Where to buy Mineral Oil/Butcher Block Oil?

[Mark Rios]

Where do you folks get your Butcher Block Oil (mineral oil)?

My local HD only (sometimes) carries it and when I can find it, it's $3 -$4 per 8 oz. bottle. That's $48 to $64 per gallon. Surely mineral oil can't be that expensive. Where can I find a similar product cheaper in say, gallon size?

Thanks very much.

[Chuck Saunders]

I get mine at Wal-Mart. Haven't looked for gallons.

[Matt Guyrd]

I bought my last bottle at Wooodcraft. But I have heard most pharmacies sell Mineral Oil (look near the laxatives, I believe).

I'm also looking for beeswax to mix with the mineral oil. I saw a one-pound block at Michael's Craft Store for THIRTEEN dollars!! That seems absurd. I think I can get it on-line for $6 plus shipping. There must be a more reasonable outlet.

Matt

[Bob Nelson]

I've bought butcher block oil at Rockler.

[Jim Becker]

The drug store. In the laxitive isle. Cheap. Same stuff, although slightly thicker. You can heat it a little if you prefer.

[Kyle Robinson]

I use walnut oil (available at Whole Foods and many other stores). Store the bottle in the fridge so it doesn't go rancid, but a thin layer on the cutting board dries quickly.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I buy mineral oil at the grocery store, in the first aid aisle. I don't pay attention to the cost, since I use it infrequently - one bottle lasts for years.

[Mark Rios]

Ya know, I forgot the other uses for mineral oil, silly me. (What a bonehead).

Thanks very much.

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to Walmart I go. :D

[Mike Henderson]

I'm also looking for beeswax to mix with the mineral oil. I saw a one-pound block at Michael's Craft Store for THIRTEEN dollars!! That seems absurd. I think I can get it on-line for $6 plus shipping. There must be a more reasonable outlet.

Matt
I bought beeswax on eBAy - I got 5 pounds for about $13 including shipping (don't remember exactly but it was about that). I shared it with my woodworking friends and still have a pound or more left.

Search for beeswax blocks.

Mike

[Jay Knoll]

You can get it in the supermarket as well!

[Craig Feuerzeig]

I always get it at the pharmacy... I think it's with the upset stomach stuff.

[Matt Guyrd]

Mike H...thanks for the beeswax tip. That is a heck of a lot cheaper than the prices I have come across. I'll be giving eBay a look!

Matt

[Frank Fusco]

I bought my last bottle at Wooodcraft. But I have heard most pharmacies sell Mineral Oil (look near the laxatives, I believe).

I'm also looking for beeswax to mix with the mineral oil. I saw a one-pound block at Michael's Craft Store for THIRTEEN dollars!! That seems absurd. I think I can get it on-line for $6 plus shipping. There must be a more reasonable outlet.

Matt

For bees wax, contact your county extension agent. Ask for the names of the local beekeepers organization. Then contact some of the beekeepers and ask for wax. Most consider it a nusiance byproduct of harvesting honey. Oftentimes they give it away, free. It will be 'dirty' and must be cleaned. Just melt over low heat and skim the crud from the surface.

[Bruce Wrenn]

For bees wax, contact your county extension agent. Ask for the names of the local beekeepers organization. Then contact some of the beekeepers and ask for wax. Most consider it a nusiance byproduct of harvesting honey. Oftentimes they give it away, free. It will be 'dirty' and must be cleaned. Just melt over low heat and skim the crud from the surface. As a former beekeeper (50+ hives), I disagree with you. Cappings and rendered wax can be traded for foundation, sold as candle wax, or candles. Slum-gum (that old ugly wax and foundation) can be melted in a solar wax melter and also turned into CASH!

[Charles McKinley]

Please be very careful heating bees wax. Use a double-boiler. It becomes highly flamable when heated.

