Ailia Question

[agdesigns]

What kind of oil do you use to seal it after your done shaping.

Im tempted to just do a hot coat but id rather use the oil.

Thanks fellas

[brett]

Linseed oil. Tom Wegener also uses apple cider vinegar (retards mold) and something else. I forget exactly. Others smarter or more tuned in than I might know/remember. PM me if you’d like to check out the board I picked up from Tom back in November.

[surfsidesurfs]

The way I understand is Raw Linseed Oil is only legal in Aus. In the US we use 1/2 Boiled LInseed and 1/2 Gum Turpentine. Only difference with Raw Linseed in Australia is you add 1/3 apple cider vinegar.

[brett]

I picked mine up from Tom, so it had raw linseed oil, the apple cider vinegar, and one other additive. He told me though just to rub it with the boiled linseed here and that would be fine. So, that’s what I do.

I’ve heard you can obtain raw linseed oil here in the US, but I haven’t looked into it. Had a leftover bottle of the boiled linseed oil from some furniture, and I have plenty to coat the alaia for a long time to come.

[RichardMc]

Aloha agdesigns,

I’ve noticed over the years many questions here on Swaylocks relating to wood finishes. With the new popularity of the ailia boards the questions have become more numerous. There are many myths associated with finishes, especially oil finishes. I am not a chemist, but I’ve studied finishes and used various finishes during my 36 years as a woodworker. I’ll relate a few things I’ve learned in an effort to shed a little light to those who want to know. Many of these myths have become so commonly believed that most don’t want them dispelled.

One myth is that oil finishes were favored by our ancestors, but there is actually no record or evidence to suggest it was a preferred finish for furniture. The other myth is that oil finishes penetrate the wood and protect from the inside, which is also hardly true. Oil finishes are in fact of little benefit in protecting wood. “Oil finishes” have become popular in the last few decades because they are so easy to apply - rub on, wait, rub off. Many finishes that contain varnish and lindseed oil are called “oil finishes” or “rub on” or “wiping” finishes. Those finishes that contain varnish DO protect the wood from moisture because varnish is a “film” finish. Because they are diluted with lindseed or tung oil they are thin enough to rub on with a rag, but therefore thin enough to require many more coats in order to “build up” a protective finish. Shellac, laquear, varnish are film finishes that dry as a film over the wood with additional coats to “build up” the finish.

Lindseed oil is made from the seeds of the flax plant. Raw lindseed oil takes a very long time to “cure” and never becomes completely hard. “Boiled lindseed oil” is not actually boiled but the term boiled refers to the fact that driers (cobalt, zinc, manganese, etc.) are added in order to make the oil cure more quickly. So there is really no reason to use raw lindseed oil as a preservative unless for some reason you just want it to stay gummy for longer. Except for a simple wax finish, lindseed oil is actually the least protectivce finish of all the traditional types of wood finishes, as it is easily penetrated by water and water vapor.

As with any liquid poured onto dry wood, oil will show off the color and grain but lindseed oil will not “protect” wood as a finsh regardless the number of coats, soakings, heat applications, etc. About the only reason to use lindseed oil (especially raw) on the ailia boards, and it is a good reason, is that it will stay gummy and aid against being slick on the deck if you keep applying it regularly. The only way to really “protect” wood exposed to water other than glassing it, is to use an epoxy coating, or apply several coats of marine spar varnish. Shellac and laquers break down with moisture.

Hope that helps.

Richard

[McDing]

Richard-- Thanks for pointing out the differances between boiled and raw linseed oil. I was reading thru this thread thinking these guys are gonna wish they hadn’t used raw linseed oil.

[bgreen]

I coated a board with tung oil (that was mixed with orange oil and a UV inhibitor). Compared to a linseed/turpentine mix on another of my boards, the tung has left a film that has so far not dried out requiring re-coating.

I swapped boards with another guy who uses tung oil and his board had a similar type of smooth coat.

Bob

[boozeesurfs]

with all that said!! im going the marine spar varnish route!! i wasnt sure?? epoxy is $$$ and a can of spar is only $15. how many coats do `ya think it would take to make it solid.

[ambrose]

I used rr epoxy and glassed

my little balsa an prolly dint

use a total pint and finished

six or eight boxes with the drips.

I am afraid of degrading wood and lams

in my complacent maintainence schedule.

