Woodworking

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A handmade home for woodworkers and admirers of woodworkers. Our community icon is submitted by @inquanto@lemmy.world, winner of the Christmas 2025 gift contest with a lovely series of hardwood cutting boards.

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How can I mask off an area from an oil finish? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by alleycat@lemmy.world to c/woodworking@lemmy.ca

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I have a workpiece that I want to give an oil finish, but a certain area needs to stay oil-free, because I need to attach a part later on using hide glue. What masking method is safe for oil?

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[–] RagnarokOnline@programming.dev 7 points 1 year ago

So, I don’t have an answer, but I think the challenge you’ll face is that the oil you apply nearby will want to penetrate the wood and spread to the area that will be glued.

You could try pre-treating the area where the glue will go with another absorbent coat (maybe even mineral spirits would work) and hope that the oil wont have any purchase to hold onto in that area. Once the mineral spirits evaporate, you’ll be able to apply your glue.

That’s the best guess I’ve got. Best of luck!