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Hey guys, it's been awhile since posting on Woodnet, and I am posting out of frustration and looking for advice for my next go around. I turned some jar lids for some jars my mom had that were going to be used to hold butter (I actually didn't know there intended use when I was making them) and ended up finishing them with Watco danish oil. I finished them more than a month ago maybe 2. I finally gave them to her during our covid tailgate Christmas last weekend, where we met the folks halfway. My wife messaged me today and said my Mom called looking for me and said the smell ruined the butter she put in it and said something about my mom ruining the lids. I finally heard from her tonight that she now has the lids soaking in a mixture of bleach and vinegar, before actually talking to me about other solutions, so who knows what that is going to do to the wood. I've had other issues with things I've made her that weren't really an issue (confirmed by my Dad) and she ruined them or complained about them, so these are probably the last things I make for her. Even before leaving with the lids she said something about attaching something like drawer pulls to the top of them. I kept my mouth shut though. Drama aside, I thought Danish oil was food safe, but I don't have a lot of experience with it, what did I do wrong? My thoughts are probably to either not finish the bottom side or use beeswax or walnut oil maybe. What do you guys think?
Thanks, Bob
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Some finishes take longer to completely cure than others.
While they might be food-safe when fully cured, using them for food storage raises the bar for just how cured they need to be.
As long as you can smell the finish at all, it is not cured enough for food storage.
"the most important safety feature on any tool is the one between your ears." - Ken Vick
A wish for you all: May you keep buying green bananas.
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12-25-2020, 04:50 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-25-2020, 04:51 AM by Wildwood.)
Food Safe Finishes:
https://www.finewoodworking.com/2006/08/...e-finishes
If going to finish wood for food contact I only use mineral oil (laxative) if had local source for bees wax would use combination of those products.
I am no chemist just looking at sections 2 & 3 would wouldn’t use that stuff for anything for food safe contact.
https://www.rustoleum.com/MSDS/ENGLISH/65751.PDF
Bill
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Any oil based finish is going to off-gas for a while, hence the common advice not to use it in interiors of cabinets or other enclosed places. So the advice about fully cured is spot on, and the time it takes for that to happen is, well, more than a month or 2. All finishes on the market right now are food safe, but choosing something that doesn't smell for a long time is just as important. Beeswax would be good (no experience with walnut oil) as would shellac (which is actually used as a coating for pills at times).
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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(12-25-2020, 07:21 AM)fredhargis Wrote: Any oil based finish is going to off-gas for a while, hence the common advice not to use it in interiors of cabinets or other enclosed places. So the advice about fully cured is spot on, and the time it takes for that to happen is, well, more than a month or 2. All finishes on the market right now are food safe, but choosing something that doesn't smell for a long time is just as important. Beeswax would be good (no experience with walnut oil) as would shellac (which is actually used as a coating for pills at times).
Thank you all for the replies. Looks like a lesson learned here, I will choose something different in the future.
Bob
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12-25-2020, 09:16 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-25-2020, 09:17 AM by Wildwood.)
Fred, when started turning various CFR’s and other regulations were cited that said all wood finishes are safe once fully cured! Internet filled with those same claims today.
First issue is curing times because of many factors manufacturers don’t address fully cured for their finishing products. Due to many factors those fully curing times do differ. Manufacturers do publish data on dry to touch, re-coat, and use times under ideal conditions!
CFR’S do authorize food contact with many materials made from hazardous chemicals but mum of wood products! One thing all those products have in common is can be washed with hot soapy water or steamed cleaned!
In addition to Binzen’s article posted earlier take a look at what Adam has to say!
https://www.thepowertoolwebsite.com/food...d-finishes
The only rolling pins ever turned had no finish per customers request! Once could find many articles on line explaining why. Other items turn for food contact I use is mineral oil as explain earlier. On mixing & salad bowls provide customer with bottle of MO. Never use baby oil or industrial MO! I have used MO on honey dippers too!
I
do use film finishes on bowls, vases, and hollow forms not designed for food contact!
Bill
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12-27-2020, 10:04 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-27-2020, 10:08 PM by wood2woodknot.)
I would stick with a) mineral oil (pharmaceutical grade - cheap at the drug counter), b) shellac - as long as the contents are not alcohol or solvent based; and 3) salad bowl finish (well cured - see labelling).
My experience with Danish oil is that it takes a long time to cure so that the odor is gone. Close it up in a confined space and the odor reappears even after several weeks.
-aj
