stock refinishing

[jobu07]

When applying BLO to a stock, what is the typical wait time between coats?

 

[61chalk]

I don't use BLO anymore, but when I did, I would wait a day then another coat.
Usually 3 0r 4 coats seemed good, Then whenever it begins to look dry you can
add another coat whether its a few months or a year....

 

[jcwit]

Trouble with BLO is it never dryes. Don't believe it? Put some on a glass dish and let it sit, it'll get gummey, but never dry.

This is why we have Tru-Oil and Minwax Antique Oil Finish.

 

[Lee Roder]

BLO dries. It just needs oxygen to polymerize. Pouring it in a dish is too thick an application. Oxygen can't diffuse into the mass as it hardens so it doesn't polymerize completely. Hence it "never dries". It actually will but it will take a very very long time. You can cut it with solvent or just apply very thinly to increase its effective surface-to-volume ratio and so increase the rate of its oxidation.

I just treated a CMP stock with BLO after de-oiling the wood. The first 3 coats were cut 50% with acetone. These dried fast. The next 3 were straight BLO. I waited 24-36 hours between all coats before recoating and I ended up with a slightly "tacky" feel that took 6 weeks to disappear. Now I can run a cotton rag over all areas of the wood without leaving lint and the wood is smooth to the touch.

You need thin application, warmth, fresh air, and lot of patience to use BLO. Based on this experience, when I do this again, I'll just wait between coats until it's dry rather than blindly reapplying after 24 or 36 or 48 hours. It might actually be faster overall.

 

[jcwit]

Pouring it in a dish is too thick an application.

Read my post, I said put some on at dish as in a coat on the glass or glazed surface. Understand.

For an excellent book regarding gunstocks look up (Gunstock Finishing and Care, by Newell, published by Stackpole books).

I would imagine your location would really help with the limited drying characteristics of BLO also.

 

[Customstox]

The US Department of Agriculture did a research paper on wood finishes some years ago. They rated them in relation to resistance to water. BLO was at the bottom of the pile at 25% resistant to moisture. It does not dry well at all and a lot of the darkening that you see on the surface is accumulated dirt and grim from your hands. In the turn of the century, it was the best finish we had, but we also had wooden spoke wheels on our cars back then. There are a myriad of finishes that are far better than BLO on todays market.

 

[Lee Roder]

Read my post, I said put some on at dish as in a coat on the glass or glazed surface. Understand. ... I would imagine your location would really help with the limited drying characteristics of BLO also.

The drips of straight BLO down the side of my can are dry. The rags used dry too (so I can throw them out). They dry even faster if the BLO is thinned.

But you are right in that environment may be a signficant factor for cure time.