Woodreaux, that is exactly why I strongly recommended Flexner's book. We don't have to do 3 months of research and experimentation when we have the benefit of picking up a good reference book written by a professional who has spent over 20 years learning, experimenting, and compiling all of that knowledge in one handy place. But I would never say he is the be-all, end-all, one and only source.
In my opinion, that is the appeal of a well-advertised bottle of something someone else has made.
And this is precisely how and why someone can make a fortune and take advantage of those who are unwilling to learn, and those who refuse to believe that products like Timberluxe are, in my opinion, highly over-priced and less effective than many other far less costly alternatives. As I said, Boiled Linseed Oil is about $25.00 a gallon at Home Depot. Sunflower Oil is even cheaper at around $12.00 a gallon, and Naptha is around $8.00 a quart. Dryers aren't terribly expensive either considering the small amount used. A manufacturer would buy these chemicals in much larger volumes at even lower prices. So there is a lot of profit in catchy names, hype, and slick sales pitches.
For me, the learning is much of the enjoyment, even if I will never be a professional or expert.
That much is obvious, demonstrated by your willingness to make your own slacum. With that attitude, you are far less likely to get stuck in a rut of outdated and sub-standard finishes, or fall prey to slick sales pitches. Hey, even products like Linspeed and Tru-Oil are expensive when you consider what's in them and what they cost for a small bottle. We pay a premium for convenience quite often. But sometimes the price of convenience is ridiculous. When they started selling plastic bottles of filtered city drinking water, I thought it was insane. But it is a billion dollar industry that has a bigger carbon footprint than Al Gore's jet. Great for those who profit from it though.
