Watco Danish Oil Finish

Oxygen is what cures the finish, so oxygen in an opened container might have caused some sedimentation and loss of dryer. Second thought is that water and oil don't mix, so if the wood was a tad damp, it'll have to get over it before the Watco cures.

REALLY old stuff? The original had a phenolic resin that would actually cure with water around, phenol being an alcohol. One of the few things I could get to stick to PEG-soaked stuff.

Harry, I have never used the Watco (I use a similar product from Deft). If it is cool or cold in your shop, that will slow down the curing process. Also, it will be dry enough to touch in 12 to 24 hours, but the solvents don't evaporate out for a couple of days, and the curing process takes a week or three, depending on how many coats, and the temperature. I have found that older finish gets tacky faster than newer finish. To prevent oxidation of the finish in the can, you can use Bloxygen (an inert gas that you spray into the can) or pour the finish into one of the collapsable plastic containers (like boxed wine comes in -this tip came from Dr. Roger Michaelson). robo hippy

"Harry B. Pye" wrote in news:f130d$42507ca3$d1cc7cd3$ snipped-for-privacy@snip.allthenewsgroups.com:

Was it cold last night in your shop? We got down to about 40 here, with humidity. Waterlox didn't cure completely overnight either, and that was a thinly wiped coat. Shellac on the other test piece did just fine, however.

Give it another warm day, with ventilation. Or bring it inside.

Patriarch

I used to use Watco Danish Oil quite a lot, and applied according to the instructions on the can it was _usually_ dry to the touch overnight. However, if the wood or weather were damp, if it was cool or the wood was already an oily one, (not the case with cherry, though) it would remain "damp" feeling for days sometimes. I'd give it at least a week before I'd consider doing something else to it.

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September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question. I think I'm suffering from impatience. The bowl was quite dry, it was a blank from Woodcraft. I put the Watco on while sitting at my kitchen table so the room was comfortably warm. I kept the bowl 'shiny wet' for the better part of an hour before wiping off the excess. On the can it says it dries in ten hours. The following morning it was quite a bit dryer but you could still smell it. It is a little better today.

I plan to use the Beall buffing system on it and am reluctant to rub anything into the surface until it is quite a bit dryer. Like I said, I'm probably impatient.

Thanks again, Harry

There's the problem. You overapplied. Inside trying, outside drying will prolong the process quite a bit.

If you're going to buff, wait a couple weeks, or until a close sniff doesn't overwhelm.

When the Danish oil has been heavily applied and not wipe after 10 - 15 minutes it will start to jelled to a tacky surface. Leaving this coating to dry will not improve the finish of the surface and may create some lumps and still remain sticky. At time when I apply the Danish oil and someone calls me on the phone I over exceeds the 10 -15 minutes. When I come back to it I use solvent to remove the tacky oil. If the Danish oil has been left more than a day without wiping I remove the hard sticky finish with mechanical devices and start over. The mechanical devices maybe open coat sand paper, medium to fine steel wool or a scraper. One person can handle the coating timing when doing wood turning items. When doing large wood object like bookcases and the likes two persons is better. One applies the Danish oil and the second person wipes according to the scheduled time.

It took some time for me to learn the cardinal rule of using Danish oil - and they tell you right on the can. You MUST WIPE it off after it sets for

15 to 30 minutes. This time depends on temperature, humidity and the technique you use. You can often get away with not wiping the first coat - maybe the second. But when the finish starts to build you must wipe. My son and I built a quilt rack for his girlfriend a couple of years ago and I didn't follow the rule. It took days to dry. Good news was I finally set it in bright sunlight in our sunroom and it cured in a day or so.