Question for oil birds

D. Hinton

Active member
Anyone here apply a varnish to help protect the paint? Having adhesion issues (easily rubs / abraded off) with my whites ...I was trying to order the Ronin dead flat but can't seem to locate.

Also on the fence about dead flat vs a very slight sheen..
 
Dick Blick might have the ronans. I believe Mike Braun used to mix a flat varnish to keep them from scuffing. don't know the ratio.
Phil
 
I thought that was the appeal of oil - to go from to shiny to scuffed and then wear to raw wood if actually used.
 
What paint? Surface prep?

Most guys "seal" the raw decoys way to much. You need you paint to actually soak into the wood so you have a mechanical as well as chemical bond.

If you want Ronans you can mail order quarts from several vendors, including Dick Blick.
 
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The first seminar I went to for oils we were told to start applying paint while the sealer was not yet dry or still tacky. Been following that advice for about 6 years with no problems .
John
 
Most guys "seal" the raw decoys way to much. You need you paint to actually soak into the wood so you have a mechanical as well as chemical bond.

I have some decoys I've painted in the last year or so that for materials reasons (frond, balsa) I've used marine epoxy as a sealer first. The paint scratches off those birds way too easy. The birds that are just layers of oil paint over wood are very durable.
 
Jode,
I'm sealing with 2 coats of deft.. Ronan base coat. Tube oils over that

That's not a bad system, I'd go one coat of deft thinned 50%, sand w 120. Then one coat Ronans also thinned . Then tubes over that. You will notice your tubes " soak" into the Ronans pretty noticeably. Once dry you shouldn't be able to scratch the paint off, even with pressure .

One other question, oil topcoat? How are you thinning if any? Straight turps will weaken the paints binder, often resulting in weak adhesions you mention . Many guts that start in oil after using acrylics paint " thin" and this does not work well in oil.
 
Mike Braun used Damar Varnish over bulk Ronan's and Parker's alkyd oils on some of his birds.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/eco-house-950-damar-resin/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=01578-1025&gclid=CLaRzrexzNICFQm2wAod8xQMUQ

You will improve the longevity and durablility of your tube oils by adding 10-15% boiled linseed oil by volume to them if you thin with turpentine-my mom's formula.

Pat Gregory might know what Jim Schmiedlin used on his birds at the end of each season as a paint preservation medium. I know Pat was using a commercial paint preservative that probably went the way of Valspar's Val-oil when the HVOC standards changed. I've experimented with a mix of melted beeswax from out local food coop,with paint thinner and boiled linseed oil over Ronan's alkyds.

Now that Mr. Pruitt is in charge of the EPA and about to relax emission standards for cars and power generating facilities, maybe Val-oil will come back into production! Lawyers always make the best scientists! I suspect it is the extensive training they receive in government service...

Dug this up from my bookmarks:

http://www.trueart.info/?page_id=89
 
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Jode,
I'm sealing with 2 coats of deft.. Ronan base coat. Tube oils over that

That's not a bad system, I'd go one coat of deft thinned 50%, sand w 120. Then one coat Ronans also thinned . Then tubes over that. You will notice your tubes " soak" into the Ronans pretty noticeably. Once dry you shouldn't be able to scratch the paint off, even with pressure .

One other question, oil topcoat? How are you thinning if any? Straight turps will weaken the paints binder, often resulting in weak adhesions you mention . Many guts that start in oil after using acrylics paint " thin" and this does not work well in oil.

Jode, can you thin oils with turps just enough to allow them to flow easily without causing the issues mentioned?
 
Mike Braun used Damar Varnish over bulk Ronan's and Parker's alkyd oils on some of his birds.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/eco-house-950-damar-resin/?clickTracking=true&wmcp=pla&wmcid=items&wmckw=01578-1025&gclid=CLaRzrexzNICFQm2wAod8xQMUQ

You will improve the longevity and durablility of your tube oils by adding 10-15% boiled linseed oil by volume to them if you thin with turpentine-my mom's formula.

Pat Gregory might know what Jim Schmiedlin used on his birds at the end of each season as a paint preservation medium. I know Pat was using a commercial paint preservative that probably went the way of Valspar's Val-oil when the HVOC standards changed. I've experimented with a mix of melted beeswax from out local food coop,with paint thinner and boiled linseed oil over Ronan's alkyds.

Now that Mr. Pruitt is in charge of the EPA and about to relax emission standards for cars and power generating facilities, maybe Val-oil will come back into production! Lawyers always make the best scientists! I suspect it is the extensive training they receive in government service...

Dug this up from my bookmarks:



http://www.trueart.info/?page_id=89


RL you are correct with the use of linseed oil, long term it causes whites to yellow (not an issue until further down the road) but to avoid the issue altogether I like cold pressed walnut oil.

Jim used finish feeder on this birds I believe , freshens paint up, but also removes patina too, it all depends the look you want, and I always liked the crisp vivid look.

Top coating Ronans is to avoid the chalkiness they often get.
 
Jode,
I'm sealing with 2 coats of deft.. Ronan base coat. Tube oils over that

That's not a bad system, I'd go one coat of deft thinned 50%, sand w 120. Then one coat Ronans also thinned . Then tubes over that. You will notice your tubes " soak" into the Ronans pretty noticeably. Once dry you shouldn't be able to scratch the paint off, even with pressure .

One other question, oil topcoat? How are you thinning if any? Straight turps will weaken the paints binder, often resulting in weak adhesions you mention . Many guts that start in oil after using acrylics paint " thin" and this does not work well in oil.

Jode, can you thin oils with turps just enough to allow them to flow easily without causing the issues mentioned?

Phil , you can. But what I've found is a little turps soon turns into " a little more " just to finish up an area, then before long you have more turps than paint on the palate. If I use turps to thin I'll use barley a drop, then walnut oil to flow.
 
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