# Maloof mix query



## Melektro (28 Aug 2012)

Hi, last night I applied the first coat of danish oil to a beech coffe table I've made and finished the tin so I'll need to purchase some more, however I'm keen to try a 'maloof mix' finish to give a bit more durability. I've never made my own finishing mixture and thus I'm a little confused by the whole idea.

I understand it's a mixture of 1/3 polyurethane, 1/3 tung oil and 1/3 boiled linseed oil; I have a tin of Rustins polyurethane clear matt varnish unused in the workshop, is this what is meant by 'polyurethane' and can I use it in the mixture or should I be looking for a more specific product? Having already applied a coat of danish oil, will this have any detremental affect should I start applying the 'Maloof mixture' on top?

Any help appreciated.


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## Sgian Dubh (28 Aug 2012)

Yes, your polyurethane varnish is suitable for the mixture. You will find a gloss polyurethane varnish will give you a clearer finish because, unlike the satin or matte versions, this has no sheen controlling matting silica. From an application point of view your matte varnish will make no difference, just the clarity may be affected somewhat if you build up enough layers.

Danish oil itself is a form of varnish, so your proposed mix of 1/3 each of poly varnish, boiled linseed oil and white spirits is compatible. In fact Danish oil is made of, essentially, a resin which may be either polyurethane and/or alkyd, boiled linseed oil and/or pure tung oil, and white spirits, and maybe a few other bits and bobs like metallic driers and so on. Therefore, apart from the proportions of each component being different to the ones you propose for your home brew mix the ingredients are pretty much the same. 

I don't know for sure when and where this traditional mix you plan to use became synonymous with Sam Maloof. The ingredients and proportions have been around for a very long time. I guess it's because he championed it in the 70s or 80s in Fine Woodworking or something and the Americans went for it in a big way. Slainte.


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## Melektro (28 Aug 2012)

Thank you Richard, you clearly know your facts (a quick look at your website confirms this, you make beautiful furniture).

So the varnish I have will do... sorted. However, I'm just back from the local hardware shop and my confusion grows! They only have _pure_ tung oil and _raw_ linseed oil in stock (both Liberon), will these suffice? I believe raw linseed oil just makes the drying process longer, is this correct? I also note you replaced the tung oil with white spirit, do i need tung oil afterall? 

The 'Maloof' mix was something I came across whilst searching for finishes, it's not that important to me that it be this specific mixture. I'm really looking for something that will provide a good amount of protection and is simple to apply (i.e. no drips).

Many thanks.


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## bugbear (28 Aug 2012)

Liberon "Finishing Oil" is probably similar, and is available ready mixed.

I've used it, and it behaves like a varnish-rich (richer?) Danish Oil.

BugBear


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## Modernist (28 Aug 2012)

bugbear":2c5oq4mv said:


> Liberon "Finishing Oil" is probably similar, and is available ready mixed.
> 
> I've used it, and it behaves like a varnish-rich (richer?) Danish Oil.
> 
> BugBear



But ............has been reported to cause problems on slight imperfections in the surface, such as joint lines. I inherited a tin from a furniture maker who considered it unusable. I have used it myself but find it can rapidly change from a pleasant matt to an almost epoxy like, plasticky gloss on subsequent coats.

I only seek to inform


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## Melektro (28 Aug 2012)

Ah... I'd just ordered some of the aforementioned finishing oil alongside some tung oil #-o 

Anybody else had any problems with this particular finish?


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## Modernist (28 Aug 2012)

Melektro":348dmfod said:


> Ah... I'd just ordered some of the aforementioned finishing oil alongside some tung oil #-o
> 
> Anybody else had any problems with this particular finish?



Sorry, I think you will find it OK if you keep to thin coats. I tend to use Danish oil instead now but that is not so durable as the finishing oil.


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## Melektro (28 Aug 2012)

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I've cancelled the finishing oil and decided to go with my original plan - make my own mixture and then pray I don't cock it up!

Just to put my mind at ease, does anyone see any potential problem with this: I'll be using an equal mixture of Liberon pure tung oil, Liberon boiled linseed oil and Rustins polyurethane clear matt varnish.

Cheers.


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## Phil Pascoe (28 Aug 2012)

Try it on some scrap first, then if you end up with something that won't dry there's no harm done.


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## Sgian Dubh (28 Aug 2012)

Melektro":37f662q2 said:


> I'll be using an equal mixture of Liberon pure tung oil, Liberon boiled linseed oil and Rustins polyurethane clear matt varnish. Cheers.


