wrote in message
...
On Feb 5, 9:42 am, "Lew Hodgett" wrote:

Maybe it's different in other parts, but around here the BLO is
sold
in cans with instructions on the sided of the can to cut it
with turps
before applying.

The BLO I have is about 15 years old or so. I don't use it
unless I
am making a witches brew of my own or experimenting. My can
doesn't
have any instructions on it.

I am surprised it says to use turpentine. The best thinner
(although
others work) for BLO is Naptha, or VM&P, which is a different
blend of
Naptha.

Specifically, the difference between using out of the can
thinned as
per your instructions wouldn't yield much difference than the
Watco
formula.

They Watco will have a lot more driers in it though to make it
harder
and dry faster. BLO in itself has very little. The reason you
thin
BLO out of the can is to make it easier to apply. But when you
do
that, you cut the amount of drier/hardener down by as much as
you
thin, resulting in a longer curing, probably inferior end
product.

It would be inferior only in the respect that it doesn't cure
out as
hard. At least with the Watco you get a tiny bit of protection.
With
plain BLO you get almost none.

Of course, the solution would be to add a metallic drier.

But then you would have homemade Watco, right? It would just
cost 1/2
as much.

My point was (agreeing in essence with you) that you could make
the
stuff as needed with products you have on hand with no reason to
buy
it.

Robert


I really appreciate this discussion and am learning a lot. Thanks

--
Nonny

ELOQUIDIOT (n) A highly educated, sophisticated,
and articulate person who has absolutely no clue
concerning what they are talking about.
The person is typically a media commentator or politician.