I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....
I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes of various sorts.
I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can, but I probably should do more.
If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?
Thank you in advance.
Dwight Gibb
The "oily rag" thing came from linseed oil that will spontaneously combust. You should still treat old rags with the same respect you would treat the chemical or solvent they were wetted with.
I usually throw them away in a can outside but it is easy since the cans are out next to the driveway and I virtually always use them out there anyway.
The oils that catch fire on their own, are the natural oils. Linseed, tung, and can't remember the other ones. Oils from petroleum won't spontaneously combust. Read the labels on the finishes containers. What kind of oil?
One option is to deliberately burn the rags, but that's not a practical option for most folks.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes of various sorts.
I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can, but I probably should do more.
If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?
Thank you in advance.
Dwight Gibb
Been looking for metal cans, but I throw them in the yard first.
Greg
The best thing for oil contaminated rags or paper is a special can made for the purpose. Most industrial suppliers sell them and I believe many industrial work safety regs require them. ^_^
various sorts.
I was so paranoid, I left them in a bucket of water until I could dispose of them... lol
The cans we use at a community college woodworking course (rags for staining and oiling wood) are about 500 dollars a piece, and the cabinets that store the oils and stains, I was told are about 1500.
Keeps the insurance agents away and "dumb" students have the ability to burn the school down taken away.
Safety Cans?! We don't need no stinking safety cans! ^_^
TDD
Dwight wrote in news:sK6dnZYP6q_x4_XNnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.com:
Throw all the rags over the fence.
You think the guy behind you wants a pile of linseed rags catching fire on his lawn at 3 AM? You're a special kind of neighbor.
I hesitate to ask what you do with old tires, and dirty diapers? Gramma's Depends?
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
Throw all the rags over the fence.
Tires are a real problem, but I've been leaving them with dealer, except I can give you some small tractor tires. I don't have problems with other things yet.
From my garage, nearest house 200 feet away. I leave oily rags out to dry. Same thing with lacquer thinner or other enamel reducers or thinners, or kerosene.
I just was warned not to store charcoal in your trunk. Might be self starting or ?
Greg
I'm normally not a 'Simpsons' viewer, but did see one episode where Homer disposed of his old couch by merely shoving it up and over the fence into (disliked next door neighbor) Ned Flanders yard. It was pretty good.
Guess you had to be there...
Erik
Howdly doodly do Homer! ^_^
TDD
Petroleum oils won't self combust, only "drying" oils...oils that oxidize.
Personally, I just burn rags/papers that have drying oils. For petroleum oil, I toss it on my big burn pile "out back".
For oil finishes like linseed, tung, etc., I hang them on a chain link fence outside until they have finished curing - a few days. I then dispose of them in normal trash. Opening them up and hanging them on a chain link fence exposes them to a maximum amount of air (oxygen) so the oil cures as rapidly as it can. Spreading them out on a metal fence enables any heat to dissipate rather than causing the rag to combust.
For motor oils and other oils which do not oxidize / cure at any appreciable rate under ambient temperature and pressure, I do not bother with trying to get the oil to cure / oxidize. I dispose of them as you would any non-spontaneously combustible oil soaked trash.
Good Luck.
Yes, that sounds like a very wise thing to do. I like the big surface area, won't retain any heat. That does sound much safer.
Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus
For oil finishes like linseed, tung, etc., I hang them on a chain link fence outside until they have finished curing - a few days. I then dispose of them in normal trash. Opening them up and hanging them on a chain link fence exposes them to a maximum amount of air (oxygen) so the oil cures as rapidly as it can. Spreading them out on a metal fence enables any heat to dissipate rather than causing the rag to combust.
For motor oils and other oils which do not oxidize / cure at any appreciable rate under ambient temperature and pressure, I do not bother with trying to get the oil to cure / oxidize. I dispose of them as you would any non-spontaneously combustible oil soaked trash.
Good Luck.
I don't have a clue, but I'd like to see that tested on Mythbusters! :)
Last weekend couch burning did over $30k damage to cars, streets, WVU. Did they use linseed oil ?
Greg
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