How Can I Remove Gummy Danish Oil?

[Eric Jacobson]

I turned a birch bowl. Wiped on about 3 light coats of Watco Danish Oil. Waited 2 weeks. Ate a salad from it and washed it with soap and hot water. Then a knot formed and cracked through on the bottom about a day later. I filled in the crack with CA glue, sanded it back down where the glue was and noticed the sanded area looked drier and begged for some finish to match the rest of the bowl. So I wiped more Danish Oil into the sanded area and figured, what the heck, while I'm at it I may as well coat the whole bowl again.

The sanded area absorbed the Danish Oil and feels fine now. However, the rest of the bowl did not like the additional coat. It has turned into a gummy, sticky looking mess.

I think I learned my lesson...don't apply more Danish Oil after the initial coats dry. Was that my mistake?

And finally, is there an easy way to fix the gummy finish? Something like, wiping mineral spirits on it or just waiting long enough for it to dry out of the gummyness on it's own...what should I do?

[Jeff Nicol]

The mineral spirits is the right thing to do and then let it dry for a few days and then put a very light coat of the oil back on. The finish could be getting old too and needs to be thinned back down a bit. The mineral spirits will do that too. One other thing I don't use bowls with danish oil finish for maybe a month or more to make sure it is completly dried in the grain. The outside will look dry but the oil soaked in the wood could still be sticky. If any moisture gets in too it could cause the un-dry finish float out as oil and water don't mix. I use mineral oil and bees wax finish of my own making and that works better for bowls that will be used for eating and is easy to reapply whenever needed.

Hope that helps,

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jeff is right on. I had some old finish that I could never get to dry so took it off with mineral spirits. Got a new can of Antique Oil and no more problems. I always let them age or dry for a month before any kind of use. On my utility bowls I use Mahoney's walnut oil.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I've used mineral spirits for that very same problem and it works great. When you re-apply the danish oil - make sure you wipe off any excess - a couple of times - before setting it aside to dry. I have checked on turnings after a couple of days and found that there had been some oil that had traveled to the surface - if it does - just wipe it off.

I agree with the others - wait at least 30 days for the oil to cure. Very general rule of thumb - if you can still smell the finish - it's not cured.