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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I've used both and can firmly state that I hate Johnsons. When its hot out, it's like a liquid. I wait for the stuff to dry and when I start buffing, it always gets tacky - just annoying and it doesn't give me the luster I want.

Minwax tends to stay solid and I don't have to wait the full recommended dry time. I can begin buffing well before to avoid too much of a sheen - kind of controlling how glossy it gets and, to me, it seems I get a deeper and more lustrous visual effect from it.

What's your experience?
 

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I don't use wax for anything in the shop. I don't use it on tool tables or for finished woodwork. Wax is a barrier media. I don't want to subject my wood to it. There are much better products to use on machine tops. As for finishing, I prefer maintenance free finishes.







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It's been so long since I've used Johnson's (never have used Min wax) that I don't remember. The can I have right now is Tre Wax, and while it's not that hot around here, it's never softened up enough to worry about. U suspect if it ever got hot enough to melt Gulf wax, it would melt just about anything....maybe I'll set the Trewax in the green house and see what happens.
 

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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
I don't use wax for anything in the shop. I don't use it on tool tables or for finished woodwork. Wax is a barrier media. I don't want to subject my wood to it. There are much better products to use on machine tops. As for finishing, I prefer maintenance free finishes.







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What do you use for finishing? I tend to use tung oil a lot and i put a top coat of paste wax on. figuring it helps bead water up if a spill, avoids light scratching and can be re-applied over time pretty easily if needed.

Am I wrong?
 

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What do you use for finishing? I tend to use tung oil a lot and i put a top coat of paste wax on. figuring it helps bead water up if a spill, avoids light scratching and can be re-applied over time pretty easily if needed.

Am I wrong?
Straight oil finishes offer very little protection. I use primarily film finishes as my work is for clientele that will not maintain a finish. I prefer maintenance free finishes. I used to use lacquer and for the last 25 years used waterbase polyurethane.







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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
Straight oil finishes offer very little protection. I use primarily film finishes as my work is for clientele that will not maintain a finish. I prefer maintenance free finishes. I used to use lacquer and for the last 25 years used waterbase polyurethane.







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I should clarify - I use formby's tung oil which has resins and other stuff in it. It is a very light film finish and I use the paste wax over that as it is still much closer to the wood than the urethanes and lacquers.

I can't shoot lacquer, hate using poly urethane and all the water based finishes I've tried don't pop and penetrate the grain enough to look the way I want my work to look. Unless I'm totally missing something here.
 

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I should clarify - I use formby's tung oil which has resins and other stuff in it. It is a very light film finish and I use the paste wax over that as it is still much closer to the wood than the urethanes and lacquers.

I can't shoot lacquer, hate using poly urethane and all the water based finishes I've tried don't pop and penetrate the grain enough to look the way I want my work to look. Unless I'm totally missing something here.
The finish you're using does apply as film. Nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't use wax on it. After several applications it should have a sheen.

If you thin BLO 50/50 with Naptha, and use it for a wipe on/off, it will enhance the grain. Once its cured, you can apply a waterbase poly.







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Discussion Starter · #10 ·
The finish you're using does apply as film. Nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't use wax on it. After several applications it should have a sheen.

If you thin BLO 50/50 with Naptha, and use it for a wipe on/off, it will enhance the grain. Once its cured, you can apply a waterbase poly.







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what's the general cure time for that? sorry for all the questions - you have more knowledge in an eyelash than I have complete.
 

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what's the general cure time for that? sorry for all the questions - you have more knowledge in an eyelash than I have complete.
That might depend on the weather in your area. Here, if the temperature is close to "bake", probably a day or so.







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