The Woodturning Forum - Woodturner's Resource - Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood?

Ron Sardo WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Chief cook and bottle washer Posts: 9,674 Drums Pennsylvania USA PM 3520	Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood? Reply #15 - May 27^th, 2016 at 7:16am Chris Gunsolley wrote on May 26^th, 2016 at 10:48pm: I'm going to try out some raw linseed oil once it arrives (had to special order it) Any art supply store carries this, just be aware that raw linseed oil takes months or depending how thick years to dry.
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Don Stephan

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Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood?
Reply #16 - May 27^th, 2016 at 7:50am

I tried a woodturning walnut oil once - after 3 weeks it was still leaving an oily ring on the shelf so I gave the bottle to another woodturner.

I once turned cottonwood, two blanks from opposite sides of one section of log. The first turned out well, cut cleanly and sanded smooth. The other side of the same section of log wouldn't cut cleanly, after drying the same amount of time wouldn't sand smooth.

Often a turner wants to remove the tenon before beginning to apply finish. If removed, difficult to remount later and sand again.

Rather than asking advice and then challenging response, you might consider doing some reading and experimenting.

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Ed Weber WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Posts: 8,939 Wilton California USA Gender: JET 1642 Grizzly G0584	Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood? Reply #17 - May 27^th, 2016 at 8:22am Gary D Baker wrote on May 27^th, 2016 at 6:49am: I believe that lacquer is what makes your prescription pill shiny. It would probably be ok to use ... but will be tough to keep looking nice. Not lacquer, Shellac, which is a natural product.
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Chris Gunsolley

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Raw Linseed Oil
Reply #18 - May 27^th, 2016 at 9:10am

Ron Sardo wrote on May 27^th, 2016 at 7:16am:

Chris Gunsolley wrote on May 26^th, 2016 at 10:48pm:

I'm going to try out some raw linseed oil once it arrives (had to special order it)

Any art supply store carries this, just be aware that raw linseed oil takes months or depending how thick years to dry.

That's the major drawback of it, it seems. Months, perhaps I'm willing to do if the effect is impressive enough. Years would scare me away. I'll have to check the local art supply stores, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't realize that they carry it, and that will save me a special order that takes weeks to arrive.

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Chris Neilan

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Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood?
Reply #19 - May 27^th, 2016 at 9:44am

Chris Gunsolley wrote on May 27^th, 2016 at 9:10am:

Ron Sardo wrote on May 27^th, 2016 at 7:16am:

Chris Gunsolley wrote on May 26^th, 2016 at 10:48pm:

I'm going to try out some raw linseed oil once it arrives (had to special order it)

Any art supply store carries this, just be aware that raw linseed oil takes months or depending how thick years to dry.

That's the major drawback of it, it seems. Months, perhaps I'm willing to do if the effect is impressive enough. Years would scare me away. I'll have to check the local art supply stores, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't realize that they carry it, and that will save me a special order that takes weeks to arrive.

I use Raw Linseed Oil only on outdoor items - Raised vegetable beds, wood shovel handles and such. Imparts a nice but temporary amber finish on Cedar, but it will eventually gray... Good natural preservative, but not a great woodturning finish. Boiled, however is a good finish for woodturned items. Low sheen, repairable and smells old timey!

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Al Wasser WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 626 Pueblo West, CO Colorado USA Gender: Robust American Beauty	Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood? Reply #20 - May 27^th, 2016 at 9:50am Raw linseed oil will not dry
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Ron Sardo

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Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood?
Reply #21 - May 27^th, 2016 at 10:00am

Chris Gunsolley wrote on May 27^th, 2016 at 9:10am:

That's the major drawback of it, it seems. Months, perhaps I'm willing to do if the effect is impressive enough. Years would scare me away. I'll have to check the local art supply stores, thanks for pointing that out. I didn't realize that they carry it, and that will save me a special order that takes weeks to arrive.

Artists that paint with oil paints use linseed oil to help blend/layer colors, increase the shine and slow down the drying time.

Boiled linseed oil BLO was once linseed oil that was heated to speed up polymerization (drying). Today cobalt driers are mixed in linseed oil to speed up drying.

All oil finishes starts with oil from plants.
The majority on the market use BLO but lately there is a trend to use soybean oil because its cheaper.

IMO better oil finishes use tung seed oil (not to be confused with Formby's Tung Oil Finish products).

Walnut oil finishes (not to be confused with walnut oil you buy at the local supermarket) are polymerized using the same method as modern BLO

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« Last Edit: May 27^th, 2016 at 8:38pm by Ron Sardo »

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John Cepko Senior Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 491 Pasadena Maryland USA	Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood? Reply #22 - May 27^th, 2016 at 8:06pm Shelac is what keeps M&Ms from melting in your hand.
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Chris Neilan WR Addict Offline OUCH! Posts: 999 Waterford Connecticut USA Gender: Powermatic 3520 Delta 46-460 Shopsmith 10 ER Shopsmith Mark V Shopsmith Mark 7 Powerpro	Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood? Reply #23 - May 27^th, 2016 at 8:30pm Just in case someone doesn't know, never never never try to boil raw inseed oil to make BLO. You WILL most likely end up in a burn ward.
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Ron Sardo WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Chief cook and bottle washer Posts: 9,674 Drums Pennsylvania USA PM 3520	Re: Using oil to 'harden up' cottonwood? Reply #24 - May 27^th, 2016 at 8:37pm Thanks Chris, you are so right about this.
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