Crock pot (slow cooker) for drying oils

[dfmoss]

Most of my recent figures have been done with acrylics. Now, I am considering going back to using oils some. Particularly on flesh areas.

In the past, I have used a light bulb for drying oils and at one time had a plywood box with an adjustable switch. Now I am considering using a crock pot on low heat.

I know there would be no problem with metal figures, but what about resin figures? Or fine details like spike bayonets? (best to leave them off til dry, perhaps?)

Anyone with experience doing this - please comment.

Thanks!

Don

 

[Nap]

Hi Don

I don’t use Oils but my thoughts are be wary ....do a test figure first

These might be of interest

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/oils-drying-time.14970/

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/to-crockpot-or-not-to-crockpot.16427/

Nap

 

[Chrisr]

I use a slow cooker and have had no issues with resin figures and their accessories. Set it to low heat and take the lid off. Depending on what medium or thinner you use they are dry in about 12 hours. I use water based oils and they dry considerably quicker.
Regards
Chris

 

[Chrisr]

I forgot to add that I place them on wooden blocks - not on the ceramic liner.
Regards
Chris

 

[fogie]

One of the joys of oils is that their behaviour can be manipulated quite freely.
The easiest way to speed up curing is to reduce the oil carrier. Simply mix the
stuff on a porous palette of, say, scrap card and adjust to the proper working
consistency with lavender oil. Get the painting mix right and things will be
dry in a few minutes.....save the crock pot for a decent casserole


Mike

 

[yellowcat]

I don’t use a crock pot. I built a light box some twenty years ago but seldom used it.
My light box is made out of 1/2 inch particle board and lined with aluminum foil
with an adjustable shelf.
I used a 40 watt light bulb as a heat source. The size is 16L x 16Wx 25H inches.
There is a 3/4 inch vent hole at the top left corner, a magnetic hinge for the door,
a dimmer switch and a temperature gauge.

The easiest and safest way is to mix a touch of quick drying oil colour to slow drying colour.
For example, add a touch of Umber to Cadmium Red, this will speed up the drying time considerably
without changing much of the tone at all and without using any heat source.

Quick Dryers (24 hrs.)
Burnt Umber
Burnt Sienna
Raw Umber
Raw Sienna
Prussian Blue

Medium Dryers (2-3 days)
Yellow Ochre
Indian Red
Oxide of Chromium
Lemon Yellow
Viridian
Naples Yellow
Cobalt Blue

Slow Dryers (3-7 days)
Cadmium Yellow
Cadmium Red
Alizarin Crimson
French Blue Ultramarine
Ivory Black
Magenta