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Trouble today -
I finished the first counter and set it aside to start its curing. I also finished the bottom of the second counter. When I flipped it over, I ran into some trouble - a deep linear dent on the top surface of the counter. The wood fibers were cut/broken. Something heavy and hard and with a sharp bottom edge had been dropped onto the surface. It probably took a bounce, too, as there are two distinct dents. They tried to sand out the dent while it was still at the factory. It was too deep (1/16") to sand it out without resurfacing and thinning the entire counter top. They decided to pack it and ship it anyway and let the consumer deal with it. I know it did not happen in transit as there was no damage to the cardboard wrap or the plastic wrap over the board. 1. This happened at the factory. 2. They knew it was there. 3. They shipped it anyway. How about that for a quality supplier??? Yes, Home Depot took it back even though the bottom, ends and sides had been oiled. No, they did not accuse me of doing it. Yes, I ordered a replacement from Home Depot. It has set me back by TWO WEEKS while I await delivery of the replacement. It has placed my entire plan in jeopardy. I'd planned to install them over the Christmas-New Year holiday shut down when I am off work. Now, the oil finish will not be cured in time. It is the counter with the sink and faucet. I am in deep schedule trouble. |
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Home Depot emailed me. The replacement will be ready for pick up this Thursday. That makes me VERY happy.
I will be inspecting the counter before I leave the store - both sides. |
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I picked up the new counter tonight.
The outer cardboard is in bad shape but I'm still hopeful the wood inside is fine. I'll know more tomorrow. If it is okay, I lost a week. If it also has to go back,... |
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The rags I used to oil the top of the first counter have been outside and have pretty well cured - they've lost all flexibility. That's a good sign of progress for that counter. The rags are my "cure sample" for that top.
Guys, let me remind you of your fire safety training as a kid. Remember, they used to say, "Oily rags can spontaneously combust." Tung oil and linseed oil are the types of oils they were referring to in those films. Used rags go outside spread out to dry. Don't pile them up. Don't put them in a plastic trash can until they are fully cured. |
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I would have to say that the freight company and Home Depot are not prepared to safely ship these.
Alternatively, they are not packaged well enough to prevent damage. They are well packaged but not well enough for the mistreatment they receive. |
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I finished oiling the second, larger counter top.
The oiling was super-easy to do. It's the cure time that has me bugged - 2 weeks to a month to cure. Still, it is a beautiful finish. Tung oil is a product from and for a different era, an era when 30 days to cure was reasonable. Of course, that is why I am finishing now yet not installing until during our Christmas break. Oh well, while I wait, I ordered the sink and related plumbing goodies. |
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Quoted: The rags I used to oil the top of the first counter have been outside and have pretty well cured - they've lost all flexibility. That's a good sign of progress for that counter. The rags are my "cure sample" for that top. Guys, let me remind you of your fire safety training as a kid. Remember, they used to say, "Oily rags can spontaneously combust." Tung oil and linseed oil are the types of oils they were referring to in those films. Used rags go outside spread out to dry. Don't pile them up. Don't put them in a plastic trash can until they are fully cured. View Quote |
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Big dittos on the oily rag caution!
My father almost lost his small shop to them. We caught it in time and no serious damage. Had he not gone back out that evening to turn off the lights it would have been gone. Ever since they go outside or are put in the woodstove and burned. Nice looking counters OP, Waiting for more foto updates.. |
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I've been keeping my used rags outdoors. I think the best thing to do is to burn them.
I keep my applicator/dauber in a sealed zip lock bag. One day, I reached in to get it and it was warm; not hot, not threatening but more than room temperature. The counters have been set aside to cure. It's been pretty cold of late (45 F low, 65 F high). I would think that's got to affect the rate of curing, slowing it down. There's still a couple of weeks to go before demolition and installation happen. |
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The sink installation instructions show the use of a jig saw to cut the opening.
That doesn't seem credible for cutting through 1 1/2" thick maple (blade deflection/bending). I was thinking of making the long, straight cuts by plunging and cutting with my circular saw. I suppose I could cut around the corners with the jig saw. Any other ideas? |
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Quoted: The sink installation instructions show the use of a jig saw to cut the opening. That doesn't seem credible for cutting through 1 1/2" thick maple (balde deflection/bending). I was thinking of making the long, straight cuts by plunging and cutting with my circular saw. I suppose I could cut around the corners with the jig saw. Any other ideas? View Quote Jig saw with a suitable length and teeth spacing should be fine. You will have to go slow. Hole saws and a portable circular saw can also work. |
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Are you doing an undermount?
