How to accelerate cure for leftover oil varnish?

[Kent A Bathurst]

Embarked on a thankless task I have been avoiding for a long time - re-org and cleanup of shelves where miscellaneous stuff got stuck. Partial boxes of deck screws, various lengths of rope/cord and miscellaneous metals, all kinds of stuff.....plus varnishes.

I have a [fairly small] number of partial pints and qts of a variety of oil-based finishes. Don't need them, won't use them, all minimum of 4 years old - some more like 7 - 8 years old.

Is there a fast-cure method to "cook off" the curing and get me to solid? Or, at least, get to non-liquid. I can spread it out on newspaper, etc and let nature take it course, but that will be a space-consuming, time-consuming effort.

Thanks

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Kent, keep in mind I live in a semi-arid environment. I typically wait until summer, open the can and sit it out on our patio. It doesn't take long then.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Ken - thanks - yeah, I can do sorta the same thing. Let it sit for 1- 2 days, and I will get 1/2"+ skin on the top, use a stick to glop that out into another can, another couple days.................till the bottom of the can.

I was hoping there was some bat-perspiration-eye-of-newt-Gandalf-incantation I could add that would speed things up chemically.

I am fairly sure that a cookie sheet and 150* oven would do it, but I need to have the car packed and running for an immediate getaway before I start that.............

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I hear you Kent....I once made the mistake of using my wife's microwave to dry a cherry goblet I was turning........Even though it was always in a paper sack in the microwave, the odor of cherry drying in a microwave strained our relationship!

[Perry Holbrook]

We recently had the house painted. I asked the painters how they hardened any left over paint so it could be taken to the landfill. They said use kitty litter. So I tried mixing about 15 gal of old paint we had stored in the basement, some over 10 years old, with kitty litter. After mixing (in several small batches) spread the mix out on plastic garbage bags. In a couple of days it was solid. Put the solid in the bags and put on the curb for pickup.

The same approach should work for oil based products.

Perry

[Stan Calow]

I used kitty litter for this purpose when we had a cat. Now, I'll use sawdust - which I seem to always have.

[Prashun Patel]

If you don't wish to wait, can you use some Japan drier?

[Jon Nuckles]

I think that you should use the kitty litter to garbage route only for latex paint. Many/most communities have hazardous waste collection sites where you can drop off oil based finishes in the can.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I think that you should use the kitty litter to garbage route only for latex paint. Many/most communities have hazardous waste collection sites where you can drop off oil based finishes in the can.

The kitty litter is good for latex - wouldn't want to try it with oil-based - which is exothermic as it cures. I envision one big hunk of burning kitty litter.

No luck finding oil-based haz mat disposal here in Atlanta - tried that first, but will keep looking. Anyone find that service, I'd be obliged if you pass it along.

[Kent A Bathurst]

If you don't wish to wait, can you use some Japan drier?

I dunno - zero experience with japan drier - sorry to be dumb, but what's it do? What's its normal purpose/use?

[Prashun Patel]

It has salts in it that seem to accelerate the reaction. I have not used it myself, I have only read about it.

[Kent A Bathurst]

It has salts in it that seem to accelerate the reaction. I have not used it myself, I have only read about it.

Looks like the eye of newt I am looking for. 8 bucks at the Borg - worth a shot.

[Prashun Patel]

Go for it, Heisenberg. You may find that your varnish turns into brilliant blue crystals. Just tread lightly near Albuquerque with it.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Kent....after further thought, our local garbage center has two large containers where you can place any type of paint, oil or latex and finishes. We just drive to the center and place the cans in the container. You might check with your local municipality.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Tried that Ken - nuttin turned up in Metro Atlanta for oil - they all say they accept latex but no oil-based. Even saw a general discussion thing for greenies that lamented the absence of oil-based disposal here.