"Ecnerwal" wrote in message
...
In article et,
Richard Lamb wrote:

While on that subject, can some olde-timer tell me something about
oily
rags and spontaneous combustion?

Mostly an issue for linseed oil soaked rags (generally a woodworking
or
painting related item), as linseed oil is a "drying" oil (it
oxidizes
and gets hard). That reaction gives off heat. Put that reaction in a
nice, well-insulated location like a pile of rags, and you get fires
that start by themselves, especially since the reaction is faster
when
it's hotter, so it puts out more heat, which makes it faster...

Option 1 is to avoid it (and walnut oil, and tung oil) completely.

Option 2 is not to use rags.

Option 3 is to use rags, put them in a ziploc, and put that in the
freezer.

Option 4 is to use rags, and toss them in a woodstove on on an open
fire when done.

Option 5 is to use rags, and dry them out flat - on the floor in a
single layer, on a clothesline, etc - some way that heat cannot
build up.

Option 6 is to use rags and place them in a bucket of water

etc...

You can still get double-wall oily rag safety cans (which are
supposed
to be emptied every night) that have a tight lid sealing the rag
area
(to limit oxygen supply) and the double walls help to keep anything
else
from catching if the rags start burning.

As far as I know, a motor or machine oil soaked rag is a great thing
for
some other ignition source to start a fire with, but is not likely
to
start up on its own.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by


Supposedly spontaneous combustion is the no 1 cause of fires in
Launderettes (Laundromats state side) here in the UK. Typically
lacquers from hairdressers or oils from industrial clothing remain
after a wash / dry cycle and if the washing is put into bags whilst
still warm will degrade, give off heat amd eventually spontaneously
burst into flames.

In my total wipe out fire back in April the Chief Fire Officer was
blaming spontaneous combustion as he walked in the door, ignoring the
fact that the seat of the fire was imediately below the incoming 3
phase supply head. OK some washing was in the area, but it was amazing
how quickly the electricity company (EDF - Electricity de France)
removed the burnt offerings of their equipment, and it was never seen
again !

AWEM
(now back up and running having had a 5 month living through hell
scenario)