Author Topic: Issue with teak oil (bad smell)  (Read 4904 times)

Aaron Vice

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Issue with teak oil (bad smell)
« on: November 27, 2014, 08:03:03 AM »
Finished 2 calls in teak oil 3 weeks ago. One hedge one bocote. The Bocote still smells really strong. The hedge had no odor. I read later that bocote is oily. I did not prep the call prior to dipping. My guess is that the oil in the wood is not allowing the real oil to dry. Is this the case? If so, whT can I do to fix it at this point. The call came out really nice, and I want to salvage it.

Thanks

Offline Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks

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Re: Issue with teak oil (bad smell)
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2014, 09:31:58 AM »
Did you wipe the bocote call off really thoroughly after you dipped/soaked it in the teak oil?  I've used teak oil a number of times, but never on bocote.  My experience is mostly with Velvit oil, which is pretty similar stuff, and it works fine on bocote with not really much of a smell.  You're probably right about the oils in the wood interfering with the drying, but my guess is that in time the odor will subside.  I've never once used acetone or anything to pre-wipe my oily wood calls before dipping in Velvit oil but it certainly can't hurt on the next one to see if it changes anything.  I always focus on doing a very, very thorough job of drying the calls' surface off after soaking in oil, as I don't want any of that oil sitting on the surface of the wood.  The oil that penetrates is the oil that counts!

You know....You might be able to wipe that finished call down with acetone at this point to remove any excess teak oil and some of the bocote oil.  Let that dry and start from scratch.  Not sure, but it could be worth a shot.  If acetone won't cut the teak oil I bet mineral spirits would.
« Last Edit: November 27, 2014, 09:34:36 AM by Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks »

Offline Henry H

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Re: Issue with teak oil (bad smell)
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2014, 09:37:16 AM »
Teak oil means very different things to different manufacturers so it is hard to answer without knowing the brand... but since you said that one of the calls dried hard, I'll assume the teak oil you have is the linseed oil/varnish blend.

My first question is whether you wiped the excess off after dipping the call.  With oils and varnishes, you must wipe off the excess before it gets tacky or it will cure tacky (or not at all), regardless of wood type.

As to how to fix, Flexner recommends fine steel wool and naptha/mineral spirits - and a little elbow grease!

Aaron Vice

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Re: Issue with teak oil (bad smell)
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2014, 10:59:11 AM »
It was Watco brand of that makes a difference.

I did not whipe the call right away. That may have been my problem. But weird that t didn't happen with the second call (hedge) which is why I thought about the natural oils in bocote...all other variables being equal.

Offline Henry H

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Re: Issue with teak oil (bad smell)
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2014, 11:49:50 AM »
Pretty sure the watco is linseed oil and varnish.

It could be that the hedge "absorbed" more of the finish so there wasn't excess to cure.  I haven't used watco teak oil so can't give specific advice, but with oils, varnishes, and oil varnishes you need to wipe of the excess before it starts to get tacky.  Wit pure tung oil, that is usually 45-60 minutes in my shop.  With varnishes usually 20-30 minutes.  Of course, that varies mixture by mixture ad temp/humidity also have a big impact.

When you refinish that bocote call, if you're worried about oils, use some naphtha or acetone to wipe the call down... and apply your first coat of finish as soon as the solvent evaporates.  It doesn't take long for the oils to resurface.  While you have the finish out, put a few generous drops on a piece of glass or other nonporous surface and observe it over the subsequent hours and days... that will give you great insight into how it cures.  I think you'll find that where you have a glob it will wrinkle and cure very soft.

Offline dogcatcher

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Re: Issue with teak oil (bad smell)
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2014, 12:24:16 PM »
On the oily woods you have to "cover or cleanse" the wood before you finish them.  For woods like coco and bocote I used to wipe with acetone then coat with shellac.  Then finish with spar varnish.  But now I use neither of them, one itch was enough.

Almost all of the oil finishes are mixes of some oil, BLO or Tung, mineral spirits, and a varnish, that includes the various manufacturers of teak oils, the Danish oils, and Velvit Oil.  The exceptions are straight Tung and BLO, both of which take a long time to dry, that's why very few people use either as a finish.   Read this article by Russ Fairfield, especially the "Finishing Secrets" part.  http://www.woodcentral.com/russ/russindex.shtml

To clean up the mess on the bocote, soak a half sheet of good paper towel and wipe it down GOOD inside and out.  Stick it on the lathe and scrub it inside and out with 0000 steel wool.  Then light dry and do it all over again, and then sand to whatever grit you sand too.

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