Refinish with Hard Burnishing Oil

G'day,

In 2005 (11 years ago), I finished my first piece of furniture with Organoil HBO. It is a Red Gum Coffee table with a top about 1400 x 600mm. I followed the directions to the letter and was pretty chuffed with the result. I can't give an exact time to do the job, but about 3-4 hours sounds about right. First sanding to finish, then buff with a soft cloth. I then left it for 3 days while it cured then wiped the top down with another soft cloth. Pics 1,2 and 3 show the result.

It's now eleven years since I put that table into a high traffic situation. It's also moved house. Been used daily for meals, reading, games, just the things that people do with a table in the midst of daily life. I decided today to refurbish the table, again using HBO.
I now use my hybrid of the Organoil HBO method, which uses less oil, shorter incubation times and grits up to 4000g In a nutshell: I start by dry sanding up to 400 grit. The grits you use between start and finishing at 400 grit is really up to you.

At 400, I give the item a good rub down with a dry soft cloth, then pour the HBO onto the surface to be finished and spread it around 'till the surface is covered. I let this soak for about 15 minutes or so, then started sanding with the same 400g paper that I have just used. Then move up through 800, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 4000 grit. Sanding is done in passes of 10 up and 10 down for each grit.
At 4000, I use the dry cloth again and rub it down. Pic 4 and 5 show the finished result. If you want some more pictures, I'll get them out for you. I think that the figure is now more prominent

It's pretty much ready to go now, though you might like to let it sit for a couple of hours before you put whatever it is into it's place.

Regards,

Rob

Beautiful table.

I've always been worried that an oil finish would turn redgum into a muddy mess, especially some of the older recycled stuff I have that is already dark to start with. So I have stuck with the tried and true WOP.

Might give HBO a try next time on an offcut to see how it comes up.

Steven.