Preserving tung oil in the can

I use LV polymerized tung oil sealer on some of my turned bowls to bring out the grain before finishing with my usual finish. It works great on sweetgum and chinaberry, dries overnight and is ready to steel wool and finish the next day.

I may use it every day for a few days but usually about once a week. After a few uses the remainder in the can will start to gel and the rest is wasted.

I tried using propane to remove the air from the can--a light blast from a propane torch (unlighted) and this helped, but eventually the tung oil gelled. I tried using freon from an AC refill canister. The next time I looked at the can, the freon had apparently dissolved in the tung oil and the can had partially collapsed. Bloxygen works, but is almost as expensive as another can of tung oil.

Then I bought a cylinder of nitrogen from my local auto parts store. We modified a medical O2 pressure reducer to fit the cylinder. I attached a piece of Oxygen tubing from the hospital and used 1' length of copper tubing for a wand. Have been using this over a year and there has been no gelling of the tung oil. After each use I blow out the can with nitrogen (just enough pressure that I can feel it coming out, not a blast).

After you buy the cylinder a refill is cheap, so they told me. So far I have not used the nitrogen up that came in the cylinder. The cylinder is about 5" diameter and 15 inches high.

Reply to
G. Ross
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So ow much does a can of nitrogen cost and what would a reducer cost?

While Blowygen is expensive it should treat 75 quart containers. I pay $14 for a container so each time i use it my cost is about 20 cents. Is the Nitrogen setup less expensive?

Reply to
Leon

"About $20" for a refill, and available locally. With Bloxygen I had to order and pay shipping. Not sure how long the nitrogen container will last, but suspect 2 or 3 years at my rate of use. I already had two oxygen reducers so only had to buy the different nut to fit these tanks. They are pretty common for home oxygen use so you might find one by asking around.

I had to buy the original cylinder, and full it cost me around $125 startup. I originally bought it to inject nitrogen into containers of sunflower seed to keep the weevils from eating them. I did that awhile but no longer do.

Reply to
G. Ross

Ok, Thanks. I use Bloxygen 3~4 times a year, My finishes don't set around much after opening and get used completely more often than not.

Reply to
Leon

Good to know about the nitrogen. I started using collapsable wine boxes. They work great contrary to what everyone here keeps telling me about plastic not being good for storage. I have not tried it on tung oil, but I love how the plastic bags remove all the air, and the nozzles are great for giving me just the amount of fluid I need, sometimes I have to squeeze the bag for thicker liquids. No rust, no mess.

Reply to
woodchucker

Never saw a "wine box", but it sounds like an excellent idea.

Reply to
G. Ross

The following link has a picture of "Box Wine" with a cut away view of the plastic bladder inside.

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Joe

Reply to
Just Another Joe

Well what will they think up next. Before you know it they will have telephones without wires!

Reply to
G. Ross

Well really in the US the wine box has been around for a few decades. And now since the plastic bag collapses, when the contents is emptied, no air gets in and the wine keeps for longer periods of time after being opened.

Reply to
Leon

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