penetrating oil

[geneVG]

I am reading a pattern book on clocks.  At the end they say if I am useing hard wood when I get it cut out dip it in a pan of penetrating oil and then it stops.  Why penetrating oil, and what does it do to the piece of wood?

gene

[dgman]

Without reading the book Gene, I think they are talking about soaking in oil like boiled linseed oil or lemon oil to bring out the grain and color of the wood.

[geneVG]

That is what I thought too.  But they say penetrating oil, and that is what threw me.

gene

[Rapid Roger]

The penetrating oil also fills the pores of the wood. (Well, that is if it is oil that dries like BLO. Some oils never dry and are used for grain popping only.) The more you can fill the pores of the wood, especially on the more open pore woods like oak and walnut, the smoother the finish will  look. And it will take fewer coats of finish to look good. When you need to put on more than two coats of finish to achieve the desired smoothness or gloss, all you are doing with the first coats is filling the pores that you could have done earlier with oil or a sealer of some type.

Rog

[geneVG]

Thanks guys, now I understand what they are  talking about.

gene