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Dfariswheel · February 19, 2007, 08:08 PM

Nice looking job.

I hesitated to attempt thinning the first couple of coats, since Minwax does not recommend thinning the oil finish.

My best buddy is really "into" wood working, and he thins the first coat of most finishes as much as 40% to 50% to get really good penetration.
For the second and third, the thins much less.

What I like about the Minwax oil finish is it's waterproofness and durability.
Over the years I tried all the oil type finishes from Linseed oil, to tung, to "Tru-Oil", to George Brothers "Linspeed" real kettle boiled linseed oil.

ALL of them were not as water resistant as most people think.
I'd take a rifle out on a hot, muggy summer day, and after shooting a string, I'd notice the grain was raised where my sweaty face had been.

Only MinWax resists this and stays sealed.
It also looks better than anything else I've ever tried, and ALL the finish in IN the wood, not on it.
It's about the only finish I ever used that really does have the "egg shell" luster the old timers always talked about.

February 19, 2007, 08:08 PM	#17
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,478	Nice looking job. I hesitated to attempt thinning the first couple of coats, since Minwax does not recommend thinning the oil finish. My best buddy is really "into" wood working, and he thins the first coat of most finishes as much as 40% to 50% to get really good penetration. For the second and third, the thins much less. What I like about the Minwax oil finish is it's waterproofness and durability. Over the years I tried all the oil type finishes from Linseed oil, to tung, to "Tru-Oil", to George Brothers "Linspeed" real kettle boiled linseed oil. ALL of them were not as water resistant as most people think. I'd take a rifle out on a hot, muggy summer day, and after shooting a string, I'd notice the grain was raised where my sweaty face had been. Only MinWax resists this and stays sealed. It also looks better than anything else I've ever tried, and ALL the finish in IN the wood, not on it. It's about the only finish I ever used that really does have the "egg shell" luster the old timers always talked about.