Rethink Your Life!
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The Work of Art and The Art of Work
Kiko Denzer on Art



[Cob] Resin in cob bathtub coatings

jane at kirstinelund.dk jane at kirstinelund.dk
Sun Apr 3 01:54:24 CST 2005


Joel wrote

> I was thinking about the bathtub idea, and I like it too.... I've been
trying to find a good recipie for varnish.  I am thinking linseed oil +
pine resin = better more waterproof finish than oil alone?  What do you
think?

...

It looks like I'm allways the boring type saying "it might be poisonous"
to any idea. However, I would feel irresponsible if I didn't pass on the
warnings.

Some of my friends went to a school of sailing and builing viking age boat
types some years ago. Of course, they used lots of pine resin tar. One day
when they were working one of the teachers rushed in and ordered everyone
to get their hand and heads out of the tar, as he had just been informed
that it was actually quite poisonous. It's not immedially deadly or
anything, but you should be careful not to get it on your skin, or inhale
the fumes too much.

We often have a tendency to assume that anything "natural" is safe to use.
Well, hemlock is natural, and so is a lot of other deadly poisonous
plants.

But opinions differ, and our local chemist thinks that people exaggerate
how dangerous tar (and resin) is. He says that yes, it is somehow
poisonous, but so is all wood protection and the like, and you should
allways be cautious when using it.

But it might be a bad idea to use resin a tub where you soak yourself for
hours. It might also be harmless - I don't know anything for sure.

Jane