish on it. I'm thinking just plain tung oil until I get the pop and smoothness I'm looking for. Any and all suggestions are welcome.





Thanks All, 
Doug in AZ.


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## DanYo (Jun 30, 2007)

If it were me, I'd use oil finish, and follow with shellac. Should make it pop !


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## schwingding (Dec 5, 2007)

Yup, oil of choice, then shellac. My favorite finish is oil, shellac, then ArmRSeal. I prefer Watco as it is thinner than most "tung oils" I've used and soaks in further.

Couple of coats of oil, then one coat of shellac, then sand to 320 to get rid of the fuzzies. Then 3 coats of ArmRSeal, the 2nd one rubbed in with 0000 steel wool. Then when cured rub out with Liberon 0000 wool and Howard FeedNWax. Take a look at the shaker desk in my projects library, it was finished exactly that way.

Leopardwood will respond wonderfully to the oil. If you could wipe it down with a light brown dye first, then sand it with 320, you'll pop the figure even more.


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## mroe (Apr 15, 2012)

Schwingding, your above comment suggesting "wipe it down with a light brown dye first, then sand with 320". When does the dye go on; before the oil or after the oil? Thanks
mroe6


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