I just used a jig saw for mine and since it was an overmount. |
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Quoted: The sink is a drop-in. View Quote Drop in, as in it has a rim that sits on top of the counter? If so, the cut doesn't have to be perfect. I'd use a circular saw for the long cuts and a jigsaw for the corners in this case. If you mean drop in like a farmers sink or undermount then it is critical the lines are straight and clean. I'd make a template out of 1/4" MDF which is easy to cut and shape to make perfect. Rough gut the hole 1/8" undersized, then use a router with a top bearing pattern bit to clean up the cut. I'd put a 1/8" radius round over around the edge. |
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cut on the small side. you can always make the cutout bigger.
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The old counter and backslash are out.
HOLY SHIT! For example, there was a grand total of TWO drywall screws holding the entire 12 feet of counter top in place and they were both on the same end. The wall behind the backsplash,... why did they do that? I am too embarrassed to post photos. I'll wait until the new stuff is in. |
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Quoted: The old counter and backslash are out. HOLY SHIT! For example, there was a grand total of TWO drywall screws holding the entire 12 feet of counter top in place and they were both on the same end. The wall behind the backsplash,... why did they do that? I am too embarrassed to post photos. I'll wait until the new stuff is in. View Quote No need to be embarrassed at the hack job someone else did. Post pics. One nice thing about hack jobs is they are easy to tear apart. |
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Quoted: You could rough cut your counter top slightly undersized with a jig saw. Then make a plywood template with cheap 1/2" plywood and use double side tape to affix it to your counter top. Use a top bearing template bit in your router to make your final cut nice and neat. (you may need a couple different lengths) Just go slow with router, no more than 1/4" depth of cut per pass. https://i.imgur.com/Jg7bpvn.jpg View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: That's a great idea for the corners. I have several. Thanks for that. I was also thinking about a 1/2" end mill bit in my plunge router running inside a fence. It would leave a nice clean cut. Ever done that? You could rough cut your counter top slightly undersized with a jig saw. Then make a plywood template with cheap 1/2" plywood and use double side tape to affix it to your counter top. Use a top bearing template bit in your router to make your final cut nice and neat. (you may need a couple different lengths) Just go slow with router, no more than 1/4" depth of cut per pass. https://i.imgur.com/Jg7bpvn.jpg See my post, a few posts up. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: That's a great idea for the corners. I have several. Thanks for that. I was also thinking about a 1/2" end mill bit in my plunge router running inside a fence. It would leave a nice clean cut. Ever done that? You could rough cut your counter top slightly undersized with a jig saw. Then make a plywood template with cheap 1/2" plywood and use double side tape to affix it to your counter top. Use a top bearing template bit in your router to make your final cut nice and neat. (you may need a couple different lengths) Just go slow with router, no more than 1/4" depth of cut per pass. https://i.imgur.com/Jg7bpvn.jpg See my post, a few posts up. Missed it. I agree on the roundover. |
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Quoted: I'm going to be putting in butcher block counters. I'm going with a butt joint, instead. Anyone ever done this? Would you care to share any lessons learned? How did you close the seam? How did you keep the top surfaces co-planar/aligned? How did you make the sink cut out? Any other tips on how to do this? If you've done it, would you do it again? View Quote |
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Quoted: I hope you are wrong but I know you are right. If the new counters don't work out, we can always upgrade. I'm thinking Silastone but who knows. The new wooden counter tops cost a total of $600, including the tung oil. These are a few examples of what was under the old countertop and backslash. I am ashamed it was in my house. https://i.ibb.co/1fVxG3b/IMG-0569-1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/FDLkwr6/IMG-0570-1.jpg Why this board was cut is beyond my understanding (see photo below). Then, to leave it dangling,...??? https://i.ibb.co/M91hwYs/IMG-0568-1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/2sDWRSj/IMG-0565-1.jpg View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: I put it on the island because we use it so much (not for food prep). Maintenance headache. Can't imagine it on main counter tops. I hope you are wrong but I know you are right. If the new counters don't work out, we can always upgrade. I'm thinking Silastone but who knows. The new wooden counter tops cost a total of $600, including the tung oil. These are a few examples of what was under the old countertop and backslash. I am ashamed it was in my house. https://i.ibb.co/1fVxG3b/IMG-0569-1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/FDLkwr6/IMG-0570-1.jpg Why this board was cut is beyond my understanding (see photo below). Then, to leave it dangling,...??? https://i.ibb.co/M91hwYs/IMG-0568-1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/2sDWRSj/IMG-0565-1.jpg No need to be ashamed. Hack jobs like this are all over the country. Usually done by homeowners who don't know any better, are cheapskates, or get in over their heads. Of course, the previous owners could have paid someone to do the job, and he did this. After buying my first (and current) house, I learned that it's far better to buy a fixer and fix it yourself not only because things can be done right, but for other reasons like lower taxes, easier refinancing, etc. |
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It looks nice. Some time this winter I hope to build a bar height butcher block small kitchen table/food prep island type thing. I wasn't sure if I wanted to try to build the butcher block or purchase it, but if I purchase it, my research seemed to point me towards Home Depot for the cheapest top. I appreciated all the previous posters adding their experiences.
