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  1. #1
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    Default Uses for sawdust

    Does anyone have any ideas regarding a use for sawdust from a dust extractor? Can it be used as a mulch on garden beds? I don't know whether it will pack tight, and prevent water from getting where it is needed, or whether it will refuse to break down to compost with the passage of time. Incidentally, I do not use any treated wood at all, so there should be no nasty compounds lurking in the mix. If not used on a garden, is there any other viable use for the stuff?

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  3. #2
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    Default

    You could make a smoker and smoke fish and meat.
    An old 150 ltr refrigerator gutted makes a good smoker box.

  4. #3
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    Default

    Depending on what it consists of with regards to shavings and sawdust, you may be able to sell it to people who have stables or poultry.

  5. #4
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    I just fill paper bags with sawdust and shavings and then use them as fuel in my slow combustion heater (Kent stove). They burn well.

    With other uses, one must be careful about possible contamination - eg if using MDF or chipboard; they contain some really nasty chemicals.


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    Graeme

  6. #5
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    'Tis fine as a mulch, but not so good by itself as a compost; it uses up nitrogen as it rots down.

    However, mixing it with blood'n'bone or chook poop or similar makes for a lovely garden treat.
    I may be weird, but I'm saving up to become eccentric.

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  7. #6
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    My son has a large open compost heap so I give mine to him to spread there and it seems to break down well. The bagful that I took to him yesterday contained some Camphor and Huon Pine shavings so it will smell OK when he spreads it. It never contains any treated pine or similar.
    Tom

    "It's good enough" is low aim

  8. #7
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    Default The Sawdust.

    Hi mspil,
    My Lady uses it in her Garden, to great effect. Mainly in the Vegie Patch.

    Another use is for your Shed,
    Drill some 4in. holes in the Top of your walls, & blow all the dust & Shavings into the wall.
    It will have the most Deadening Effect you could Imagine.
    I know this works, but some will say it is unsafe for all that stuff in the walls because of fire.
    Rubbish as far as I can see.
    Knew a Very Fine Woodworker that had this system, & I'm afraid it has seen him out, & still there as far as I know.
    Not sure if the New Owners know about it.
    Regards,
    issatree.
    Have Lathe, Wood Travel.

  9. #8
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by issatree View Post
    Another use is for your Shed,
    Drill some 4in. holes in the Top of your walls, & blow all the dust & Shavings into the wall.
    It will have the most Deadening Effect you could Imagine.
    I know this works, but some will say it is unsafe for all that stuff in the walls because of fire.
    Rubbish as far as I can see.
    Knew a Very Fine Woodworker that had this system, & I'm afraid it has seen him out, & still there as far as I know.
    Not sure if the New Owners know about it.
    It is indeed very effective but I would then recommend sealing all the gaps in the walls otherwise it will continually fill your shed with invisible wood dust. The saw dust will very slowly degrade inside the wall cavity and continually pump fine dust into the shed by the regular changes in atmospheric air pressure over time.

  10. #9
    cookie48 is offline Old Fart (my step daughters named me)
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    Default

    If I am making something out of Reg Gum I always place clean bag in vacuum cleaner and give it my bro inlaw for fish smoking ( I get some to).
    I try and save some of all different timbers for use in my normal mistakes. That is with aquadere and saw dust to fill in gaps etc.
    You got it in one, I aint a very good carpenter.

  11. #10
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    Good on the floor in the chook pen.

    Good as mulch but as Skew says, it uses up the Nitrogen so it needs to have some added.
    Works better if you can compost it first with some green waste.

    One lady gets bags of it from me to fire some of her pottery work.
    Cliff.
    If you find a post of mine that is missing a pic that you'd like to see, let me know & I'll see if I can find a copy.

  12. #11
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    Default Preserving Dahlia Tubers

    My Mrs digs up the dahlias every two years and keeps the tubers in sawdust for a year then re plants them

    Not sure why.

    Bill

  13. #12
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    I use it in the compost bin, but as others have said, it depletes the nitrogen, so I mix it with lawn clippings. It also speeds things up if you add manure or an enzyme compost accelerator.
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  14. #13
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    Probably not helpful, but aside from the garden and compost, I use some of mine mixed with a bit of ash to cover up my "business" in the home made composting dunny on my block. Works a treat to absorb moisture and keeps the stink at bay. Then, if I need to, it helps with incinerating it.

    Mixed with wax it can make pretty decent firelighters too.

  15. #14
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    FenceFurniture is offline The prize lies beneath - hidden in full view
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    Just a slightly different tack: I've recently started using shavings from planing instead of paper to get the firebox going - better than paper as it seems to burn hotter (She-Oak in particular).
    Regards, FenceFurniture

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  16. #15
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    My plane shavings go to the local preschool where they use them for craft.

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