Oily rag dangers!

[Woodwould]

Anyone who doubts the feasibility of linseed or tung oil-soaked rags igniting spontaneously should have a look at this.<O</O

[spokeshave]

Wow!!

I was left with my mouth open reading some of those temperature's.

I've read some caution's on label's before about this sort of thing and although i hadn't doubted the possibility of a fire, this just proves that it is a reality.

Wont be leaving oily rags in a coffee tin, that's for sure!!!

Steven.

[Woodwould]

Wont be leaving oily rags in a coffee tin, that's for sure!!!

Steven.

If anything, I think the tin hindered the combustion as it would have starved the rags of the much needed oxygen. I've personally seen oily rags spontaneously ignite when discarded on the ground; in other words, with plenty of air around them.

[rtfarty]

I used to teach painting & decorating to apprentices (when we used to have apprentices) at our local polytech and I did a similar demo in the classroom.

It certainly opened the eyes of the boys who doubted that spontaneous combustion was a problem in our trade.

A timely warning for everyone engaged in finishing work.

[ubeaut]

And if you think that's bad you should see what happens when steel wool used for applying oil is left. Not only will it burn but it burns quicker and it's much harder to put out. I believe there can be a reaction with the stuff used to stop steel wool from rusting and the oil.

If steel wool catches fire it must be browned in water preferably dunked as squirting it even with an extinguisher can spread the fire in all directions. Very dramatic and almost pyrotechnical but bloody dangerous.

My kids as young adults years ago lit hanks of steel wool at either end of a broomstick at night and spun it around like a baton. Very pretty, very dramatic, very bloody stupid and a waste of my good steel wool.

I have an air tight bin that all oiling rags, epoxy rags and leavings and other very combustible stuff is deposited into. No air no burn. Other option is to put them into a bucket of water to kill the reaction.

Cheers - from "One flash n your ash" - Neil

[tim38]

All I can say is, Holy Crap! Now this might be a stupid question but I'll ask it anyway. Is there any chance that the wood you are coating, or soaking, could spontaneously ignite? I really hope there isn't.

[Stuart]

No - it needs a concentration of heat (in other words having the rag screwed up).

I had a number of ship fires when I was in the Navy, most caused by the improper disposal of linseed oil rags - screwed up and dumped in a bin.

[Woodwould]

I had a number of ship fires when I was in the Navy, most caused by the improper disposal of linseed oil rags - screwed up and dumped in a bin.

Those were the days... good ol' wooden ships; tarred or copper bottoms and linseed oil everyehere else.

Hey! Wait a bloomin' minute...

[Stuart]

You talkin' to me?

[martrix]

This topic has been covered before but never hurts to have a reminder and enlighten some that may not otherwise be aware.

Some more info possibly on this thread.

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ion#post530719

[bsrlee]

Hmmmmm - seems more reliable than a couple of boy scouts, maybe I'll pass it on to some scout leaders I know.