Refinishing cabs with danish oil

Steez51

Steez51

Active Member
As far as I'm concerned the Danish oils are superb for bringing out the fine wood grains on vintage speakers.
I sand 150 grit and follow with a 600 grit wet sand with oil. I prefer this method for really popping out the grains
of the walnut. See attached Baby 1s which recently just lost an audition to Polk monitor 40s. Discussion?baby danish.jpg
 
You can use fine steel wool - I use 0000 - as a final buff to remove the sheen. Danish oil has a low solid content, so it will require several coats - If you can, get some Bush Oil - has a high solid content, really great stuff, I use it exclusively.
 
Looked up Bush oil Products. New England states only.
What else has high solid content I wonder?
And what are we looking at with the 2 top images?
 
Poultrygeist said:
FWIW, I prefer the more subtle finish on the bottom speaker
Click to expand...
Thing about it is the top/bottoms are Pecan (a cheaper choice at the time). They stained them to look like Oak (similar grain).
Recently sanded and refinshed my #2 pair w/natural Watco, and the wood is extremely blond.
 
I prefer the more subtle finish as well. One way to achieve that is to use a pre-stain such as Minwax. It was developed for woods like pine or birch which are really hard to stain because of "blotchiness". Used on grainy woods such as oak, the pre-stain will allow the stain to absorb into the wood more evenly. Not sure if it works with oil finishes such as Watco (Danish oil), but it's worth experimenting with.
 
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Danish oils like Watco are typically a mixture of oils, solvents/driers, and some, stain. If the results are what you're looking for, the Danish oils are OK. I've been experimenting with different finishes the past couple of years. One oil finish that moved way up to the top of my list is this Botanical tung oil sold by Sutherland Welles: http://www.sutherlandwelles.com/botanical.html. A nice attribute of this oil is that it contains no petroleum solvents so is user friendly. It is very high in solids and turned a pair of Walnut veneered Grundig (circa 1960) cabinets into a piano finish. For a more "matte" finish, Waterlox works very well or any polymerized tung oil that is applied in multiple coats.

Next on my restoration list is an antique mission library table that I believe has a smoked ammonia finish. I don't know if I want to go there. :dunno:

BTW, the OP is getting some good results there. That open grain Walnut is done very well. Props!
 
westend said:
Danish oils like Watco are typically a mixture of oils, solvents/driers, and some, stain. If the results are what you're looking for, the Danish oils are OK. I've been experimenting with different finishes the past couple of years. One oil finish that moved way up to the top of my list is this Botanical tung oil sold by Sutherland Welles: http://www.sutherlandwelles.com/botanical.html. A nice attribute of this oil is that it contains no petroleum solvents so is user friendly. It is very high in solids and turned a pair of Walnut veneered Grundig (circa 1960) cabinets into a piano finish. For a more "matte" finish, Waterlox works very well or any polymerized tung oil that is applied in multiple coats.

Next on my restoration list is an antique mission library table that I believe has a smoked ammonia finish. I don't know if I want to go there. :dunno:

BTW, the OP is getting some good results there. That open grain Walnut is done very well. Props!
Click to expand...

That is pecan, not walnut.

To match the original color of Mission furniture without fuming use ILVA dark walnut dye. It's highly concentrated and has to be sprayed on.

You guys want grain to pop, then you have to use dyes. Lacquer is far, far better than oil finishes, which offer next to nothing when it comes to protection.
 
gdmoore28 said:
$104/gallon. Wow.

Would love to see pics of the Grundigs and the "piano finish." If they look that good, I might even pop for the product. Maybe.

GeeDeeEmm
Click to expand...

I'd be interested in seeing as well, also, I imagine a gallon goes pretty stinking far.
 
Well I guess I've been schooled on my wood types. Ok. Pecan it is. I do agree that more solids would be nice. The Watcos rubbed on bare wood somehow doesn't seem to come out the color I was hoping. I do however like the babies butt smoothness of the wet sanded finish. I'm gonna get some Bushs' next. Those Missions with Teak weren't sanded down to bare
wood were they? Just refinished with teak on top of stain?
 
westend said:
Danish oils like Watco are typically a mixture of oils, solvents/driers, and some, stain. If the results are what you're looking for, the Danish oils are OK. I've been experimenting with different finishes the past couple of years. One oil finish that moved way up to the top of my list is this Botanical tung oil sold by Sutherland Welles: http://www.sutherlandwelles.com/botanical.html. A nice attribute of this oil is that it contains no petroleum solvents so is user friendly. It is very high in solids and turned a pair of Walnut veneered Grundig (circa 1960) cabinets into a piano finish. For a more "matte" finish, Waterlox works very well or any polymerized tung oil that is applied in multiple coats.

Next on my restoration list is an antique mission library table that I believe has a smoked ammonia finish. I don't know if I want to go there. :dunno:

BTW, the OP is getting some good results there. That open grain Walnut is done very well. Props!
Click to expand...

You seem knowledgeable about wood finishes so I'm wondering if you know how to get the "reddish" tone in walnut, or pecan in this case. I've tried numerous stains on walnut but can't get that warm red tone. I don't have spray equipment so it would have to be hand applied.
 
malden said:
You seem knowledgeable about wood finishes so I'm wondering if you know how to get the "reddish" tone in walnut, or pecan in this case. I've tried numerous stains on walnut but can't get that warm red tone. I don't have spray equipment so it would have to be hand applied.
Click to expand...

My $.02 even though I'm not the one you asked.

You have to use a base color first. Solar-Lux dye is one you could use that can be wiped on. So, you would need the dye and the retarder to slow the dry time otherwise you'll get lap marks. If the tone is too dark/intense you can reduce it a bit by adding up to 10% denatured alcohol. Perhaps try the nutmeg brown dye, which may give you the color you're looking for all by itself. Regardless, after one hour you can apply a wiping stain over the dye if you want. If you are happy with the dye color alone wait a day before applying any kind of wiping finish.

Keep in mind the dye is alcohol based and doesn't keep the wet look for more than a minute, so best to experiment on the underside first.
 
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