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+-- Thread: mineral oil on end grain cutting board (/showthread.php?tid=7333014)
mineral oil on end grain cutting board - toolie - 09-05-2017
I've started making end grain cutting boards and treating them with food safe mineral oil. To those of you who have made similar projects, how long does the mineral take to dry/cure to the point where the cutting board can be handled without feeling "oily"?
RE: mineral oil on end grain cutting board - Bill Holt - 09-06-2017
I soak each side 8 to 12 hours, wipe off, and they are ready to use the next day.
RE: mineral oil on end grain cutting board - ®smpr_fi_mac® - 09-06-2017
Mineral oil won't cure or dry. It has no polymerizing agents in it.
Use tung oil instead.
RE: mineral oil on end grain cutting board - ronlaughlin - 09-06-2017
What i do, and i am sure i am not the only one, is put cut chunks of paraffin into mineral oil. Put mineral oil into a canning jar, and put cut paraffin pieces into the jar. Put the jar into the microwave, and heat it up. By and by the paraffin disappears. Put more cut pieces of paraffin into the jar, and make it hot. When the oil seems saturated, call it good. When the jar cools the mixture will turn into a solid chunk looking like paraffin. To apply put the jar into the mic, until it is liquid, and use a blue shop towel dipped into the hot oil/paraffin. Be very very careful, the jar is very very hot, as is the oil. Welding gloves can be handy. After a couple uses, the board won't feel oily, and the finish is hard.
We are very much pleased with this finish, as are the many others that use these boards. The top surface doesn't mind being refinished about once a year, so one doesn't ever have too much oil/paraffin mixed up. The bottom of our board has never been refinished.
RE: mineral oil on end grain cutting board - FrankAtl - 09-06-2017
I always mixed mineral oil with paraffin too. Just like Ron said, it cures pretty quickly.
RE: mineral oil on end grain cutting board - Steve N - 09-06-2017
(09-06-2017, 04:30 PM)FrankAtl Wrote: I always mixed mineral oil with paraffin too. Just like Ron said, it cures pretty quickly.
Same here. I take it out, let it sit overnight, and the next day redo it again, if it looks like it took more, I'll do it until it doesn't. Varies with wood species it seems. If gifted, I make sure to type a nice card saying NEVER machine wash, or soak for a long period, just dunk it and wipe it really well. If it looks like it's getting dry I steer them toward the pharmacy section at a superstore, and have them buy a gallon of mineral oil, then to canning supplies for paraffin wax, and have them shave 1 part of wax for every 4 parts of oil, heat in the microwave to melt the wax, allow it to cool and then let it soak in. I find a big plastic Tupperware tub that will surround the board works well, and fill to at least 1/2 the thickness of the board. Done every 6 to 8 months is generally what I find it needing. Haven't seen Howie around here forever, but he's the one got me adding the wax, works a LOT better than just the MO.
RE: mineral oil on end grain cutting board - toolie - 09-06-2017
thanks to all for the advice. i saw the mineral oil and paraffin on the woodwhisperer and think its the next thing i'll try.
RE: mineral oil on end grain cutting board - atgcpaul - 09-07-2017
I use mineral oil and beeswax on mine. I need to recoat mine soon. The coating definitely doesn't last a year for me. It's much less.