What you are doing there is, in effect, making something rather similar to a 'long oil' varnish. Long oil varnish is suitable for exterior use being soft and flexible and better able to cope with large wood movement, baking in the sun, etc, and is usually sold as marine, spar or exterior varnish. 'Short oil' varnishes incorporate less oil and are suitable for interior use where a tougher, less flexible and more brittle film coat is required to cope with knocks, better liquid and vapour resistance, and the film doesn't have to cope with such extremes of wood movement.

You can keep the mix of tung oil and boiled linseed oil if you like, along with your poly varnish, but you'll almost certainly need to add white spirit so the mix becomes workable and manageable, especially at the wiping off stage.

One characteristic of pure tung oil over boiled linseed in the mix is a reduced tendency to ambering or darkening on both application and over the long term. Boiled linseed oil is well known for darkening wood, and it continues to darken the wood over years, and even decades. In truth I'd stick pretty much to your original proposed mix and go with three equal parts of poly varnish, oil and white spirits: you can choose either pure tung oil or boiled linseed oil as the one third oil component, or you could mix the two together to make up that third of the mix if you like. Personally, I tend to prefer to use pure tung oil in these sorts of mixes because of the characteric I described earlier, ie, it tends to darken the wood a little less. Slainte.


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## Harbo (28 Aug 2012)

I've used it a few times but I think the mix is 1/3rd Tung or Linseed Oil with 1/3rd White Spirit and 1/3rd PU varnish?
I used Tung Oil.
It needs several very thin coats with 24hrs drying time between each.
Wipe on a thin coat, leave for 20mins then wipe excess off.
I first used it on kitchen table for my younger daughter and her two young kids - it's survived the 8 yrs really well.
It does yellow the wood a bit but I was happy about that as I was looking to make sycamore look like Maple! 


Rod


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## Grahamshed (28 Aug 2012)

Does all the faffing about produce something that is better than Danish oil ?


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## Sgian Dubh (28 Aug 2012)

Grahamshed":h2pivh27 said:


> Does all the faffing about produce something that is better than Danish oil ?


Not really I tend to think the oil in the mix, whether boiled linseed or tung oil, just makes a soft and relatively easily damaged and breached finish, much the same as Danish oil is soft and easily breached. Personally, if I want a wipe on finish that's tougher than Danish oil which, as I've said isn't really very tough, I just take oil based varnish designed for internal use, ie, a short oil varnish, thin it down with white spirits about 30- 50% and apply it and wipe off in much the same manner as any other finish applied using that general method, eg Danish oil, teak oil, etc. Slainte.


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## houtslager (28 Aug 2012)

> Personally, if I want a wipe on finish that's tougher than Danish oil which, as I've said isn't really very tough, I just take oil based varnish designed for internal use, ie, a short oil varnish, thin it down with white spirits about 30- 50% and apply it and wipe off in much the same manner as any other finish applied using that general method,



SNAP, though I tend to use 20-30% thinners, and old socks to put on, and clean old bed sheets to wipe off.

hth,

Karl


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## bugbear (29 Aug 2012)

Modernist":17c0o4hy said:


> bugbear":17c0o4hy said:
> 
> 
> > Liberon "Finishing Oil" is probably similar, and is available ready mixed.
> ...



Googling shows lots of people using it with success - even luthiers.

However, it appears (more googling) that if you apply too much AND don't wipe the excess off after 20 mins, you'll have trouble.

BugBear


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## Modernist (29 Aug 2012)

I think you are correct BB


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## CHJ (29 Aug 2012)

As the 'home brew' mixes are bound to vary over time with minor changes in proportions and availability of component products, is there really any advantage in finish obtained over using a propriety Hard Wax Oil, I would have thought the risk of something 'not working' as desired was rather high.


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## Harbo (29 Aug 2012)

If you are using the same proprietary ingredients and the same quantities it should not change anymore than ready made finishes?
What I have found is that the mix I had left over does not dry as quickly and now takes about 2 days to dry so I've binned it.
After reading an article in a mag. I now use a thinned down PU varnish as mentioned above - it works fine and very easy to apply, though the more WS in the mix the longer it takes to dry?

Rod


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## mrpercysnodgrass (2 Sep 2012)

If your mix is not drying try adding a little terebene driers. 

"Speeds the drying time of oil and alkyd based paints and varnishes. Particularly recommended for adding to old paint and varnish that has become slow drying".

http://www.agwoodcare.co.uk/prod/rustin ... ryers.html


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