how long to wait?

[JCKelly]

Real linseed oil from the art supply store takes maybe two weeks to dry as an oil painting.

Driers do nothing good unless one has no patience at all.

Diluting actual linseed oil a bit with REAL turpentine speeds up the drying. Again, hardware stuff is not real turpentine, go to the art supply store. Or www.dickblick.com

[crankshaft]

 what is it since it isn't turpentine ? ?

[PPatch]

There are so many stock finish options other than linseed oil, and the finished look one can achieve with them are so similar in look and feel to linseed. Plus no one could tell the difference between a linseed oil finish and other, far quicker, finishes. Further I do not believe the gunmakers in the 18th century put themselves to such an involved and time consuming finishing process.

I truly wonder why anyone messes with the stuff.

dave

[KentSmith]

yip,  don't pay attention to these guys there is nothing wrong with asking your question.

I have made some nice guns using good cold pressed linseed oil but it took months and months, lead carbonate and a lot of fussing.  Not worth it.  I have made my own oil varnish from the recipe in the article above with excellent results but again a lot of work and fire danger.  I have bought oil varnish from Eric - great stuff, used it all up.  Used Tried and True oil varnish with good results.  Made my own mix of spar varnish -turpentine - linseed oil with good results but slow to dry.  I now use Chambers Stock finish.  Expensive, but works and approximates original finishes, doesn't seem to degrade in wet weather, etc.  Make your own if you want to do what the 18th century makers did - use the article above for directions.  Get a good cold pressed linseed oil from Kremmer if you do and you will need some lead carbonate for dryer for that recipe I believe.