Thinning Danish Oil

[Dchatley]

I have my danish oil in a big plastic bin that has a lid but it does not have a totally air tight seal.

My question is if I need to thin it back out a little what would I use?

Mineral spirts etc?

Now...if any one knows where to buy a plastic container that does have a air tight seal that would be great. The bin Im using now is about 12"x13" by 5.5 deep which makes it great for dipping the average sized project.

Thanks,

Dan

[workin for wood]

I'd contact Watco and ask them.

[Magpie]

Until you do find a bin you like, put some Saran wrap under your lid

[Barefoot1]

And the less air space in your storage container the better. I always put the danish oil back in the can for storage, and when I pour it back out I use a paint filter to get the crud out that accumulates from pouring it out all the time and then back.

[Pajaro]

I may be out of sorts here, but when you put danish oil in a plastic bin, wont it start to soften or have some chemical effect on the plastic. I know some oil base products will dissolve Styrofoam. I don't use danish oil and try to stay away from most oil base products. Just wondering. I have a can of Clear Oil base Poly that I have to cut the top 1/8" that has skimmed over and harden, out of the can every time I use it. I have tried, after putting the top back on, and I tape around it, but no help. I know the less air in the can the better it is. Short of putting ball barrings or marbles in the can to fill the void, what else is there.

[BobD]

Rocks, ballbearing, etc, is the best thing to do, Pete. They sell a product called bloxygen that is an inert gas compressed into a can that you blow into the container right before putting the lid on, but I've never used it and don't know how it works.

I know mineral spirits is a component of danish oil, but I'm not sure how it will react if you thin it too much. I envision it somewhat like making a thinner and thinner cut of shellac...the more you thin it, the more coats you'll need to apply to a good finish (brainstorming here...I don't really know one way or the other).

Bob

[Plaquerd]

Pete
One way to stop the hardening is to "float" a piece of polyethylene plastic on top of the liquid. Cut a piece bigger than the circumference of the can and push it down onto the liquid and against the sides of the can. No air can get to the finish this way. The one thing with doing this is that some of the finish sticks to the polyethylene, so have something to catch the drips when you remove it from the can.

[SNAPPER]

For small pieces I pour Danish oil in a tin can for dipping, then return the unused oil back into the original container. For larger pieces I use a large cookie sheet and flood the pieces with Danish oil using a brush. If you have a good container I would try the saran wrap under the lid. When I have a half can of putty I double up a piece of saran wrap and cover the contents that is left. Drying out is pretty much eliminated. I have never had to thin Danish oil.
Dean

[Barefoot1]

Bloxygen, I have never heard of that one but other similar products are sold in fine wine stores. You use it to preserve an open bottle of good wine you want to finish later. After all, life is too short for cheap wine . . .