So I needed to fill in a rather slab like shape with silicone. All I had at the time was aquarium silicone that came in a tube so I could just make squiggly lines. I didn't like it so I put on a glove and tried to smooth it out but it just stuck to the glove like crazy.
Then I lubed the glove with some canola oil and then we were in business! The silicone became very workable when it wasn't sticking to my hand so I went ahead and filled a corner too and I could mold the silicone into the right shape really nicely.
Anyway, its supposedly curing now and due to the thickness I'd estimate it to take at least 2 days. I realize that I probably mixed some of the oil right into the silicone too (not much, maybe 1% max by volume). Has anybody done something similar? How do you think it would affect the silicone? If it takes longer to cure.. whatever.
What I don't want though is fractures in the silicone mass caused by the oil separating it. Due to the way I was shaping it, this might be the case if canola is effective at preventing it from bonding with itself. Would that be the case?
Best Answer
I doubt it would be a serious issue unless you really mixed in the canola. However, if it does become a problem next time use plain water. Water in the air is actually the catalyst that drys silicone, construction workers will take a cup of water and dip their finger in it to smooth silicone on things like bathtub installations so that the silicone won't stick to their bare finger.