Tung oil to Poly?

Deep · #1 09-30-2006, 12:30 PM

Can a neck with a tung oil finish be changed to a poly or satin poly finish? I'd like to get better protection from the humidity/lack of humidity changes. I don't feel tung oil really seals and protects as much.

spudmaster34 · #2 09-30-2006, 12:33 PM

you should remove the old finish, then a new one can be applied

Scott in Dallas · #3 09-30-2006, 01:23 PM

You can put shellac over tung oil. You can then apply just about anything over the top of that.

Hambone · #4 09-30-2006, 02:33 PM

If you don't want to fool with the poly, I can heartily recommend putting TruOil over the tung oil. Not only is it completely compatible, it does provide protection against humidity. Enough so that Warmoth will now accept a hard oil finish under their warranty. While TruOil begins as a "boiled" linseed oil, it's further formulated with other chemical driers and hardeners to make it almost like applying and curing shellac. The difference being in the application because TruOil can be applied easily with rags or paper towels.

Deep · #5 09-30-2006, 05:12 PM

Thanks for all the replies. They all seem to be good options. Let's say I did want a satin poly finish. How much would something like that cost (ballpark) if I had a pro do it? And would it be worth the trouble? I just think I have to tweak more often than I should. I don't mind seasonal tweaks....that's is normal. But if it rains......or gets a bit damp out.....I need to tweak the rod to get it back to where I set the relief. Then if it's dry.......well...the same thing. This happens all year....not only when seasons change. I'm in for a suprise when I take it out of the gigbag at gigs.....it's a pain most of the time. Then again....I myself might be a lil too sensitive to the feel of the changes.......but I do notice it.

Hambone · #6 09-30-2006, 08:07 PM

What sort of bass is this? There are such things as bad necks that can't be kept in adjustment.

Deep · #7 09-30-2006, 08:36 PM

I pm'd ya!

spudmaster34 · #8 09-30-2006, 08:46 PM

Ah, it must be a secret bass that none of the rest of us are allowed to know about, therefore, I deduce that he is worried we will steal it. therefor, Deep owns the Funk Machine!!!

Greenman · #9 09-30-2006, 09:48 PM

Ya gotta love it.

Any way, a Tru oil finish can be brought down to a nice satin and is easy to apply by anyone with a little reading.
Try it yourself.
Good luck
Also like hambone says, Tru Oil is best for over anything oil as far as compatipility.

Hambone · #10 10-01-2006, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudmaster34

Ah, it must be a secret bass that none of the rest of us are allowed to know about, therefore, I deduce that he is worried we will steal it. therefor, Deep owns the Funk Machine!!!

So that there's no misunderstanding, Deep preferred to keep the make and model anonymous because he has so much respect for the builder that he did not want it misconstrued as a complaint about the instrument. A refreshing change to the "shoot first, ask questions later" MO of some posters.

Musiclogic · #11 10-01-2006, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hambone

So that there's no misunderstanding, Deep preferred to keep the make and model anonymous because he has so much respect for the builder that he did not want it misconstrued as a complaint about the instrument. A refreshing change to the "shoot first, ask questions later" MO of some posters.

LMAO....it's a me, me, me world, rarely any concern for others anymore....LMAO

Nice to see concern exercised once in a while.

Deep · #12 10-02-2006, 09:16 AM

Thanks for all this info. They all seem like pretty simple procedures with either a wipe on poly or tru-oil. Right now there is a "polymerized" tung-oil finish on the neck.....so what would make the tru-oil a better more protective alternative to the "polymerized" tung-oil on there now?
Hambone...you mention that Warmoth will allow tru-oil as a finish with their warranty now....so I'm assuming it must be more protective than tung-oil. I know that tru-oil is used for gunstocks and gunstocks are exposed to the elements often.

spudmaster34 · #13 10-02-2006, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hambone

So that there's no misunderstanding, Deep preferred to keep the make and model anonymous because he has so much respect for the builder that he did not want it misconstrued as a complaint about the instrument. A refreshing change to the "shoot first, ask questions later" MO of some posters.

Wow, I'm impressed, unfourtunatly, it seems like my idea was more feasable than someone respecting the builder and carring about the impact this could have on them. Kudos to you deep, kudos

Scott in Dallas · #14 10-02-2006, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hambone

If you don't want to fool with the poly, I can heartily recommend putting TruOil over the tung oil. Not only is it completely compatible, it does provide protection against humidity. Enough so that Warmoth will now accept a hard oil finish under their warranty. While TruOil begins as a "boiled" linseed oil, it's further formulated with other chemical driers and hardeners to make it almost like applying and curing shellac. The difference being in the application because TruOil can be applied easily with rags or paper towels.

Just to expand on this point, Truoil can be considered a varnish due to the addititves Hambone mentioned. It actually creates a more durable finish than shellac. I apply Truoil with my fingers most times. The only reason I mentioned shellace is because it sticks to everything, and is an ages old trick for sticking layers of finish together that would otherwise not stick to each other.

Deep · #15 10-02-2006, 10:25 AM

Scott.....cool. So from what I hearing so far is....Tru-oil is more like a varnish which would really seal the wood and more durable then a shellac so it probably is more protective than a "polymerized" Tung-oil finish.

Scott in Dallas · #16 10-02-2006, 09:15 PM

Techincally, Tru oil is probably a polymerized oil (EDIT: It's polymerized linseed oil) as well. Whether one is more protective than another depends I suppose on the particular polymer used, so it's not guaranteed to be any better than what you currently have, as tung oil itself is designed to seal and protect wood, but necks are more sensitive to changes in weather.

If you are dissatisfied with the level of protection you have now, you could just add more coats of tung oil. Adding a 1 lb coat of shellac and following it up with Tru Oil may defeat the purpose of having tung oil on the back of your neck in the first place. You might as well spray it with nitro. If that's the case, you might be better off following what spudmaster said and just sand through it and start over.

Deep · #17 10-03-2006, 12:45 PM

Thanks for all the input. I think I'll either use some tru-oil or poylmerized tung-oil. Seems alot easier since they are all compatable, and I'll just put a number of coats on the neck. Also, maybe the tung-oil that's on the neck now is about due for a reapplication and is losing some of it protection.