I cut rocker in the stix it aint a pine plank

I got mor invested than 12$

…ambrose…

1 1/2 oz. to seal each side

plenny and 1 /12 oz to

hot coat it dries

in a coupla hours

6 oz to lam each side

way plenny 4oz

if you wanna get

to that …neo alaia

[Volume311]

Was trying to figure out the same thing. Found this on the Tree to Sea forums. Follow the link for more photos (bottom of the page) and the write up from the next page is quoted below.

http://www.grainsurf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=818&start=10

@$1

These pictures show the result of many coats of Tung oil.

The oil brings out really warm and rich colors from the grain.

Through lots of research and a little trial and error I have come up with a method that is working good for me.

Basically it is best to start with PURE BOILED tung oil. In the US it is sometimes called China oil. It is very important to get the boiled (also called polymerized) oil. It dries much quicker and you can apply the next coat much sooner.

You will also need some solvent, If you are a hippy you can use orange oil and be natural, or if you are not then you can use any paint thinner. I am not a hippy but I would have used the orange oil for my health, but it wasnt available here in Taiwan, so I used paint thinner and I am still alive.

I have found it is easiest to APPLY the oil with a sponge. I went to the auto department of a local “everything store” and got a yellow sponge used to apply wax to a car. Then I cut the sponge into small pieces and use one piece for each application, then throw it away.

To REMOVE the oil I have been using the towels from the auto department of the store. They are also the ones used to remove the wax when waxing a car. It is important that whatever cloth you use will not leave dust bunnies in the oil.

USE GLOVES the disposable doctor type work well

OK so you have your supplies and you have sanded your wood to 220, or finer if you like.

For the first 3 coats of oil you should mix 30% oil and 70% thinner. It will seem very watery, but it will soak in real well and seal the wood much better.

For these coats dip the sponge in the oil thinner mix and rub it on the wood until it is saturated. In my case I rubed it on the board with a little oil floating on top then left for five minutes, came back and reapplied the oil to the dry spots that had soaked up all of the oil.

Then leave this coat for 15 to 30 minutes depending on temperature, to let is start to get a little bit gelled, but not too much. Then REMOVE ALL OF THE OIL with the cloth. It is very important to get all of the excess oil off of the wood.

After the first coat on the deck I waited for an hour or two until it seemed dryish to the touch and then flipped and did the other side.

Now wait until tomorrow.

Repeat with the oil thinner mix.

Now wait until tomorrow.

Repeat with the oil thinner mix.

Got it? 3 coats REMOVING ALL EXCESS oil after each application.

Now you can apply between 3 to 3,000 coats of pure oil until you are happy with the finish.

I pour the oil straight on the board and spread it out with the sponge. Then wait about 30 minutes and REMOVE ALL EXCESS OIL with the cloth.

Did I mention to REMOVE ALL EXCESS OIL.

I wait at least 12 hours to flip the board with the coats of pure oil and do the other side because it takes much longer to dry.

Wait 24 hours to apply the second coat. and 24 more for the 3rd coat etc. etc. etc.

I lost count but I think I have added about 5 coats to the board in the pictures above and now all of the wood looks like it has a very fine coat of oil on top.

After the first few coats of pure oil there were noticable “dry” looking spots, but with subsequent coats all of the wood now looks uniformly oiled.

A few days after your final coat of oil goes on, and it seems dry you can surf it.

But to get a perfect looking finish wait a few weeks or a month then buff the board with fine rubbing compound. Or surf it for a month then buff it.

This is a long process, but I am very happy with the appearance, much nicer than any oil I have used on wood before.

Tung oil is also a drying oil, that means it actually dries and becomes hard, after a month or so. Other oils, like linseed, olive etc are not true drying oils and never truly dry, so you need to reapply the stuf constantly because it is washed off.

The tung oil stays once it is dry and is waterproof. No oiling after every surf.

It is long process that takes time and patience. But to me it is worth the effort.

This is my first project with Tung oil, but based on what I have seen and heard from a good friend here the stuff works really good and is truly waterproof.

If the ever finish gets old looking, jsut scuff with 220 and apply another coat of oil.

There are a million ways to apply the stuff posted on the internet, but I found this one to work very well for me.

I have used about A QUART of oil to finish a 6 foot by 16 inch alaia.

MAKE SURE TO GET THE BOILED (Polymerized) OIL

AND

MAKE SURE TO REMOVE ALL EXCESS OIL BETWEEN COATS

I hope this explanation has been clear enough to understand

Good luck and let us know how your projects go,

Thomas