How do I make a kinda like Tru-oil sub for my muzzies?

[docone31]

You guys are smart, how do I make a close substitute for Tru-oil for my Muzzle loaders?
Any formulas?

[chsparkman]

To finish the wood? Like tung oil?

[bdicki]

[waksupi]

Why not use Truoil? Once you have put on enough coats to fill the pores in the wood, give it a good rub out with 0000 steel wool, a buffing with a paper towel gives a good hand rubbed finish.

[docone31]

I love Truoil. I would use it on every piece of wood I have. The expense has me a little taken back though. If the Minwax antique oil finish works, then that is what I would do. On one rifle I did, I wet sanded every coat, untill it shone. A beautiful finish that I never forgot. Varnish chipped off in circles on that stock when I fired it, Truoil did not.

[Hardcast416taylor]

After I have the wood sanded and shaped to what I want for the finished project I start using Tru-oil. I hand rub a coat on the stock then hang it by a hook and let it dry for a full day. After that day I lightly go over the stock with 0000 steel wool to remove whiskers and make a slightly rough surface for the next coat then wipe the stock clean with a soft cloth. I repeat this process for as many coats I think I want to apply. I have an `03 Springfield that I have 25 coats of Tru-oil on its Bastone walnut stock and a final stock pumice rubbing. For most field gun stocks I usually apply 8 - 10 coats. This is time consuming and is a labor of love to take this much time and material, being retired I think I have the time thing covered.Robert

[GhostHawk]

I did a bit of quick reading.

"Tru-Oil' is made from a mixture of 56% mineral paint thinners, 33% oil varnish and 11% linseed or Tung oil. The exact specification of the components are, of course, a trade secret."

Source
http://www.mikeouds.com/messageboard/viewthread.php?tid=12156

[bubba.50]

you can get Watco Danish Oil Finish at Lowe's for about 8 bucks a quart. it's a combination of oil, wax & turpentine much like the olde tyme finishes. easy to use, wipe on-rub off & buff & whenever yer stock starts lookin' shabby just rub on another coat. also comes in several shades.

[texassako]

I found my usual homemade wood finish works well for stocks and can be built up as thick and shiny as you want. 1/3 each boiled linseed oil, mineral spirits, and spar varnish. I use spar varnish because it gives a bit of UV protection, but you could use regular. Wipe on, let soak 15 minutes, wipe off, repeat as often as you want.

[M-Tecs]

One more Watco Danish Oil Finish fan.

[bdicki]

Minwax Antique Oil Finish.

[M-Tecs]

Very nice!!!!!!!!!!

[seagiant]

I found my usual homemade wood finish works well for stocks and can be built up as thick and shiny as you want. 1/3 each boiled linseed oil, mineral spirits, and spar varnish. I use spar varnish because it gives a bit of UV protection, but you could use regular. Wipe on, let soak 15 minutes, wipe off, repeat as often as you want.

Hi,
This formula will give some extra protection also!!!

[Wayne Smith]

Any woodworker's catalog will carry raw tung oil. That and real mineral spirits are all you need, well, some sandpaper as well. Mix the tung oil and mineral spirits roughly 50/50 and rub on wet and sand in wet, you are creating a slurry of sanding dust and tung oil, I do this at about 120 grit. Let it dry and rub off the extra, and keep doing this through about 600 grit, depending on the quality of finish you want. As you do this some of the mineral spirits in your mix can will gass off, making your mix thicker and thicker. I have sanded up to 2000 grit on some really nice wood. At some point in this process you switch to hand rubbing oil only. Your oil is now relatively thick, about 75% tung oil. If it is thicker than that thin it a little. It should rub on easily, a few drops at a time. Hand rub until you are satisfied with the finish. Of course you let it dry between each step.

Tung oil and Walnut oil are the only two wood finishes that I know that completely polmerize, or completely harden. All of the others remain soft. That is good for most woodwork, because wood moves. I don't want it for my stock.

[nhrifle]

I mix equal parts tung oil and linseed oil and add enough mineral spirits to act as a drier. I don't have any exact measurements, I just put enough of each into the pot until I say to myself, "Yup, looks good!" Very scientific, I know. This is the finish I apply to the longbows and wood turnings I make. It takes a couple days to completely dry but I think it looks good and seems to offer good protection to the wood. Plus I think it smells nice too.

[lefty o]

while ive used tru oil i typically use different stuff now days, but if the biggest problem with tru oil is the expense, your putting it on way too thick. 1 little bottle of tru oil will finish quite a few gunstocks start to finish, and im talking quite a few coats. when your done with the tru oil for the day, make sure the cap is on tight, then store it upside down- that way the crust forms on the bottom, not the top.

[gnoahhh]

I'll second the homemade mixes. I use equal parts pure tung oil+ spar varnish, and cut with mineral spirits to the desired consistency (doesn't take much, just a couple big drops).

Truth in fact, any such oil finish while it looks great doesn't provide a water barrier worth a tinker's dam. Be forewarned if you live/hunt where it's wet. At least wax the heck out of it afterwards- therein lies the only real halfway decent water protection when using an oil finish.

Sanding in a slurry to fill pores is an exercise in futility. The stuff isn't likely to permanently stay put in said pores after curing- especially if it gets soaking wet at some point, and will likely shrink down into said pores over time as it thoroughly cures. Examine it under a magnifying glass. If you want permanent pore-fillage use a tenacious compound such as epoxy or even spar varnish, cutting it back to bare wood until the pores are filled, and then begin the oiling process (or better yet varnish it for much much better protection against water fenestration- rub out afterwards and the uninformed will think you accomplished a miracle of perfect "handrubbed" oil finishing a là the London Oil finishes on fine shotguns.)

[Col4570]

[Col4570]

I make up a mix of raw linseed oil,White Spirit,Alkanhet root and Terebin Paint Driers.I whisker the wood first with water then heat then sand down several times until whiskering stops,then I apply the oil mix on some wet and dry paper in a circular motion,wipe off allow to dry overnight then apply oil again and wet and dry some more.when I am satisfied with the finish I apply some oil and terebin and palm the oil in a circular motion on the surface.Remove any excess oil and rub over with slighty oily hand.Allow to dry then repeat as many times as you like.This is a very durable finish.

[Col4570]

Another View after browning.