What does it say on the tin? Oil-based paints and primers that I've used typically take eight to ten hours to dry and are recoatable within 16 to 24 hours. However, each product can vary, which is why I would look at the tin first. It will also depend on temperature, humidity, ventilation, how thickly you applied it and probably other factors also.

Sorry but you really needed a shellac based primer to keep the knot holes from bleeding through. Now it is just waiting game. In Canada oil based paints are no longer available so I am not sure about drying times, it could be you live where there is high humidity.

I live in indiana where its it's cold right now..... no humidity. I have house at 74 with fans on. The tin just says let dry overnight. Once its dry they told me I could paint over with glidden latex paint.. I just pray I dont do all this work for it to just be able scrape off when done. Thank you for help!

Let it dry longer and then paint over with a pigmented shellac (BIN in the red can). Then spot prime the knots again with BIN.

Freshly applied oil based primer is typically kinda' soft and scrapes pretty easily so don't panic over that. Humidity & temperature are big factors. Also, if you painted the interior side of exterior walls, those surfaces are likely to be cooler and take longer to dry now that winter is approaching.

While you may not have to sand everything off no latter what primer you use you need to clean the surface very well and a light samding to break the existing surface is also never a bad idea. And truthfully 90% of the advice you will get from a home store is worth what you paid for it. Trust but verify.

I would not panic, you just have to give it more time to dry/cure. As already mentioned the coating will be soft until it properly cures. A regular oil based primer is not the best at blocking knots from bleeding through, would consider an additional coat of a shellac based primer before final finish coating. Before final painting I would check the surface, it may still need a light sanding.

Oil based primers are available in Canada, not just as wide spread as in the past. Sherwin Williams has a fairly wide range including fast drying products, ready to recoat in about 2 hours.

What would happen if I put shellac oon before the oil primer is fully cured?

I would wait, it's unpredictable if the shellac coating would attack the underlying non cured primer below. Don't rush, this can be the biggest downfall for a DIYer.

No to putting on the shellac coating before the primer is actually dry. It is necessary to do, however, before you paint, or it wont be long before you have to shellac it anyway, and then repaint. The knots will bleed through, unless you get them sealed properly before paint. Dont panic, and dont scrape with fingernails, because, that will show through your final paint job. It will dry in another day or two, and then you can use the shellac. Shellac dries fairly quickly. Sorry, it is taking longer than it should have, if you had been given the right information at the store you purchased the primer from.

IMO latex over oil never works .

There are no issues concerning the top coating of an oil based "primer" with a water based coating such as latex or acrylic on interior applications.

Oil based primers will work on the knots. It's just that the BIN works better. I would pick up a spray can of BIN and just shoot the knots before painting. Also, the primer isn't stuck because it's not dry.

If the knots weren't showing through the old paint, I wouldn't worry about them showing in the future.

If you have an older home with less than great insulation, I can well believe the drying is being slowed. I am from Chicago. Whenever I was using oil paint late in the afternoon, I would request that the owner not lower their thermostat that evening. A little shot of Japan Drier was also often used, to assure that the oil paint would be dry in the morning.

I can we believe that a traditional oil primer, not Original Kilz or Coverstain, would require 12 hours or better. they are both loaded with solvents that flash out and speed up the drying.

Whatever you do, DON"T rush the drying! You are asking for all kinds of problems, such as alligatoring and checking, if the primer is not completely dry before painting over it. If using an oil based finish paint, it could also affect the drying of that top coat!

the problem with no prep is a contaminated surface. If there is wax or oil on this paneling it will never dry. SAnd clean start over and you need an oil primer to a bond to a difficult surface.

Contaminants aren't likely to slow the drying. They will affect adhesion or such things as "fish eyeing". In warmth and reasonable humidity, a primer should have dried overnight. It is not impossible that you just got a bad batch of primer. Oil products do have chemical driers put in them, this is what Japan Drier is. Years ago, I used to use a lot of Ben Moore's Oil Satin Impervo.. One of my few complaints is that once in awhile, it was like they forgot to put the drier in! Occasionally, i would apply a coat of Impervo at no later than 4PM and then find it still tacky a 8AM the next day! I learned to add a cap full of Japan Drier to assure it being dry in the morning.

Applying an oil paint over not thoroughly dried oil paint can also retard the drying of both coats. Oil paints need oxygen to dry and cure. Putting that second coat on too soon, deprives the first coat of oxygen and results in both coats being tacky for days. They will eventually dry, but it will take days.

Water based paints are generally ready for re-coat as soon as the water has exited, about 1 or 2 hours later. They are not fully cured, but can be re-coated. Not so oil paints. Their minimum dry time is several hours.