[Robert Waddell]

Mark,
If you want a gallon or more, you can order it from STE Oil Co. in San Marcos, TX. Do a search on google for them. Their Crystal 70 is food grade and a lower viscosity than what you get in the drug store. Even with shipping cost you are cheaper per volume than the drug store.
rob

[Russ Filtz]

I use walnut oil (available at Whole Foods and many other stores). Store the bottle in the fridge so it doesn't go rancid, but a thin layer on the cutting board dries quickly.

I think you answered why mineral oil is probably better! Maybe on a simple edge grain board it might work, but on a real end grain board I think it would soak in too far and turn nasty. Does Walnut oil not get rancid when dry? I've also heard some people may be allergic to it?

[Howard Acheson]

Going one step further, a better and longer lasting cutting board/chopping block treatment is to use a mineral oil/paraffin mixture. Heat the mineral oil in a double boiler. Shave in some paraffin in about a 5-6 parts mineral oil to one part paraffin. Apply while hot and let set overnight. Next day, do it again. Repeat as long as the board absorbs the mixture. After the final application, lightly scrape off any excess and then buff with a soft rag.

The paraffin makes the treatment much more long lasting.

[Matt Guyrd]

I will be trying the oil/beeswax mix instead of the paraffin. I believe there are food-safe and non food-safe paraffins too...correct me if I am wrong.

I think I will still check with the county extension for local bee keepers. I don't mind paying a little more if it helps some of the local farmers and/or bee keepers.

Beeswax is highly flammable? Interesting. I'll have to investigate that more. My simple mind begs the question "why doesn't candles go up in flames?". Surely there is an explaination.

Matt

[Mark Rios]

I will be trying the oil/beeswax mix instead of the paraffin. I believe there are food-safe and non food-safe paraffins too...correct me if I am wrong.

I think I will still check with the county extension for local bee keepers. I don't mind paying a little more if it helps some of the local farmers and/or bee keepers.

Beeswax is highly flammable? Interesting. I'll have to investigate that more. My simple mind begs the question "why doesn't candles go up in flames?". Surely there is an explaination.

Matt

I didn't realize that beeswax was that volatile either Matt. However, right off the top of my head I would think because 1) not enough heat to start combustion of the entire mass of wax, and 2) in liquid form the vapors (what actually ignites) are in a much more flammable/volatile state.

[Jim Becker]

I think you answered why mineral oil is probably better! Maybe on a simple edge grain board it might work, but on a real end grain board I think it would soak in too far and turn nasty. Does Walnut oil not get rancid when dry? I've also heard some people may be allergic to it?

There is a type of walnut oil available (turners use it) that is "cooked" so that it will cure. I believe that Mike Mahoney who does a lot of stuff with Craft Supplies markets it or something like that. It's different than the type you get at the super market.

[Kyle Robinson]

Originally Posted by Russ Filtz
I think you answered why mineral oil is probably better! Maybe on a simple edge grain board it might work, but on a real end grain board I think it would soak in too far and turn nasty. Does Walnut oil not get rancid when dry? I've also heard some people may be allergic to it? from what I've heard in the past, a thin film of walnut oil will dry and hence not go rancid. A bottle stays liquid and can go rancid. But I tried looking it up this afternoon on the web and found opinions both ways about it going rancid when used on cutting boards. Some say its great, some say its dangerous. So I guess your mileage may vary.

If you look up "drying oil" on wikpedia you'll see some text that seems to imply that it would be safe
A drying oil is an oil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil) which hardens to a tough, solid film after a period of exposure to air. Drying oils are a key component of oil paint (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_paint) and many varnishes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varnish). Some commonly used drying oils include linseed oil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil), tung oil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tung_oil), poppy seed oil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poppy_seed_oil), perilla oil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla_oil) and walnut oil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walnut_oil). I can attest from occasionally sanding down the cutting board that their is a dried film that comes off and clogs sandpaper ;)

[David Rose]

Dollar Stores here carry it. I think it is 12 oz for a dollar.

David