Thread: fire hazzards- old rags

any rags used to mop up any of the drying oils such as linseed oil etc

I usually hang the rags out to dry for a week or so then bin them, though if its bin day out they go

What wombat said but include any combustible liquid such as shellac, hard shellac, danish oil, organoil, turps..mineral or pure gum etc etc.
I always dump mine in a bucket of water then after a while toss them in the bin.
I have tried to get a rag to combust but it has never happened but I know it will when I am not around to put out the fire.

I read a web page a while back where some guys actually did an experiment on this. If I remember right they had 2 out of their 20 cans of varnish soaked rags actually catch fire. So yes it can happen.

Best way to prevent it, hang the rags up on a line to dry for 24 hours before you bin them. Hanging or laid out flat is safe because the sovents and any heat they generate when they react with the cotton cloth can dissapate quickly. But if they are scrunched up in a tin the trapped solvent can react with the cloth, it gets warm, and that speeds up the reaction.. it gets even warmer. Get the recipe right and it gets hot enough to catch fire.

Cheers

Ian

Spontaneous Combustion

if i keep them in a tied up plastic bag to exclude air with this work?
your scaring me, do i have to become tidy AND organised.
astrid

Originally Posted by astrid

if i keep them in a tied up plastic bag to exclude air with this work?

cool, I like those odds for a fiery surprise!

Originally Posted by martrix

I hang up almost anything to dry thats got anything other than water in it, even if its just hanging on the edge of the bin.

Originally Posted by astrid

your scaring me, do i have to become tidy AND organised.
astrid

I dunno. How fond are you of retaining your lovely shed bits?

This subject has been covered here before but its always worth bringing up now and again just to remind us of the danger.

In some finishing workshops a metal bin was kept just for combustible rags.

Yes I'll tidy my room.
and i will put away my tools,
and I will not let my son leave them outside
I know and you are all absolutly right
I have a somewhat odd sense of humour

mel

I had a linseed oil rag combust in the back of my van once, I am very careful of them now.

Donna

I throw the rags out on the lawn to dry out, then pick them up and put them in the bin when they are thoroughly dry. The yard can look a bit of a mess some days, but beats having anything go up in flames.

cheers
Wendy

In theory any curing oil on a rag can spontaneously combust.

The process is:

The oil draws oxygen from the air to cure the oil.
The curing process of the oil is exothermic. (Gives off heat)
If there is no way for the heat to be removed or carried away, a fire will result.

Wiping rags used with BLO will burn if crumpled up and left in a heap. The bigger the heap, the better the likelyhood that they will burn. If the rags are spread out and allowed to dry there is very little danger of fire. The lawn is a good place to dry the rags. Hanging the rags up on a solar clothes dryer is a good method also.

Originally Posted by rufflyrustic

I throw the rags out on the lawn to dry out, then pick them up and put them in the bin when they are thoroughly dry. The yard can look a bit of a mess some days, but beats having anything go up in flames.

cheers
Wendy

I follow Rufflies method. When done with the rag... Wizz out the door (Not good when SHMBO is coming in unannounced, but they only do it once). Am thinking of setting up a basketball hoop at the top of the door, to give me something to aim at.

Originally Posted by Gra

I follow Rufflies method. When done with the rag... Wizz out the door (Not good when SHMBO is coming in unannounced, but they only do it once). Am thinking of setting up a basketball hoop at the top of the door, to give me something to aim at.

Might be a little paranoid, but I would also not recommend that method. What if on a hot blowy day one/few rags are blown into a corner or pile up against something and start the combustion process on tinder dry grass/brush?....with you none the wiser?

I want to know where those suckers are at at all times.