Which solvent/thinner should I use

I suspect you're right on that Dave. I can't see why else one would thin tung
oil with up to 80% thinner. However, if you check the typical cure time for
tung oil, I think you find it feels dry long before polymerization is
complete.
GerryG

On 6 Aug 2004 12:04:03 -0700, [email protected] (YesMaam27577) wrote:

>Which solvent/thinner should I use to thin tung oil.
>
>
>It seems that you are expecting (if I'm wrong, sorry) a thinner to
>speed the drying process for an oil finish. None will.
>
>When the thinner has evaporated, the tung oil still needs time to
>polymerize in the wood. Only when the polymerization is complete will
>the wood feel dry. The use of thinners does not speed the chemical
>reaction. If you want to spped the reaction, you need some Japan
>drier, or another of the heavy metal additives.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> Which solvent/thinner should I use to thin tung oil. Naptha,
> Turpentine, Mineral spirits, Citrus Solvent (D-Limonene), OTHER? The
> recipe that I like best contains 40% to 80% thinner/solvent.
> Therefore, the characteristics of the thinner are much more important
> that they would be if you were just adding a few ounces to thin out a
> product.
>
> The characteristics I am looking for in a thinner/solvent are as
> follows
>
> *The thinner dries out completely in a reasonable amount of time and
> does not leave any oil or residue.
> *If any oil or residue is left by the thinner will the oil or residue
> harden or will it leave the floor oily/gummy/tacky/sticky/damp - and
> trap dirt and dust?
> *The thinner should be Non Yellowing with time
> *Low or no odor - using on floors & large areas not just a little
> piece.
> *Compatible with tung oil
>
>
> Please let me know what thinners would be good or bad for this
> purpose.
>
>
>
> PROS AND CONS AS I SEE THEM (and PLEASE correct me where I am wrong)
>
> The MINERAL SPIRITS I am currently using(high quality from a great
> local paint store- NOT from Home Cheapo) dries too slowly and they
> offgass a mineral spirit odor for days, they also leave an oily
> residue or don't completely dry/evaporate even after several days.
>
> CITRUS SOLVENT(D-LIMONENE) would be my first choice if I could get the
> same results as the other thinners. I would rather use the citrus
> solvent for offgass, smell, health and environmental reasons. I have
> never used it anyone tried it? I heard it could yellow or gum up?
>
> TURPENTINE may be a good choice. Although the turpentine may have a
> stronger smell, the smell is less offensive then mineral spirits
> because after a few days it leaves the floor smelling like they have
> been cleaned with a pine cleaner like pine-sol rather than smelling
> like mineral spirits. Does turpentine yellow? It seems to
> dry/evaporate better than mineral spirits.
>
> NAPHTHA seems like it may work the best. It may be a good vehicle to
> get the tung oil deep into the wood quickly and then the naphtha would
> quickly evaporate leaving very little to no residue or oil behind.
> Smell would be the worst and overpowering but it would dry out quickly
> and the naphtha smell should leave in just a few days. Does it dry

Why not just add some Japan dryers to the oil too speed up the cure?
--
MikeG
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
[email protected]

Which solvent/thinner should I use to thin tung oil.


It seems that you are expecting (if I'm wrong, sorry) a thinner to
speed the drying process for an oil finish. None will.

When the thinner has evaporated, the tung oil still needs time to
polymerize in the wood. Only when the polymerization is complete will
the wood feel dry. The use of thinners does not speed the chemical
reaction. If you want to spped the reaction, you need some Japan
drier, or another of the heavy metal additives.

On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 22:23:20 -0600, GerryG <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I suspect you're right on that Dave. I can't see why else one would thin tung
>oil with up to 80% thinner. However, if you check the typical cure time for
>tung oil, I think you find it feels dry long before polymerization is
>complete.
>GerryG
>
>On 6 Aug 2004 12:04:03 -0700, [email protected] (YesMaam27577) wrote:
>
>>Which solvent/thinner should I use to thin tung oil.
>>
>>
>>It seems that you are expecting (if I'm wrong, sorry) a thinner to
>>speed the drying process for an oil finish. None will.
>>
>>When the thinner has evaporated, the tung oil still needs time to
>>polymerize in the wood. Only when the polymerization is complete will
>>the wood feel dry. The use of thinners does not speed the chemical
>>reaction. If you want to spped the reaction, you need some Japan
>>drier, or another of the heavy metal additives.
>


That's *mostly* true. oxygen is involved in the polymerization, and a
thinner layer of oil will cure faster. more solvent will allow you to
apply the oil in a thinner layer. mostly, though the solvent is to
allow the oil to penetrate more deeply into the wood.

Well, I "mostly" agree with your mostly (Hey, that's not too bad). Yes, a
thinner layer of anything will cure faster. As for the deeper (maybe)
penetration with more solvent, and why you might think you want to try that,
I'll defer to the wreck archives.

IMHO the only reason to add thinner to tung or linseed is to make application
easier. From long ago discussions on this, I instead warm the oil to 120F.
GerryG

On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 22:37:59 -0700, [email protected] wrote:

>On Sat, 07 Aug 2004 22:23:20 -0600, GerryG <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>I suspect you're right on that Dave. I can't see why else one would thin tung
>>oil with up to 80% thinner. However, if you check the typical cure time for
>>tung oil, I think you find it feels dry long before polymerization is
>>complete.
>>GerryG
>>
>>On 6 Aug 2004 12:04:03 -0700, [email protected] (YesMaam27577) wrote:
>>
>>>Which solvent/thinner should I use to thin tung oil.
>>>
>>>
>>>It seems that you are expecting (if I'm wrong, sorry) a thinner to
>>>speed the drying process for an oil finish. None will.
>>>
>>>When the thinner has evaporated, the tung oil still needs time to
>>>polymerize in the wood. Only when the polymerization is complete will
>>>the wood feel dry. The use of thinners does not speed the chemical
>>>reaction. If you want to spped the reaction, you need some Japan
>>>drier, or another of the heavy metal additives.
>>
>
>
>That's *mostly* true. oxygen is involved in the polymerization, and a
>thinner layer of oil will cure faster. more solvent will allow you to
>apply the oil in a thinner layer. mostly, though the solvent is to
>allow the oil to penetrate more deeply into the wood.