Oily rags..... again.... sorry!

[Argus]

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The hazards of Linseed, Danish and other workshop oils catching fire are well known, and there’s a lot of heat but not much light on the subject of rapid oxidisation causing oil-saturated rags catching fire spontaneously. (Sorry about the pun….. couldn’t resist it).

Recently, a well-known woodworking ‘guru’ has been writing about the low hazards of 3-in-1 oil as a plane-oiler – he says that stuffs a wad of rags soaked in 3-in-1 in an old soup tin….. and won't touch linseed with a barge pole.

If 3-in-1 is safe in this context, what other oils are ‘safe’…. For example Camellia Oil?

What’s the consensus on non-hazardous oils? I must admit it’s a subject I’m wary of but not knowledgeable.


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[CHJ]

It’s my understanding that as oil such as Linseed-Tung etc. dries it polymerises and the quicker the oil dries and the molecules change their structure and cross bond with oxygen the more heat is produced.

I don’t think Mineral oils that dry out much slower present the same level of risk.
However if I was to go for a mineral oil soaked rag tool wipe it would be in a tin with a secure lid to reduce the air/oxygen exposure when stored.

 

[hammer n nails]

i keep my used rags in a old steel bread bin with the lid secured

 

[Sgian Dubh]

There is no danger of 3 in 1 oil igniting no matter how tight the rags are wadded up, if that's your concern. It's a non-drying oil so it doesn't change and just stays wet within the rag.

I'm not sure what point you are making regarding the "guru's" disdain for linseed oil. You are omitting something in your report and something is out of context. You need to tell us what he won't use linseed oil for before it makes any sense-- you certainly wouldn't use it for lubricating stones whilst sharpening plane or chisel irons, and I wouldn't use it for lubricating plane soles-- candle wax is better for that.

Off the top of my head I can't recall if camellia oil is a drying oil or not. If it's a drying oil, there's a risk of spontaneous ignition if the rags are bundled up. If it's non-drying oil, like motor oil (or 3 in 1) there's no risk of ignition. Slainte.

 

[Argus]

You need to tell us what he won't use linseed oil for before it makes any sense-- you certainly wouldn't use it for lubricating stones whilst sharpening plane or chisel irons, and I wouldn't use it for lubricating plane soles-- candle wax is better for that.

I did tell you. You didn't stop to read it.

I said in my post that it was used as a plane oiler. In other words the tin was stuffed with rags and linseed oil and was used (by others, not him) as an oil wick for planes.

I agree that it's useless on stones, and dries too quickly for other uses but that wasn't the point.

This is the piece in question:
http://paulsellers.com/2012/10/3-in-1-y ... ed-oil-no/.

You could use candles, .... Personally, I prefer to drag the plane sole over an oil box on the bench. Quicker than candles - no stopping.

My secondary question was about Camellia oil, which I prefer on wooden plane soles and as far as I can tell is non-drying. Pob Hwyl.

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[Halo Jones]

Argus, that was not the most polite reply back to someone.

You actually said that

a well-known woodworking ‘guru’ has been writing about the low hazards of 3-in-1 oil as a plane-oiler

You mention linseed oil in the first sentence but give it no context.

This used to be a very happy forum but I must admit I have been reading it less and less due to the snippy and confrontational attitude of some.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Sorry Argus, but I did read what you wrote: I try to fully understand a question before I respond, but in this case I guess the context escaped me entirely. I have to admit that I didn't realise you were asking about suitable methods to reduce friction between the sole of a plane and the wood being planed. I rather thought you might be asking about keeping the cast iron rust free between uses or something similar! Sorry for misunderstanding you completely but this is what you said that sent me off in the wrong direction. I must improve my reading skills, and I'll go and stand in a corner for a while until they're better, ha, ha. Slainte.

Recently, a well-known woodworking ‘guru’ has been writing about the low hazards of 3-in-1 oil as a plane-oiler – he says that stuffs a wad of rags soaked in 3-in-1 in an old soup tin….. and won't touch linseed with a barge pole.

 

[Fivetide]

I spent several years on a planer and thicknesses as an apprentice and we used a white wax block, I am in fact trying to find out what it was , its 27 years ago and on Monday I will be going back to being a wood machinist, after spending 27 years staring at a computer screen. How things go around eh ? but yes , we always used like i said some block of white wax which didnt soak into the wood like oils do.

 

[GazPal]

You need to tell us what he won't use linseed oil for before it makes any sense-- you certainly wouldn't use it for lubricating stones whilst sharpening plane or chisel irons, and I wouldn't use it for lubricating plane soles-- candle wax is better for that.

You could use candles, .... Personally, I prefer to drag the plane sole over an oil box on the bench. Quicker than candles - no stopping.

My secondary question was about Camellia oil, which I prefer on wooden plane soles and as far as I can tell is non-drying. Pob Hwyl.

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Camelia oil is typically either a scented mineral oil derivative, or - in it's purest form - processed via pressing Camelia, so - like 3 in 1 oil - tends to be less reactive than curing oils. 3 in 1 is honestly a darned sight better suited to blade preservation and saw/plane lubrication than "traditional" Japanese Choji (Clove) and Camelia oils. Clove and Camelia oils were traditionally used because they smell a darned sight better than their otherwise available fish oils.