Wood Whisperer does a test of some popular wipe-on varnishes

 

 

Cool, Thanks!

Very interesting.

Thanks for posting.

Nice to see the finish of the different products and the results of the damage testing. very interesting. Also think the Bloxogen product might have saved me many half used containers finish..

I have always had really good luck with the General Finishes products. I'm glad to see that it kinda, sorta, came out on top. The only thing I don't like is the waterborne finishes, I have just not had good luck with them. Then, again, I'm not a finish type guy...I hate this as I'm sure most here do.

I don't litter and I drive a hybrid. But, my PCness doesn't extend to waterborne finishes....or tofu.

 

Thanks for posting that.  I have always used Minwax and like it.  Local availability is a big factor for its use. 

Guys, making your own isn't difficult. I use Helmans Man O War varnish and Watco. But, that's just my choice. Any good oil based varnish and an oil similar to Watco will work. 

By mixing it yourself, you can control the color somewhat and, the sheen. I'm a 4 coat guy...well, 4 coats of the mixes and a coat or two of straight varnish to finish it off. 

My mix is 50/50 to start. Then decrease the oil to 30%. Accomplished by just adding more varnish.

I usually apply with a rag.

2 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

Guys, making your own isn't difficult. I use Helmans Man O War varnish and Watco. But, that's just my choice. Any good oil based varnish and an oil similar to Watco will work. 

By mixing it yourself, you can control the color somewhat and, the sheen. I'm a 4 coat guy...well, 4 coats of the mixes and a coat or two of straight varnish to finish it off. 

My mix is 50/50 to start. Then decrease the oil to 30%. Accomplished by just adding more varnish.

I usually apply with a rag.

Not knocking your approach, just a couple of comments and some information to aid understanding.

 

Man 0' War is branded McCloskey's, not Helmans.   Helmsman is a Minwax product and urethane-based spar varnish.

 

Let's make some bread

 

What is varnish?

Varnishes are made by heating a resin (Usually urethane, alkyd, and/or phenolic) with an oil (usually, linseed, soya, or tung) until it becomes a new product, "varnish."   It's not oil and resin any more, it's varnish.  The choice from column a and column b determines the properties, much as the choice of flour(s) and other ingredients determines the type of bread.  The varnish is thinned with a petroleum product, usually mineral spirits or a close relative on the fractional distillation scale.   If it's thinned a moderate amount, it's a "brushing varnish" and if it's thinned more, it's called a "wiping varnish"  It isn't often called that on the label, but usually something like "tung oil finish" (regardless if it actually is made or even contains any tung oil), Antique Oil,  Teak Oil, <name brand>-Oil, etc.  Even Arm-r-Seal, as in the video says "oil-urethane blend" is really just a wiping varnish.   It's sort of like picking up a loaf of bread and having it labeled "Flour, yeast and water blend."   Just another misleading label.

 

You can then make your own "wiping varnish" by just buying a can of brushing varnish and thinning it some more with mineral spirits or naphtha.   Many people start with a 50-50 mix and adjust as desired.   If you do this, be sure to stir regularly during application because if it has flatteners (satin or semi-gloss) they will fall out of suspension more quickly.

 

A spar varnish is made to be more flexible and thus has a higher proportion of oil to resin in its recipe.   As a result, it's a bit softer and more flexible.   Not necessarily more UV resistant, though a real marine varnish will have UV protectors.  Urethane has little resistance to UV, so Helmsman Urethane Spar Varnish is somewhat of an oxymoron if you are expecting UV resistance.  Being softer means it's probably not the best choice for something like a desk top if you want to avoid pen impressions (been there, seen that).

 

What is Danish Oil?

Well, whatever the manufacturer wants to call their product.   Last time I checked on Watco Danish Oil, the rough formula was

• 6/9 (2/3) mineral spirits (the thinner) that just evaporates away, contributing nothing to the final finish
• 2/9 boiled linseed oil (BLO)
• 1/9 varnish

Thus it is what Flexner calls and Oil-Varnish blend.   It is designed to be an "in the wood" finish and not build up because BLO will remain soft if in a film finish.

 

You can make your own oil-varnish blend.   Most people start of with 1/3 thinner, 1/3 oil, and 1/3 varnish.   So you can deduce this is a much stronger (faster build formula).   You could also beef up Watco by adding varnish, thus adjusting the ratio. (Gene's approach)

 

 

How do you tell what you have?

Put a puddle on a piece of glass or some other non-porous surface and let it cure for a day or two.

If it's smooth and hard, it's varnish, regardless of how much it has been thinned by you or mfr.

If it's soft and wrinkly, it's oil, likely BLO

If it's hard and smooth in the center and wrinkly around the edges,  it's an oil-varnish blend.  The more wrinkles, the higher proportion of oil in the formula.

 

Gosh, I should have saved this a couple days for TGIF (Tuesday's Getting Into Finishing)

additional reading:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes-their-history-and-use

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/oilvarnish-blend-mythology

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/articleindex/teak-oil-oil-doesnt-exist

 

My education never stops...

passed this thread on to the sub..

thanks Keith..

Keith, you are correct, of course. But, in my defense, both of my cans are green.

My can of Helmsman is a Spar Urethane, and the McCloskys is a spar varnish. I know it's not kosher to use a urethane in the mix but, I've used both in mixes and can't see a difference. Maybe, the McCloskys is a bit more durable. 

Years ago, I made the 1/3-1/3-1/3 "Danish Oil" recipe given me by an old guy in Tombstone. He was a wheelwright and, used it on his buggy wheels. When I happened to Watco, I quit mixing my own.