Friday, May 23, 2008

Watco Danish Oil - come oil (and laugh) with me

Don't faint, the Watco videos are finished and finally posted.

Grab a beer (or a cup o' joe) and put your feet up. Hopefully I won't come off as too big of a dork.

Let's Watco...










20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nah, not too dorky. Tired, yes, but... you actually seem quite comfortable by the end. Some more practice and you'll be just fine.

And... I'm glad to have watched the videos, I really didn't think it was THAT simple! Watching you do it made so much more sense than reading about it.

Thanks! :)

Chuck said...

Hey,

that's a great video. I appreciate you putting in the time to get it done as it is a great explanation and nice to see the results happen throughout the process.

I just finished a little pine toy chest for my son's birthday and I think I'm going to use danish oil like this. What would you recommend it the surface area is a lot bigger than a cutting board -- do it all in one shot or is it possible to break it up into sections?

Thanks for sharing!

Wood It Is! said...

Chuck,

I use Watco on large pieces all the time.

Just oil smaller sections at a time. After you've done it a few times, you'll know how much you can "oil, sand, and wipe" in a 15 or 20 minute period. Repeat as necessary.

Honestly, this stuff is simple to use. Don't over think it. :)

Anonymous said...

Very helpful video. You might want to see about adding a link to this video to your response to Briana's question at AllExperts.com (of 9/26/2007), which I read initially and found quite helpful, too. Keep up the great work and I look forward to more informative videos. Dan

Anonymous said...

This is great. Thank you so much - I just finished stripping and sanding my 100 year old oak fireplace mantel and am ready to stain. I'm a complete novice and seeing the video is so helpful.

One question: I want a warm rich finish - in a medium tone. I don't want a dark brown look. You mentioned NOT to use the honey oak which is what I was considering. Will the natural give me enough color and warmth? Any other color you may recommend?

Mollie

Wood It Is! said...

Mollie,

I often mix my own tints, using some of the colors already available.

I suggest either using their Medium Walnut version, which is their lightest brown color. Or buy a can of Natural (clear) and one of their walnuts and mix your own blend. I'd start with something like 90% clear and 10% walnut; a little tinting goes a LONG way, so start off conservatively, you can always add more.

As always, test Test, TEST... find a spot that won't show and rub a little oil on it, to see if you've achieved the color you want.

Good luck!
Jamie

Anonymous said...

great video
i've been using watco for years and love it. right now i'm preparing a slab of black walnut for a vanity top. i was planning on just using watco and a paste wax but this is my first try at something to be used in such a wet environment. have seen others w a marine varnish but don't like the effect. do you think watco and paste would work for this application and if so, how many coats? again, thanks so much.

Wood It Is! said...

Phil -

You might consider a couple of coats of Watco Exterior Oil, as a sealer. Then perhaps another couple coats of regular oil, to bring out the gorgeous color of the walnut. And finally, a paste wax coat for final protection.

I usually give my pieces three coats and a wax, but in for a bathroom vanity top, I think four or five would be more in line.

Still, you;ll need to be careful with the top - don't leave any splashes of water on it, wipe it dry after each use. Bathrooms are the trickiest place to use Watco, as water is an enemy to wood.

Good luck, it should be gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

Good job Jammie, very informative. One question though, don't you think it would be better to promote a little more safety? It should be used in a well ventilated area or with a respirator. And also rubber gloves, this stuff will seep through your skin. Is this stuff not poisoness like everything else?

Unknown said...

Years ago I talked to a WATCO rep and he mentioned that ATCO contains linseed oil, thus will slightly darken the wood that it is on. Linseed oil will darken, Tung oil supposedly will not.

firefly said...

Thanks for this -- I recently bought a custom-made writing desk in maple and was getting all nervous about finishing it myself which would surely have led to a major mistake.

You make it look easy and fun and with the video demonstration I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks so much!

Anonymous said...

Hi,

thank you for your video, can you tell me a way to wet sand a fretwork piece? also, with fretwork the areas are very small, is there a way I can dry them out safely?

thank you

Wood It Is! said...

If you're oiling fretwork, I would make a small sanding block, almost like an emery board, and wet sand it gently with that.

Watco should dry pretty nicely, as long as you wipe off all the residue. Don't leave it wet, or it will stay sticky forever.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Videos!

Anonymous said...

These videos are fabulous! Thanks so much for putting in the time to relay all of this great information.

Anonymous said...

Hi, found your site while I was seraching for SATIN OIL made by WATCO-DENNIS CORP. I've used it on my furniture and needed to find some more. The W-D Corp. was in Rancho Dominguez, Ca., but it is sold to Rustoleum and they said that they only carry Danish oil. I just don't want to apply any product and ruin my furniture. Since you mentioned that you've workded for original WATCO-DENNIS CORP., I was wondering if you could help me to find this SATIN-OIL or any product that has same or similar ingredients. Your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Mike

Wood It Is! said...

Mike - send me your e-mail address and I'll tell you what I know. About Watco. :)

ERIC said...

THANKS FOR GOING THRU THE PAIN OF MAKING THE VIDEO.

YOU ANSWERED ALL MY FINISHING QUESTIONS.

I AM FINISHING A PLAQUE ,SHOWING SOME SILVER COINS, ON AFRICAN MOHAGONY.I'LL SAND WITH 220, AND WET SAND WITH 320. AGAIN, THANKS

Anonymous said...

I am also looking for a replacement for the original Watco satin oil, not Danish oil. Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks, Megann

Anonymous said...

Yes me too ! I need more satin oil. Has anybody found a source ? Please help ! Todd