I've used Bush Oil for only a few turnings, and it seems to be a great finishing product. I like the ease of application and the sheen a lot. I had one Walnut bowl weep a bit the day after application, but to be fair, it was pretty cool and damp at the time of application (40's-50's and raining), so I gave it an afternoon in the bright sun to harden it up.
If people here have some collective wisdom on using this product, I'd like to know more. Second or third applications? Wet sanding with it? (seems a little too thick for that) Thinning? Drying/curing issues? Color change? Durability and maintenance issues? Thanks for any input you can offer.
Brad-I have been using Bush Oil for many years-even before he had to reformulate to meet newer VOC regulations. I love this stuff and it is my go-to finish. I'll try to address your questions.
If the wood is very porous it will weep oil for a few hours to overnight in a warm setting. I check regularly and wipe of any excess. This is a drawback to any penetrating oil I have used.
It can be thinned with mineral spirits or naptha in my experience without any degradation. This is a good way to wet sand with it.
Multiple applications are appropriate and done as the first. The sheen builds slowly. When well dry (cured) it can be buffed to a nice sheen as desired.
I have found it durable, just not like a polyurethane. It is more of a penetrating oil than surface film. It is also food safe when cured according to its manufacturer although the label cannot state such as the testing has not been done. Renewing is the same as initial application.
As with any oil based finish it does change the color of the wood. The product itself has an amber color so it is to be expected. I do not find this aspect distasteful personally.
I have not had any drying/curing problems even with older product. I'm not a production turner so I may go weeks without finishing anything. One of the claims of the manufacturer is that this product will not dry in the can and that has been my experience so far. It will get thicker though and I just mix in a little naptha to help it flow which seems to work well.
I have a one gallon can that is probably 10 years old now. When I first got it, I thought it was FOR oil sanding. Bill said it wasn't intended for that, but it should wok fine... I already knew that it did.
Don't know why I don't use it more, I still have most of the gallon, just used some and it still works as I remember, and I can say that it's been at least 5 years since I had last opened it.
And everything that Don said, he does real research compared to my notes here.
Thanks for the input, guys! I have really liked it, ad figured it could be thinned for wet sanding, though I had not researched the proper solvent. Like Don, I could go a month or so between needing to use it, so I'm very glad to learn about its shelf life.
I have a few projects coming up, and plan to use this oil; with some luck and access to a reasonable camera, I hope to post some photos soon.
