If you’ve ever opened a bottle of tung oil thinned with citrus solvent and thought, “Wow, that smells way better than mineral spirits,”  you’ve already met d-limonene. It’s the natural compound that gives oranges their fresh citrus scent—and it also happens to be a really effective, plant-based solvent for thinning tung oil.  So, where does it come from and why does it work so well as a complement to tung oil?   Where D-Limonene Comes From D-limonene, also known as citrus solvent, is made...

If you’ve ever worked with tung oil, you already know it’s amazing for bringing out the beauty of wood.  It is widely valued in woodworking for its durability, water resistance, and ability to enhance the natural beauty of wood surfaces.  However, handling tung oil requires attention to safety—particularly when it comes to disposing of or storing oil-soaked rags.   Due to the way tung oil cures, these materials can become a fire hazard if not managed properly. As tung oil dries, it...

The Ancient Origins of Tung Oil   Tung oil has been prized for millennia for its wood-protecting qualities. Extracted from the fruit -...