A question regarding Osmo PolyX

Kalimna

Greetings folks,
Apologies for a quite off-topic question, but for those familiar with Osmo PolyX oil, how many coats would you advise?
My project is a rocking chair (Hal Taylor, after Sam Maloof) in sweet chestnut (very similar grain, colour and smell to oak, but not nearly as hard or dense), which clearly isnt a guitar but the principle of finishing in this instance are the same.
Ive applied 5 coats so far, with approx 12hrs between coats and a very light de-nibbing with Abralon 600grit between coats. The coats being applied in a fairly thick manner, left for 5-10 mins and wiped off leaving a thin film to dry.
I'm extremely happy with the satin look and feel so far, and wondered if anything would be gained by adding more? 
Cheers,
Adam

Oh, and whilst this isn't a guitar the proceeds (making on comission for some friends) have funded my new Ryder LP. So there is a link

Roland

Osmo recommend 3 to 4 coats when wiped on. https://osmouk.com/hints-and-tips/application-techniques/. For guitar bodies I wipe on/off every few hours, so it depends how much time I’ve got, but I’ve never used more than three. Necks get no more than two coats. Wooden bowls get up to four depending on the wood, with the lathe turning you can tell from the friction when the surface stops adsorbing

Kalimna

Thanks Roland - that's useful info. Ive used Osmo before, but had forgotten my 'recipe' for it. And despite what Osmo recommend, I always try and get some 'real world' experience too. For instance, they don't suggest sanding between coats to be required, but I find it gives a much smoother finish. I've not used it on bowl turning though - my preferred choice is Chestnut's Microcrystaline Wax or Wax 22.
Cheers,
Adam

Roland

With Osmo I don’t sand between coats because I don’t leave it long enough for the surface to harden sufficiently. @WezV’s slurry technique using wire wool avoids the need for de-nibbing between coats. It also generates iron particles which collect in the grain, enhancing its appearance. 

Recently I’ve been using Chestnut's Microcrystaline Wax on bowls because it’s quicker: with Osmo I have to leave the bowl in the chuck whilst it dries. Fine over lunch, but otherwise it prevents me getting on with something else. It also doesn’t colour the wood as much as satin Osmo.

Kalimna

Interesting. I've been leaving the coats to harden - no sense of stickyness @ 12 hrs at all and responds well to the Abralon 600. 
I've used TruOil in the past, with a slurry technique but using wet n dry paper. But TruOil is a quite different method anyway. I would not be keen to use a wire wool approach on the sweet chestnut for the simple reason it feels quite tannic and I'm not sure how much it would be stained by the iron. Obviously a test run would help, but it would have to be left for some time I think in order to answer that question. 
At some point I shall try adding tints to the Osmo, I suspect it would work well for browns, oranges, reds.

Andyjr1515

We all have our own methods.  If we are talking the thicker 3032, etc, finishes, then I do 3-4 coats, leaving 24 hours between coats, only doing one very light 2500 emery flattening for the coat before last.  I then leave it around 1 week to harden. 

Personally, I think it takes 2-3 more weeks to fully gain strength, after which it is as tough as old boots!

The thinner 1101 version, I will generally do 5-6 coats, in the same manner - or with the first couple of coats slurry-and-wiped.

Kalimna

Andyjr1515 said:

We all have our own methods.  If we are talking the thicker 3032, etc, finishes, then I do 3-4 coats, leaving 24 hours between coats, only doing one very light 2500 emery flattening for the coat before last.  I then leave it around 1 week to harden. 

Personally, I think it takes 2-3 more weeks to fully gain strength, after which it is as tough as old boots!

The thinner 1101 version, I will generally do 5-6 coats, in the same manner - or with the first couple of coats slurry-and-wiped.

Ok, that's not disimillar to how I play it. Differences being that I give a quick abranet 600grit (not Abralon as I said earlier, doh!) and around 12hrs between coats.
May I ask what grit do you sand the wood to prior to oiling? Osmo recommend 180-240, but I normally go to 400-600. Overkill, perhaps? One thing I have noticed is that PolyX 'covers up' errant scratches from the grit below quite well indeed.

Andyjr1515

Kalimna said:

Andyjr1515 said:

We all have our own methods.  If we are talking the thicker 3032, etc, finishes, then I do 3-4 coats, leaving 24 hours between coats, only doing one very light 2500 emery flattening for the coat before last.  I then leave it around 1 week to harden. 

Personally, I think it takes 2-3 more weeks to fully gain strength, after which it is as tough as old boots!

The thinner 1101 version, I will generally do 5-6 coats, in the same manner - or with the first couple of coats slurry-and-wiped.

Ok, that's not disimillar to how I play it. Differences being that I give a quick abranet 600grit (not Abralon as I said earlier, doh!) and around 12hrs between coats.
May I ask what grit do you sand the wood to prior to oiling? Osmo recommend 180-240, but I normally go to 400-600. Overkill, perhaps? One thing I have noticed is that PolyX 'covers up' errant scratches from the grit below quite well indeed.

I usually go up to around 380/400.  Bear in mind that Osmo are generally thinking wooden flooring blocks. 

Yes - it's quite forgiving, but I always finish each grade fully 'with the grain'  - you do have to get rid of any sanding lines at an angle to the grain as they will, indeed, show.