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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?

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    this is hands down the oddest question I've seen on the stack exchange yet. kudos. what are you making?
    – user23534
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 3:36
  • I was repairing a shower light (dont worry, 12v so a botched job wont kill anybody). Anyway, to my surprise, the silicone seems completely cured at this point. Its solid and no longer smells. On the downside, it turned out rather opaque (supposed to be clear). Its fine for the bit covering the bulb, looks rather nice actually. Not fine for the corner detail though since that one also developed some rather large gaps. When I pulled it off it was a lot more brittle than it should have been. I don't know whats going on in there chemically but overall I wouldn't recommend anybody else trying it :D
    – user27578
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 12:06
  • I'd stop worrying if the transformer was far away from the shower stall
    – ratchet freak
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 15:28

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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.

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