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Quoted: It looks nice. Some time this winter I hope to build a bar height butcher block small kitchen table/food prep island type thing. I wasn't sure if I wanted to try to build the butcher block or purchase it, but if I purchase it, my research seemed to point me towards Home Depot for the cheapest top. I appreciated all the previous posters adding their experiences. View Quote Thank you, the counter installation is almost but not quite done. Home Depot may be inexpensive but they are special orders with a long delivery delay. Also, I have to advise you to inspect your top carefully. They DO NOT have a system in place to deliver these tops to the consumer without damaging the top. They will take back a damaged top but you have to go get it, unpack it and inspect it. Then, if it's damaged you have to load it back into your vehicle and drive over there. They will then order a replacement with another delivery delay (mine were 1-2 weeks). There is a very high likelihood the replacement will also be damaged and you get to repeat the process ad nauseum. |
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Following this thread. I am about to order a 10' maple butcher block top for a garage workbench. Also planning to coat with the same ring oil you used. The whole oiling process has me a little nervous, hoping I don't do something wrong and have it cup on me.
your tops look REALLY good OP |
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Quoted: Following this thread. I am about to order a 10' maple butcher block top for a garage workbench. Also planning to coat with the same ring oil you used. The whole oiling process has me a little nervous, hoping I don't do something wrong and have it cup on me. your tops look REALLY good OP View Quote Its almost impossible to screw up oiling wood. Just soak it in oil on all surfaces and wipe excess. Use 00 or 000 steel wool or a maroon abrasive pad the day after, wipe away all crud and repeat the oiling and in between steps twice more. Coating all surfaces helps assure balance and equilibrium. If you only coat the top but not the bottom for instance, you may have some problems. |
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Quoted: Following this thread. I am about to order a 10' maple butcher block top for a garage workbench. Also planning to coat with the same ring oil you used. The whole oiling process has me a little nervous, hoping I don't do something wrong and have it cup on me. your tops look REALLY good OP View Quote Thanks very much. I am happy with how it came out. You really cannot do it wrong. Follow the instructions - a few coats on the bottom; a few coats on the top and edges and you are good to go. Fear not! It is NOT like lacquer or varnish. It is easy - like finger painting, just smear it on, then smear some more on. If you damage the surface in use, just smear on some more. :-) In this forum, they encourage us to post follow-up pics and posts to show how things came out. I have some pics of the finished butt joint and the counters with the sink and faucet installed. I'll post soon. This weekend I'll be tiling the backsplash - an entirely different skill set. |
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I picked up a12' maple top this evening. Have to cut it down to 10' and ease the square edges before oiling.
