A stark reminder for BLO users!

Very lucky. I can't see the source of ignition from the video.

Mike

umm...don't you think it was the BLO soaked rags that he talked about at the beginning of the video?

What did you think was the point of the video?

Spontaneous combustion/ BLO is pretty well known to do it.

It was the exhaust fan. :-)

Soaked rag a bit of Sun works real well, been there burned the t-shirt.

Had a camera, but no smoke/fire detector? Granted, a detector in the garage may not be normal, but in the shop should be a must.

Sonny

I wasn't aware of that. Good to know.

Spalted Walt was heard to mutter:

Very lucky indeed. Really surprised the wood didn't ignite. He could have lost a serious amount of stuff in that building.

So what is the 'best' way to handle such rags? How many oils does this apply to besides BLO?

I've avoided using BLO because of this hazard and the area I live. But I'm thinking of trying it and a few other oils for finishing.

I've read up on handling, MSDS, etc., but I'm always open to hearing better and safer methods.

The reason why the wood cart didn't go up in smoke is because he used 3/4" plywood. It has a 1 hour burn rating and as you can tell it's probably a bit longer. I was a Building Inspector in a past life and that was one of the materials used for fire rated wall assemblies. He was very lucky and it's good he is sharing his misadventure.

That is one very good video.

My Dad, who was a woodworking hobbyist, was fond of Oak and Linseed Oil. The first I heard of spontaneous combustion was from him, probably in the Sixties. He told me he had once gotten distracted left an oily rag laying on top of the open can of oil. He came back to it some time later and it was already starting to get hot, but had not begun smoking yet.

A bit of luck that he found it then, to be sure.

Some years later I remember be> A *very* lucky dude.

Any thing used to apply *any* oil based finish or lacquer (IIRC) needs to dry out completely before being covered up by other trash.

There's some good and bad info out there on the interweps, but the best info is found on the websites of finishing product manufacturers' websites.

Here's a decent article on the subject, which includes a list of many types of oils that can cause spontaneous combustion.

I spread my rags out and lay them apart from each other and anything else on the concrete floor. If they catch fire they do not ignite any thing else. Or lay them out side the same way.

Apparently, the reason putting them in a sealed metal container works, is that it starves them of the oxygen needed to produce the chemical reaction that creates the heat for combustion. Inside the can, the oil can dry up without heating up.

I "handle" them by NOT storing them PERIOD. When I use any solvent or finish capable of spontaneous combustion I take the rag, etc. outside, pour water on it, squeeze it out, spread it out and leave it to dry out on a metal fence post. Only when it's good and dry does it go into the trash, typically the same day as pickup.

Waste cloths are just that WASTE cloths. Use them and dispose of properly and quickly.

True but I also understand when the rag is crumpled and cannot cool it can get hot during the curing process and combust.

I think, if spreading the rags out flat on a concrete floor would still be an issue, that the finish on a a project might self ignite too. ;~)

Thanks, Mike. Great info.

Hope you weren't wearing it!