Oil Varnish drying time?

[pigcat]

Hi All!

I've been wondering what's the normal drying time for fulton

varnish. Mine dry every 72hours (roughly 3 full days) to become

hard enough to accept another coat without messing up. I can even

wipe the new layer off with solvent (if I'm not satisfy with it

within 1~1 1/2 days) and the previous dried layer would stay

there.

I use blacklight tube for drying, but i didn't use any hardener at

all. 3 full days is pretty OK for me and I can accept it no problem

cause I'm only doing retouching (of the original finish) and I only

need a few layer. Just wondering what's the normal drying time

cause I want to check if my blacklight is doing anything at

all...

Thanks in advance!

PS: If you would state your other oil varnish and drying time it'll

be great as a reference for anyone wish to check these stuffs under

one thread.

[Michael_Molnar]

Fulton varnish is very slooooow drying. I saw in one demo that it took three days in daylight (in the shade during a dry summer.)

[Jacob]

In the shade is no good, you need direct sunlight. Then one day is enough.

[Collin]

quote:

---

Just wondering what's the normal drying time cause I want to check if my backlightt is doing anything at all...

---

A standard black light gives off predominantly UVA, whereas varnish dries quicker under UVB (UVB being higher in frequency, and thus having more energy, due to the fact that all "waves" are actually particle-waves, and (with this theory) higher frequency=more energy, which is then released in infinitesimal packets called "quanta" which gives quantum physics its name). Sunlight gives off much more UVB than black lights, and, ergo, is preferable to black lights.

[jward]

I have been researching this issue with UV lights and drying

varnish and I would agree that blacklights, in general, are a weak

source of UV and don't do a very good job.  They emit almost

exclusively around 350nm, UVB being 280nm-320nm.  The problem

now days is that the government by virtue of eye injury cases, has

restricted the manufacture of high UVB lamps.  It use to be

that Philips offered, I believe, a 70% UVA/30% UVB fluorescent lamp

but doesn't any longer.  Now, you basically see sun tanning

lamps that have only 9 or 10% UVB and come, by and large, in 5 or 6

foot lengths.  The reptile business uses lamps upwards of 10%

UVB, have shorter lengths,  but offers only low wattage lamps

at an all too healthy price.  Aside from germicidal UVC

 which some people believe is too hard on varnish, yet there

are those who use them, I wish I could find a decent 2-4 foot lamp

with a higher UVB spectrum.  I feel better now that the

government is protecting me from going blind since they know best

what a terrible affliction it is to have the blind leading the

blind.

[saintjohnbarleycorn]

I feel better now that the government is protecting me from going blind since they know best what a terrible affliction it is to have the blind leading the blind. ..

I will check, I use a uv light to spot leaks in ( with a dye) A/C systems, you need special glasses so I would assume its uvb, but I will see if I can find the data on it. Although it is in the form of a floodlight configuration.

[Collin]

Check this out:

UV Lamps

I'm not sure what the prices are, and ordering might be tricky, as they like companies, but they have lamps for UVA, UVB, and UVC.

[joerobson]

Hi all,

The trade off as I see it is brushing time. Oil varnish can be made to dry in about 1 day without the use of concentrated UV light. But...one has to be quick with the brush or able to apply you coat without going back over the surface once it has been coated. Longer drying times [that is "dry to tack time"] give more brushing time.

Joe

[pigcat]

Thanks guys! I think I'll try to do a test where 2 strips of wood

with varnish, 1 will be sitting under the light and one without and

see how things goes.

And thanks for the great link Collin, the multiple ray lamp looks

really interesting and suits my need, although I may not even need

it in the future but if I ever need one again I might be ordering

one of this.

Guess 3 days for fulton varnish is pretty typical...gotta live with

that...

[PeterG]

I use a blacklight and live with the longer drying times. The blacklight does work, although slower than a UVB light. The advantage is that you don't need a closed in cabinet with its attendant heat and ventilation problems. My varnish takes 2 to 3 days under the blacklight, or one to two days under direct sun. If I cook the varnish longer, it dries faster, but is harder to work with. I use fir balsam with asphalt for color.

[Michael_Molnar]

quote:

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Originally posted by:

Jacob

In the shade is no good, you need direct sunlight. Then one day is enough.

---

Hi Jacob,

I was under the imporession that direct, excessive sunlight, such as in Tucson, Arizona where the Chimneys Workshop did this demo, can weaken glue seams.

Perhaps CT can elaborate. He lives in (hot, dry) New Mexico.

I use a dust-free UV cabinet so I have no direct experience with outside drying.

[MANFIO]

Here the sun is hot and temperatures can reach 35 degrees Celsius, I leave my instruments under the sun. I hang them so that they will swing under the wind taste. I never had an open joint on the back or top for that, but sometimes the top or back will get ungled from the ribs, I just glue them back. I find that the humid/dry cycles are good for sound too.

[Jacob]

It's like Manfio says. The sun doesn't "weaken" the glue joints, so I've never, ever had a centre seam fail, but the plates separating from the ribs is a common occurance because of severe expansion/contraction, for obvious reason (and it might even be a good thing, as Manfio says).

[jward]

I, too, have used exclusively the sun for drying and have to admit

I am nervous about heat build-up and joint failure.  When the

instrument is darkened down it becomes even more of a problem.

 I'll lean the instrument so it gets the best angle of rays

and hope I remember to rotate it before it gets too hot.  I am

thinking about making my own simple rotisserie with

gear-reduction motor so it can revolve, maybe, a couple times a

minute.  Anything to give more balance to heat distribution.

 I'd like to keep my rib joints in tact.

[~ Ben Conover]

I add a few drops of Rustin's Terebine driers to each applied coat of my home made oil varnish, then into the UVA room, the varnish dries in a few hours ready for next coat. After all is done I give the varnish a several days more UVA to make sure it will not take a thumb print, ie it will be tough enough under the bridge etc. 

Basically, just make sure it's hard enough to fit the instrument up properly, or you could be in for a lot of tweeking. 

[Violin Varnish Italy]

4 hours ago, ~ Ben Conover said:

I add a few drops of Rustin's Terebine driers to each applied coat of my home made oil varnish, then into the UVA room, the varnish dries in a few hours ready for next coat. After all is done I give the varnish a several days more UVA to make sure it will not take a thumb print, ie it will be tough enough under the bridge etc. 

Basically, just make sure it's hard enough to fit the instrument up properly, or you could be in for a lot of tweeking. 

i reccomend "sikkative nr.203" of kremer pigmente , i use that in my varnish