The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Oiling

Author: The Doctor ★2017
Date: 2016-03-05 18:12

(Same disclaimer)
My view is that you should not seal the wood. Boiled linseed oil will polymerize over time and form a water impermeable membrane. Raw linseed oil will remain a sticky mess on the wood for a long time. I feel that the wood should be allowed to breathe, this is, absorb and let moisture evaporate which will keep a near constant moisture balance in the wood. This only happens if there is a natural oil (either from the Grenadilla wood or plant based oil mixtures which act in a similar manner as the natural oil) in the wood and the pores remain open.

I use plant based oils because they are designed by nature to interact with water forming hydrogen bonds and the oils thus hold moisture in the wood until drying energy overcomes this bonding and water can be lost from the wood. It takes little energy (overcoming the energy of hydration) to add moisture but a large amount of drying energy to remove the last of the moisture attached to the oil. Petroleum based oils (the majority of clear mineral oil bore oils sold in the marketplace) do not interact with water and actually displace water and the natural oils in the wood. The wood actually becomes more dry when using petroleum based oils. Although it may (usually only because there are volatile petroleum distillates in the bore oil added) soak in it does nothing for the structure (which it actually breaks down over time) of the wood or the moisture holding content of the wood.

As Steve points out the organic oil used must have antioxidants added to prevent autoxidation (turning rancid) and Vitamin E does a poor job. Other powerful natural plant derived antioxidants can keep oil useful for years.

I feel that if you seal the wood that eventually some areas will become worn which allows moisture to enter. This causes tremendous hydrostatic pressure gradients in the wood - some dry, some wet, which may be the casual agent for cracking.

I do not believe in over oiling the wood. Adding thin coats of oil with overnight standing will eventually leave unabsorbed oil on the surface (either bore or outside) which indicates that the wood has absorbed enough oil. For demonstration it is interesting to see that oil completely penetrates the thickness of the instrument but this is not necessary or desirable. One should aim to maintain a balance of oil similar to the virgin wood (however stabilized over time).

L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics

Author

Date

Oiling new

fuzzystradjazz

2016-02-28 02:15