steveJ ) writes:

...doesn't linseed oil have a really low
flashpoint temp. Something like 120 degrees or thereabouts?

Had to look it up ...

"flash point: the lowest temperature at which the vapours of
petroleum or other combustable liquids will give a flash or slight
explosion on exposure to a flame"

there's no flame in a microwve oven. I don't know if the magnetron
gets hot enough to ignite vapours. I didn't smell any vapour. It
smells like paint drying because linseed is the oil in paint.
Pretty unmistakable. The oven itself didn't get warm, just the
oil, so I doubt the magnetron was hot.

I'm sure at the low temerature and short duration I was using the oven
there would not be a "slight explosion". In fact there wasn't. But if I
try it again and smell any vapour I'll be sure to press the button that
opens the door and shuts off the magnetron. Thanks for the caution.

Is is safer heating linseed oil on a stove top in the presence of a hot
stove element?


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