BLO Not Drying

[LeftyTom]

I used a foam brush to wipe BLO on three cauls I made out of oak. After 5 mins, I wiped off any excess. 24hrs later, I touch the wood, and see BLO on my fingers. I wiped them down a second time, and 12 hours later, BLO still comes off on touch. My workshop is in my basement, which is dry and no cooler than 60 degrees.

What gives? :dontknow:

 

[FredP]

out dated maybe?:dontknow:

 

[wayne]

Tom

Are you sure you have boiled linseed and not raw linseed because there is a big difference in drying time.


Wayne

 

[Mark Stewart]

Air flow maybe if its below ground level humidity? Try 50/50 blo min spirits?

 

[Dragon]

I've had a couple of times when the BLO wasn't cooperating with me either and I used a paper towel soaked in regular old paint thinner to wipe down the piece and it dried out fine from there.:dontknow:
Most of the time I'm using BLO to sorta penetrate and somewhat seal the log I'm working on and I cut it with about 60% to 70% mineral spirits. Different application than what you're doing but it may work for you.:eusa_thin

 

[LeftyTom]

Wayne, I am sure it is Boiled Linseed Oil. I used this on a quilt rack I made earlier this year, and the BLO dried overnight in the basement.

I do not know if the container has a "best by" date, but I bought the BLO when I finished the quilt rack earlier this year.

Edit: I did find a date on the bottom of the container: 7/24/08 Memphis

Next Question: will I have to saned the BLO off, or should I give it another day to dry?

 

[FredP]

Wayne, I am sure it is Bolied Linseed Oil. I used this on a quilt rack I made earlier this year, and the BLO dried overnight in the basement.

I do not know if the container has a "best by" date, but I bought the BLO when I finished the quilt rack earlier this year.

Edit: I did find a date on the bottom of the container: 7/24/08 Memphis

Next Question: will I have to saned the BLO off, or should I give it another day to dry?

try wiping it down with thinner. get as much off as you can and it should dry in a day or 5.:gar-Bi

 

[LeftyTom]

Thanx, Fred. I got some thinner on-hand. I will tend to that Saturday morning, before firing up the leaf shredder.

 

[Travis Porter]

Ditto on the wiping it down with thinner.

FWIW, I would say 60 degrees is too cool. I would want it in the high 60's low 70's. I can't say that it matters, just my preference.

Good luck.

 

[Howard Acheson]

What species of wood? BLO will not be greatly absorbed into woods like maple and birch.

Also, you need to do more than just wipe off the excess after 15-30 minutes. You have to wipe it dry. BLO is not a film finish. Left on the surface is will take a long time to cure and the result will be a gummy finish.

A more durable finish would have been an oil/varnish mixture like Watco or Minwax Tung Oil Finish. BLO by itself is a very poor finish. It provides little to no protection. The varnish component in an oil/varnish mixture adds some long term protection.

As suggested, you can use mineral spirits rubbed in with a gray scotchbrite pad or 3/0 steel wool. Then wipe the surface dry with lots of paper towels.

 

[LeftyTom]

Howard, these are oak cauls for gluing up panels. I don't need a durable finish so much as I need to seal the oakto protect from seasonal changes.

 

[FredP]

Howard, these are oak cauls for gluing up panels. I don't need a durable finish so much as I need to seal the oakto protect from seasonal changes.

for that application I would have shot em with lacquer. dry in 1/2 hour and durable.:icon_thum wax em so the glue don't stick before use.

 

[Glennbear]

Based upon my experience with some BLO finished signs I agree with the thinner wipe down. Open grain woods like oak tend to "bleed" BLO if not wiped down well and the thinner should help. :wsmile:

 

[Howard Acheson]

>>> I don't need a durable finish so much as I need to seal the oakto protect from seasonal changes.

BLO is the worse thing you could have chosen for reducing the transmission of water vapor. Watervaper goes through BLO just as if it weren't there. Let me also say that there is no finish that will totally prevent the transmission of water vapor. All a finish can do it somewhat slow down the process.

But, let me ask, what difference would it make if there was a slight change in width of the cauls? I can't see how that would have any affect on their use. I have cauls that are 10-15 years old and have never been coated with anything. They works just as well as they did when new.

 

[Travis Porter]

Strange. I have had pretty good luck with using BLO on oak. You may not have bought the BLO too long ago, but it could have been old on the shelf.