I just received an email from the technical support folks at valspar. They confirmed that Val-oil has been discontinued and NOT relabelled. Here is a copy of the text of the email:

"Val-Oil has not been relabeled into a Quikrete product. Val-Oil has been discontinued. We do have a Quikrete Waterproofer which is similar but not exact. You can go to www.quikretecoatings.com and look at the products that Quikrete does offer for your project."

If you like Val-oil and can find it, you better buy it.

The VOC regs will make a lot of these products disapear in the next few years.

I'm surprised that they won;t still be making quarts however, at last check-before I left the paint store-quarts were to be exempt from regulation.

Looks like CPES and Propionate are about to become more widely used.

Val -Oil ... I have 2 problems with it ...
1. when you thin it with (mineral spirits ,turps ,, what ever ) ,,,the thinner keeps evaporating .. so next time you add more thinner .. then next time its thick again and you add more thinner .. after a while whats your ratio val oil/ thinner ... Who knows what you got there...
2. now that you have no idea what your thinning with,, its been diluted ,, broken down so many times ... When is it dry ? I mean on the inside of your plug .. ? ... might as well call it mystery oil ..

Val - oil ... good ridance ,,

I was happy with the Val Oil, what next.:confused:

just curious ... guys that love val-oil ,,,? do you make any hardwood plugs ? .. either that stuff sux or I flunked sealing 101...

It's just a wiping varnish, (thinned varnish)
make your own, you probably wont be able to tell the difference.

just curious ... guys that love val-oil ,,,? do you make any hardwood plugs ? .. either that stuff sux or I flunked sealing 101...

good question, I only use the cedars most of the time. I love it because it dries super fast....I can be painting by the next day......the BLO takes days and days to dry.

I've made about 50 or so plugs from maple and birch. I have a few needles that have been POUNDED by the fish, sand and rocks and they have not cracked or split. Never had a problem w/ sealing w/ valoil. I just keep my mixture in a paintcan. I have not noticed a thinning issue. Getting ready to mix a fresh batch though.
I did make the mistake of tryin Thompson before I really knew what it was, What a trainwreck that was.
I know a guy who builds lots of musky plugs. He uses flexcoat thinned with acetone as a sealer and then flexcoat again as a topcoat. Says his plugs are bombproof with nary a scratch.

gldnbear: What is the ratio of Flexcoat and Acetone your buddy uses?

oh yea ...
3. I never had a clear coat pop until I used val oil .. I got a nike that looks like its in a plastic bag ,, months later ... POP!!!

Anyone use Lindseed oil???

I like val-oil....so I just bought 4 gallons at 37.50/gal from the local lumber yard.....ouch. Epoxy seems like a lot of work to seal, and screwing with acetone fumes doesn't appeal to me. Years ago I used BLO, but it takes too long to dry and paint adhesion can be a problem (unless you also use wil-bond so I hear).
FYI, I don't think you can generalize your experience with maple needles to maple darters when it comes to cracking. The thicker body is subjected to more expansion/contaction forces that cause craking. So far I've done OK with val-oil by letting maple soak over night.

Has anybody tried Polycrylic from miniwax.
I think freshwater guys are using it.
Water based and simple

gldnbear: What is the ratio of Flexcoat and Acetone your buddy uses?

He just gets it to a watery consistency and brushes it on. He does not through drill. To get it in the through hole i suppose you could use a qtip or pipe cleaner or doa a full epoxy seal when you topcoat if you through drill.

for maple and birch I have just soaked for 5 min vs. 2 for cedar and basswood.

Im just a hobby plug builder Ive been using val-oil for a YEAR now an like it, just grabed a gallon the outher day Im set for a while. BUT I also got a QT of Polycrylic from miniwax, an have been using it to COAT a few plugs to fish with, again Im not PRO-BUILDER like you guys, just a fishing nut an the POLYCRYLIC is something Im trying this season. you just DIP.an HANG DRY take a couple hours an you can DIP again or as meny times as you like. Im using it as a TOP COAT:huh::
GOOD LUCK GOOD PLUGGIN:wave:

Has anybody tried Polycrylic from miniwax.
I think freshwater guys are using it.
Water based and simple


I like the Val-oil also. Just ordered another gallon. I'm a new hobby builder also so I can't say how the hardwoods hold up with it. But some other guys I have read about and PM for info, use it on hard wood and like it.They soak longer 3hrs or longer. I'm going to go the overnight for maple for now on and let dry for two or three days. I also am using the minwax polycrylic and like the way it goes on. Will it hold up? I don't know yet being new at plug building. But that's the chance of the learning curve. I'll post towards the end of next season when I find out. If it's really bad and doesn't hold up from the start of the season I will post earlier.
Al,

I registered just to post on this thread...
I've been trying to track down Val Oil for a while now. I think the folks at Valspar are having a whole lot of fun messing w/ everybody. I have a string of emails from Valspar Tech. Support, Robert Heymann that says they still make Val Oil and any Valspar dealer can order it. The problem I'm running into is the Valspar Rep. in my area keeps telling the stores that it's discontinued and that if you mix 50% spirits w/ Valspar Spar Varnish you'll get the same thing... both of which are false. And I can't convince these stores to go over the rep's head (or they're unable to) and call the Valspar Order Center direct as directed by Mr. Heymann. I did find someone at a Lowe's near me that wanted to help and after some phone calls he told me that he could order it for me but I would have to buy a minimum of 4 cases - 16 gallons. The price is right but if I lived to be 200 I couldn't use it all, and I don't know anyone else in my area that uses it either... for all the trouble I've been through I don't blame them.

I carve duck decoys and haven't found anything else that acts like the Val Oil or I would've gone that direction some time ago.

So do distinguish any myths... Val Oil has not been discontinued, but we're dealing with incompetant people that work for a company that could care less if a few Val Oil fans buy any of their products.