40 More Handy Tricks

Step 32 Oilcloth

Ever wonder what raincoats were made of before Mr. Macintosh coated one with "india rubber"?
Ever wonder if anyone stayed dry in the rain before plastic was invented?
Ever wonder what this "oilcloth" stuff mentioned in old books is?

Take a piece of the tightest weave fabric you can find, or a garment you wish to be waterproof. Soak it with linseed oil and leave it someplace warm. Before too long it'll turn into some kind of high tech waterproof material very much like rubberized cloth.

Here's a rag made into a piece of oilcloth made by Saul Griffith while finishing some furniture with linseed oil. It's rubbery and not oily, and after a year it hasn't gotten brittle.

As you can see it's waterproof. Actually it's a very loose weave and water is leaking out through little pinholes. That's why you should use tighter weave fabric.

WARNING!:
Linseed oil gets hot when it cures. It can burst into flames. Act accordingly.

Comments

[bennyb1]

I just did a pair of high top canvas boots like this, and wonder how long it takes to dry. They're supposed to be waterproof, have felt liners, but figured this wouldn't hurt to try, since I haven't used them in a coiuple of years.
They're on the front porch in the sun, and hope it doesn't take more than a day or two.
Thanks for the idea.

[zombie1974]

I had a friend who said his favorite "riding leathers" weren't leathers at all, but a pair of standard denim farmer overalls that had soaked for a couple of days in the oil pit at his neighborhood garage, and then hung on the line for a week to dry. He said they always looked dirty, but he never got wet and they'd stand up to road rash almost as good as leather.
Plus he got them too big so he could wear them over normal clothes, and they didn't damage his normal clothes (at least not enough that he cared about it).

[weaponscollector94]

that is cool, is it too oily or does it look dry?

[TimAnderson]

It's kind of rubbery, it's not oily at all. The cloth rag has a very loose weave and it does leak when you try to use it as a bucket. Use a tighter weave if you want it fully waterproof. Water beads up on it and it does shed water very well.

[crache]

be careful not to lay any rags soaked in boiled linseed oil in a place that could catch fire. They are known to spontaneously combust. Normal linseed oil should be no problem however.

[22tpring]

Thank you for that. I have 15 gallons of linseed oil and now another use for it.