BLO Slow to dry

[Dennis Ryan]

I've been using the same can of boiled linseed oil for a while with no problems until now. A piece I coated two days ago is still wet. Usually it's dry to the touch after a couple of hours, or certainly overnight. As recently as two weeks ago I tested some scraps and it was fine, so I dont know what happened, the can, which was mostly empty must have gone bad!

In any case Should I let it go for a few days and see what happens, or should I try to clean it off somehow (naptha?)

Any advice here would be very much appreciated!

Dennis

[Jim Becker]

Are you wiping any excess off after 30-60 minutes? If so, and it's still not curing after another day or so, you definitely have some bad oil. Try mineral spirits or Naptha to try and remove anything on the surface. Given the oil is already "in the wood" and you already at least have the grain enhancement covered with the oil, use a barrier coat of de-waxed shellac to seal things and move on to your other finishing steps.

[Steve Schoene]

You didn't mention the wood on which you used the BLO. That could be a factor in the drying. Jim's advice is right on--use paint thinner or naptha to remove as much as possible.

[Dennis Ryan]

The wood is a Honduran Mahogany veneer. I wiped off the excess after about 30 min, which is my usual procedure.

I'll clean it as you directed. The next coat was going to going to be seedlac, which has not been dewaxed. Do you think dewaxed is important here? The only additional finish I was going to give it is some wax (which I assumed would be compatible with the shellac)


Thanks again for your advice,
Dennis

[Jim Becker]

The seedlac is fine if you are not top-coating with a water borne finish or anything containing polyurethane resins. Wax is just fine!

[Dennis Ryan]

Naptha before dinner, seems much better after dinner. Thanks to all who replied

Dennis

[Jim Becker]

Naptha before dinner, seems much better after dinner. Thanks to all who replied

Personally, I find a nice red to be quite soothing before and during dinner, myself...

[Dennis Ryan]

Personally, I find a nice red to be quite soothing before and during dinner, myself...

Too fancy for me. Even my naptha comes from a box

[Steve Schoene]

By the way, Honduran mahogany isn't a problem wood fpr drying oils, so I'd chuck the rest of that batch of BLO. Glad it's working out for you. The seedlac could do nice things for the mahogany--it's a rich color on that wood.