doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Japan Dryer

Thinned spar varnish wants to dry too quickly, which gives very little working time to properly apply without getting tacky and "grabby". The boiled linseed slows things down a lot and allows plenty of working time to level everything out and cover every little place on the stock. Cannot over-emphasize very thin coats either. The first couple need to be wiped off, leaving nothing but what has penetrated.

I agree the finish you have applied should be removed with lacquer thinner and allowed to totally dry out for a couple of days before starting over. I would stay away from tung oil in the mix.

I've tried all of these concoctions and more over the years, but I've quit that and now use Timberluxe No. 2, which is their thinner version. It's easy to apply because it doesn't become tacky too quickly, dries/cures fast, and is as durable as any of these kinds of classic, hand applied finishes can be, and it is easy to repair.

Nothing is as durable as the conversion epoxies like those on some target guns, but they just don't look right on a classic gun.
JR

And to further complicate things, the Old Masters spar comes in gloss, semi, and satin finishes. Don�t ever use anything other than gloss in your mix, because the satin and semi contain flatting agents that obscure the figure in the wood. Properly applied, the gloss should look correct on a vintage gun, and you can always knock down the sheen later if desired.

I had a slacum type finish that would not dry, even in my dry climate. A friend recommended dampening a cloth with Japan Dryer and lightly rubbing down the reluctant finish. The result was a dry finish in a very short time. No guarantees, but it worked for me.

One of the things your fighting right now is the summer weather conditions. Any oil based finish takes longer to cure out in hot humid conditions.

Look up Timberlux's web site and watch some of the videos Brian has posted, in at least one of them he mentions the drying time issues in the summer.

Well, after some testing on all the components it turns out to be the spar varnish. It sets up with a very sticky, rubbery feel to it and not a hard finish. I bought some Armor Coat spar varnish, a Canadian product and it works as it should. Problem in Canada is we've banned a lot of the nasty chemicals and spar varnish is hard to find. What's on the shelf may have been there for a while.

Then look up Timberlux MSDS for the ingredients. It is a vastly over-priced teeny little bottle of 25% sunflower oil, 25% linseed oil, and 48% naptha, with a little dryer added. There are much better stock finishes available that do not cost over $1900.00 per gallon.

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=561390&page=1

He's not doing bulk refinishing, Keith. Price isn't that big of a deal @ $12.95/1/2 oz. if it serves the purpose. I've done 3 buttstocks and fore ends with that smallest bottle of Timberluxe and still have half the bottle. Doesn't take much, looks great, and very easy to use. I like it better than anything I've tried, and I've tried a lot.

Of course, if you want something you can slop on in quantity, you may want to concoct a quart of something...
JR

It isn't the price alone John, although paying $12.95 for 1/2 ounce of those sub-standard ingredients is not my cup of tea. You can get an attractive finish on a gunstock with BLO alone, or with a little dryer added. But the ingredients in Timberluxe (or BLO) are very poor at protecting a gunstock from moisture or UV light, and they actually support the growth of micro-organisms that cause mold and rot.

I do not want to slop any finish on in quantity. I just want something effective and attractive that actually does a great job of protecting my stocks. I hope you will read the thread in the link I provided. It was intended to help, not to disparage those who use other products. When doing a period correct restoration, sometimes an inferior product is exactly the right thing to use. But most people restoring a Model A won't use lead based straight enamel for the finish... especially if it cost as much as Timberluxe.

Problem is not the age of the varnish, it�s the ingredients. Sounds like it�s the enviro friendly crap, and that is how it cures. Totally useless for serious work.

Yes totally useless and being environmentally friendly it ended up in my refuse bin along with all the other recyclable garbage