briand@tekig4.UUCP (Brian Diehm) (10/17/85)
Well, I live in Oregon, and sometimes tools here get below the dew point
as well, especially when the weather trend is warming. For this reason I
have insulated my shop, which includes a vapor barrier. However, this last
week I have had an experience which may suggest a method of tool preservation
that is cheap and easy.
I have a Danish beechwood workbench, which has an oil finish. As it appeared
to be drying out, I decided to re-oil it. The directions emphasized that I
should use UNboiled linseed oil, an item I had never encountered. After calling
a local paint factory I decided regular boiled linseed oil was probably
preferable, as unboiled, aside from being rare, will remain on the surface and
get progressively more tacky. Anyway.
As I was oiling the wood, I ran the rag over the metal vise parts as well, as
they seemed to have a tacky preservative on them. I assumed it was a form
of cosmoline, used by auto parts mfrs to preserve steel parts for overseas
shipment. The linseed oil cut the tacky stuff great. I vowed to remember that,
as cosmoline is typically a b*tch to remove.
Much to my surprise, the oil I left behind became - exactly what I removed! It
wasn't cosmoline originally, it was linseed oil from the bench manufacturer's
own finishing line!
Yes, ordinary linseed oil formed a tacky, vaporproof finish on steel over-
night! This seems a LOT easier than waxing, and can be removed easily
whenever desired with ordinary paint thinner. The thinner a layer of oil,
the thinner and less tacky the result - wipe with a soaked rag and leave no
excess beyond what the rag leaves.
Now, I don't know whether or not this is an "official, approved, signed and
certified" use for linseed oil, but if it works here, it probably will work
in Ohio or Ioway or wherever they still speak English. Someone should give it
a try and report to this newsgroup on their success level, as Oregon probably
isn't a severe enough test environment.
-Brian Diehm
Tektronix, Inc. (DISCLAIMER: Tektronix, Inc. has no official position on
linseed oil either way. However, many company
spokespeople are pretty slippery in their own
right.)