OP, did you get the Milk Paint Pure Tung Oil (not darkened)? Also, did you apply full strength or cut it down with something for the first coats? What size did you buy and how much have you used? |
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Quoted: I picked up a12' maple top this evening. Have to cut it down to 10' and ease the square edges before oiling. OP, did you get the Milk Paint Pure Tung Oil (not darkened)? Also, did you apply full strength or cut it down with something for the first coats? What size did you buy and how much have you used? View Quote I'm not the OP, but you should thin it down with mineral spirits for the first application. About 1/3 MS to 2/3 TO. This helps it penetrate deeper into the wood. You can apply it straight, won't hurt, but it won't penetrate as deep. Make sure you get actual tung oil and not "tung oil finish" as that is actually a varnish, not just a pure oil. |
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Quoted: I'm not the OP, but you should thin it down with mineral spirits for the first application. About 1/3 MS to 2/3 TO. This helps it penetrate deeper into the wood. You can apply it straight, won't hurt, but it won't penetrate as deep. Make sure you get actual tung oil and not "tung oil finish" as that is actually a varnish, not just a pure oil. View Quote |
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Quoted: I picked up a12' maple top this evening. Have to cut it down to 10' and ease the square edges before oiling. OP, did you get the Milk Paint Pure Tung Oil (not darkened)? Also, did you apply full strength or cut it down with something for the first coats? What size did you buy and how much have you used? View Quote Yes, Milk Paint brand pure tung oil and their thinner. For your counter size, I'd advise you to buy at least a gallon of tung oil and a gallon of their thinner. You use the 50:50 thinned material on the edge grain and 100% oil on the end grain. I started with a quart of 50:50 and a quart of 100%. A second order was needed - a gallon of 100% and a gallon of thinner. Thinning is super easy to do, as the ratio does not need to be perfect. I do have some left over after treating 14' of counter top (well over a quart each of oil and solvent are left). P.S. - I really liked the orange scent, a lot. P.P.S. - Remember to properly store and dispose of the rags. |
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Have a question on the oiling process. I know I need to oil all sides, but not sure on the order of the process to keep it from cupping. I am thinking:
- butcher block placed on saw horses with bottom surface facing up - oil the bottom surface (facing up) - let it sit for ???? length of time - flip it over so bottom is now sitting on the horses and top surface facing up - oil top surface and all sides Does that sound right? How long can it sit with the oil on one surface before flipping to do the other side? I would think it need to sit long enough for the oil to soak in, but at what point is too long that runs the risk of starting to cup? |
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Quoted: Have a question on the oiling process. I know I need to oil all sides, but not sure on the order of the process to keep it from cupping. I am thinking: - butcher block placed on saw horses with bottom surface facing up - oil the bottom surface (facing up) - let it sit for ???? length of time - flip it over so bottom is now sitting on the horses and top surface facing up - oil top surface and all sides Does that sound right? How long can it sit with the oil on one surface before flipping to do the other side? I would think it need to sit long enough for the oil to soak in, but at what point is too long that runs the risk of starting to cup? View Quote You're over thinking this. Yes, that is a good order to oil, not for reducing the cupping, but to keep the show side looking nice. For the first, thinned down coat, a ten minute or so soak time is good. Wipe off excess. Subsequent coats five to ten minutes of soak time, wipe excess thoroughly. It's important to not let it sit too long as the oil will begin to polymerize and become a sticky, gummy mess. Wipe excess very well for the same reason. Between coats use a maroon ScotchBrite pad or 0000 steel wool. |
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Quoted: You're over thinking this. Yes, that is a good order to oil, not for reducing the cupping, but to keep the show side looking nice. For the first, thinned down coat, a ten minute or so soak time is good. Wipe off excess. Subsequent coats five to ten minutes of soak time, wipe excess thoroughly. It's important to not let it sit too long as the oil will begin to polymerize and become a sticky, gummy mess. Wipe excess very well for the same reason. Between coats use a maroon ScotchBrite pad or 0000 steel wool. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Have a question on the oiling process. I know I need to oil all sides, but not sure on the order of the process to keep it from cupping. I am thinking: - butcher block placed on saw horses with bottom surface facing up - oil the bottom surface (facing up) - let it sit for ???? length of time - flip it over so bottom is now sitting on the horses and top surface facing up - oil top surface and all sides Does that sound right? How long can it sit with the oil on one surface before flipping to do the other side? I would think it need to sit long enough for the oil to soak in, but at what point is too long that runs the risk of starting to cup? You're over thinking this. Yes, that is a good order to oil, not for reducing the cupping, but to keep the show side looking nice. For the first, thinned down coat, a ten minute or so soak time is good. Wipe off excess. Subsequent coats five to ten minutes of soak time, wipe excess thoroughly. It's important to not let it sit too long as the oil will begin to polymerize and become a sticky, gummy mess. Wipe excess very well for the same reason. Between coats use a maroon ScotchBrite pad or 0000 steel wool. OP - you got any update? Im sitting here waiting to wipe off the 3rd coat now. Allowing 24hr between, doing a coat every evening basically, but didn't get to yesterday. All 3 have been 1:1 with mineral spirits. I think I can maybe get 2 more coats out of this 32oz jug. Ive been making sure it's coated to where it looks like it's got a glossy coat of poly on it. Letting it stand for about 30min while continually checking for spots that look like they're drying and dabbing more on. |
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I did the bottom first. After several days, I flipped it over and started on the top.
At first, I used painter's points to support the counter as I worked the top surface. They were less than stable, so I switched over to blocks of wood resting on spots that would not be seen. I oiled the blocks so they wouldn't scavenge too much oil from the bottom of the counter. Be careful but it's not rocket science. P.S. - While I had oily rags, I quickly oiled some kitchen knife handles. They are now awesome. |
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