Official Luthiers Forum!

Thanks Russ, will check that out on KTM9!

Sam I PM'd the schedule.

[QUOTE=SteveCourtright] To piggy back onto Todd Rose's excellent post, I have used Tried and True varnish oil on furniture. It is very hard to use, being very thick, like honey in consistency, compared to most oil finishes, but builds quickly. The problem is inconsistent quality, which has been documented in Fine Woodworking. I have used a batch which never seemed to fully set up, I mean weeks. Other batches behaved like standard Danish Oil and set up nicely overnight.[/QUOTE]

Tried and True Finishes are made by a guy in a small shop about 20 miles from me. I've been to his shop and seen the big steel pots he cooks the oil in to polymerize it. It wouldn't surprise me if he has occasionally turned out a bad batch, not getting the heat or timing right for some reason. I've never had this problem with his finishes, though, and I've used gallons of it. It's been my all-purpose around the house finish for furniture, woodwork, even floors. The only time I've had any problem with it not curing properly is if I haven't wiped it off thoroughly - to the point where the wood feels dry, and then go over it once more. Anything more then a micro-whisper-thin coat on the surface, and it can't get enough oxygen to cure properly. Then, if I want to put another coat on, I wait as long as I can -- at least 48 hours, preferrably longer. Once again, if you get too much build too quickly, the oxygen can't get in there enough to cure it well. This stuff doesn't really WANT to cure; it needs all the help it can get. That means maximum oxygen on those oil molecules.

The same principle applies to other oil finishes -- they all cure with oxygen. But most other oil finishes are thinned with mineral spirits, making it much less likely that you get it too thick on the surface, and/or they have metallic driers added to them (e.g. "boiled" linseed oil, which isn't boiled at all, btw).    

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I did my first (and only) dred with FP and I'm real happy with the way it turned out. That was 7 months ago. I can see where the finish has shrunk a little and some irregularities are starting to show. But I plan on just leveling again and add more to it. The stuff is real forgiving. I practiced on a piece of walnut I had sitting around until I got the hang of it.

Kirt

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Horton, MI

@Todd - I agree with your observations about Tried and True and oil in general.

I was initially attracted to it because I love the look of oil finishes and the ease of application, and this one looked very safe to use from an environmental/health standpoint. I have used it on many pieces of furniture, with good results, with one notable "bad batch."

BTW, I was recently in Brune's shop - Evanston, Illinois - and he showed me a 5 year old guitar which was French Polished. This guitar had traveled a lot and spent many hot days in the trunk of a car, including a trip to Vegas, with no apparent problems to the finish. Man, I was sold.

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"Building guitars looks hard, but it's actually much harder than it looks." Tom Buck

First, buy a copy of Robbie Obriens CD on Finishing, that would be a good thing, show and tell on all of the above with great instruction.

I pore fill my B&S using ZPoxy, Tops with Shellac, Finish my box using Behlens Rock Hard Varnish and Neck using Tru-Oil.

Mike
White Oak, Texas

Tony!

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

Sam,

I just ran accross some great close up photos on David Hurd's site of a ukulele finished with tru-oil. It looks quite nice and he has good things to say about the finish.

David Hurd's site

Philip

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aka konacat

If you think my playing is bad you should hear me sing!
Practice breeds confidence and confidence breeds competence. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in practice.

Hurd's mando looks great with that silky finish. Can I get a "told you so" from the Brits?

sam,, seems as though you were looking for the #1 finish and found out they all were... I am just putting my shop together and will need this info soon too so i read it with much hope of answering this question.. But like so many things in luthery there are a lot of bests.. From my very limited experience with KTM9 over epoxy pore fill, one dulcimer,sprayed by a novice spray guy, me, i liked it,, It came out very smooth and very clear and bright. I have used danish oils on furniture and liked em, true oil on gun stocks, but have never done french polishing. Considered them all since i have some positive experience with them all, except FP. Can't spray now since i'm in an appartment, so I'm going FP... My guitars do get handled well, and a little ding on a tool is ok. But everything i have heard about FP is very positive as far as acoustic quality, repairability and even wear. But guitars are tools to make music, i believe if we can we should make them sound the best possible. And as a new builder i will need all the help there i can get. But done right,, i bet they all work very well. My 2cents,, or 3 or 4.
Mike

I sooo want to try out FP!!!

I did investigate the tru-oil route, however I don't know the component ingredients to find a UK alternative (don't seem to stock it anywhere in the UK)

The tru-oil examples posted in the link kindly supplied are VERY beautiful.

I have plumped with Danish Oil for now. I'm trying out on a piece of scrap...if I don't like it, I'll shell out more cash for FP...

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Sam Price38939.2196296296

[QUOTE=Sam Price]
I did investigate the tru-oil route, however I don't know the component ingredients to find a UK alternative (don't seem to stock it anywhere in the UK)

[/QUOTE]


Sam,

Peter Dyson in Harrogate sells Tru-oil by post - very prompt and efficient service.Dave White38939.3194212963

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010