How to accelerate cure for leftover oil varnish?

[scott vroom]

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.

Try Atlanta Paint Disposal dot com. They have oil based paint recycling centers embedded into 2 Benjamin Moore stores in the Atlanta area:

1) Benjamin Moore 3210 Roswell Rd NE 30305 (404) 467-8777
2) Benjamin Moore 1108 Chatachoochee Ave NW 30318 (404) 355-4744

Recycling cost is $2 per quart can of oil base finish

[Kent A Bathurst]

Try Atlanta Paint Disposal dot com. They have oil based paint recycling centers embedded into 2 Benjamin Moore stores in the Atlanta area:

1) Benjamin Moore 3210 Roswell Rd NE 30305 (404) 467-8777
2) Benjamin Moore 1108 Chatachoochee Ave NW 30318 (404) 355-4744

Recycling cost is $2 per quart can of oil base finish

Vroom Dude [tm]-

Thanks - I had been to that site, but it takes some dedicated digging to find that thy do accept oil-based, for a fee - a reasonable fee, IMO.

I have some spar varnish + Japan Drier cooking off right now - will be interested to see how long it takes. 12" disposable pizza tray, with about 2/3 pint mixed with way too much drier.

But - these guys appear to be the right deal.

Thanks, as always.

Regards

Kent

[Jon Nuckles]

Glad you found a disposal site. Surprising that they'll take latex and not oil at the municipal site. Ours won't take latex. Ours is open limited hours, but is manned when open. They take oil based finishes, old gasoline, computer parts and goodness knows what else. It is probably an expensive service to provide, but it sure is better than having people dump hazardous chemicals improperly.

[Scott Holmes]

I reach into my dust collector and fill the can with sawdust. Works with paints too... The trash man will take old paint cans if they have been filled with sawdust...

[Howard Acheson]

I'm with Scott except I use "kitty litter".

[Jon Nuckles]

I reach into my dust collector and fill the can with sawdust. Works with paints too... The trash man will take old paint cans if they have been filled with sawdust...

Scott, What the garbage man will pick up and what you can responsibly dispose of in the garbage are two different things. I don't know Tomball's requirements, but Houston would not allow that for the oil-based finishes that the OP asked about. This is from the city's website:

Disposal Latex Paint -- Latex paint is water-based and is non-toxic. Latex paint can be disposed of in your normal trash once it has been solidified. Latex paint can be easily solidified by mixing it with kitty litter or sawdust. This can be done in the can if there is just a little bit left in the can, or, if you have several cans or cans with alot of paint in them, you can mix the latex paint with kitty litter or sawdust in a double-lined trash bag. Then you can just tie up the bag and put it and your empty cans in the trash.

Latex may be disposed of at the Westpark Recycling Center and ESCs.

Oil-Based Paint -- Oil-based paint or paint that has the word "alkyd", flammable, or comustable on the label should be used up until none is left. This can be done by painting old boards or newspapers in a well-ventilated place. Then the painted wood and newspapers can go into the trash along with the empty can. Oil based paint is only be accepted at ESC's.

[Kent A Bathurst]

FWIW -

Disposable grocery-store pizza pan - 3 for $2.50. Lined with waxed paler

Poured out about 1/4" of varnish, way over-mixed with japan drier

24 hours - still liquid. but thickened

36 hours - heavy skin - pulled back to expose goop below

48 hours - cured.

Total of maybe 1 cup of varnish gone. It works, but too slowly - going the disposal-for-fee route with the other stuff.

Side benefit - I like the pizza pans - set varnish on it to open, stir, etc. Easy way to protect surfaces.

[Stan Calow]

Kent I tried the same experiment, but in containers. about 2 ounces of poly in each of two plastic cups. One tablespoon of Japan drier added to one of them. After 2 days, no difference between the two. In any case, drier's not cheap so would not be cost effective.