Heating BLO, More Like Re-heating BLO

[Dave Gaul]

When heating BLO, is it ok to heat up the whole can, then re-heat the next time you need it?

If not, what do you use to heat what you need each time, what kind of container?

[Al Wasser]

There is no need to heat it unless you just want to warm it some in hopes of a liitle better penetration.

[Dave Gaul]

There is no need to heat it unless you just want to warm it some in hopes of a liitle better penetration.


I read here on SMC to heat it to allow better penetration and faster drying times...

[Prashun Patel]

It does thin the viscosity a little, which does make it easier to apply.

However, heating will also accellerate the polymerization, so heating and reheating is probably not good for it. You'll probably just get a little more gummy/skinny oopies around the rim of your container, but the bulk of the product should hold up ok.

This ain't kosher, I'm sure, but I decant it into yogurt containers, and then microwave it for about 10-20 seconds, watching it carefully. I do this with BLO, and with BLO+wax mixes that harden. With the BLO/wax, since it's not easy to decant, I just keep it in a glass jar and heat/reheat. With wax, there is really no downside to repeated heating/reheating. That stuff does not polymerize.

[Neal Clayton]

actually i don't know that it would hurt it at all, that's the recommended way to soften up linseed oil based glazing putty, for instance, heat it in the microwave til you get the consistency of play doh, then go to work with it.

[Scott Holmes]

Heating it will loosen it up and thin it a bit... Boiling it will ruin it.

BLO is never actually boiled; it looks as if it's boiling when they add the metal driers to the warmed linseed oil.

[Jim Becker]

In the odd moment when I do heat BLO, I do so in a water bath and use a candy thermometer to insure I don't go above 135º. This is purely to help with application/penetration when its somewhat cold in the shop. But I rarely do this...

[Dave Gaul]

Thanks to all for the info!

Jim, now that you mention it, it was one of your posts that I got the idea from. I did use a meat thermometer to monitor the temp. I do not have permanent heat in my shop yet, so I have been heating my BLO when I need it right away, but if I'm in the shop all day with the kero running, I don't worry about heating it...

So if I don't heat the BLO above 135º it's ok to reheat?