I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

The oils that catch fire on their own, are the natural oils. Linseed, tung,
and can't remember the other ones. Oils from petroleum won't spontaneously
combust. Read the labels on the finishes containers. What kind of oil?

One option is to deliberately burn the rags, but that's not a practical
option for most folks.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Dwight" wrote in message
m...
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

Dwight wrote:
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can, but
I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

Been looking for metal cans, but I throw them in the yard first.

Greg

On 9/30/2012 12:16 PM, Dwight wrote:
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

The best thing for oil contaminated rags or paper is a special can made
for the purpose. Most industrial suppliers sell them and I believe many
industrial work safety regs require them. ^_^

http://www.uline.com/BL_6777/Oily-Waste-Cans

TDD

gregz wrote:
Dwight wrote:
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can, but
I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

Been looking for metal cans, but I throw them in the yard first.

I was so paranoid, I left them in a bucket of water until I could
dispose of them... lol


Greg

Gfretwell:

You should be advised that only rags or paper towels wet with a heavily UNSATURATED oils pose a risk of spontaneously combusting. That is, any rags with "oil based coatings" on them like linseed oil, varnish, alkyd paint or alkyd based polyurethane.

Rags dirty with engine oil, transmission oil, cooking oil, power steering fluid, suntan lotion, WD-40, and every oil that doesn't dry to form a solid are perfectly safe to accumulate in your basement until you're knee deep in oily rags.

Probably the safest way I've ever heard of to dispose of rags that are wet with an unsaturated oil (used for painting or varnishing) is to leave the rag in an empty paint can until the job is done, fill the can with water (to eliminate any oxygen in the can, and put the lid tightly back on the can.

For more info, please read my post in this thread entitled "Linseed Oil Danger:

http://www.diybanter.com/home-repair...il-danger.html

On 9/30/2012 3:40 PM, The Daring Dufas wrote:
On 9/30/2012 12:16 PM, Dwight wrote:
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

The best thing for oil contaminated rags or paper is a special can made
for the purpose. Most industrial suppliers sell them and I believe many
industrial work safety regs require them. ^_^

http://www.uline.com/BL_6777/Oily-Waste-Cans

TDD
The cans we use at a community college woodworking course (rags for
staining and oiling wood) are about 500 dollars a piece, and the
cabinets that store the oils and stains, I was told are about 1500.

Keeps the insurance agents away and "dumb" students have the ability to
burn the school down taken away.

On 9/30/2012 5:30 PM, Dusenberg wrote:
On 9/30/2012 3:40 PM, The Daring Dufas wrote:
On 9/30/2012 12:16 PM, Dwight wrote:
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

The best thing for oil contaminated rags or paper is a special can made
for the purpose. Most industrial suppliers sell them and I believe many
industrial work safety regs require them. ^_^

http://www.uline.com/BL_6777/Oily-Waste-Cans

TDD
The cans we use at a community college woodworking course (rags for
staining and oiling wood) are about 500 dollars a piece, and the
cabinets that store the oils and stains, I was told are about 1500.

Keeps the insurance agents away and "dumb" students have the ability to
burn the school down taken away.

Safety Cans?! We don't need no stinking safety cans! ^_^

TDD

You think the guy behind you wants a pile of linseed rags catching fire on
his lawn at 3 AM? You're a special kind of neighbor.

I hesitate to ask what you do with old tires, and dirty diapers? Gramma's
Depends?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"ktos" wrote in message
eb.com...

Throw all the rags over the fence.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote:
You think the guy behind you wants a pile of linseed rags catching fire on
his lawn at 3 AM? You're a special kind of neighbor.

I hesitate to ask what you do with old tires, and dirty diapers? Gramma's
Depends?

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"ktos" wrote in message
eb.com...

Throw all the rags over the fence.

Tires are a real problem, but I've been leaving them with dealer, except I
can give you some small tractor tires. I don't have problems with other
things yet.

From my garage, nearest house 200 feet away. I leave oily rags out to dry.
Same thing with lacquer thinner or other enamel reducers or thinners, or
kerosene.

I just was warned not to store charcoal in your trunk. Might be self
starting or ?


Greg

In article om,
ktos wrote:

Dwight wrote in
m:

I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb


Throw all the rags over the fence.

I'm normally not a 'Simpsons' viewer, but did see one episode where
Homer disposed of his old couch by merely shoving it up and over the
fence into (disliked next door neighbor) Ned Flanders yard. It was
pretty good.

Guess you had to be there...

Erik

On 10/1/2012 1:23 AM, Erik wrote:
In article om,
ktos wrote:

Dwight wrote in
m:

I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb


Throw all the rags over the fence.

I'm normally not a 'Simpsons' viewer, but did see one episode where
Homer disposed of his old couch by merely shoving it up and over the
fence into (disliked next door neighbor) Ned Flanders yard. It was
pretty good.

Guess you had to be there...

Erik


Howdly doodly do Homer! ^_^

TDD

Dwight wrote:
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Petroleum oils won't self combust, only "drying" oils...oils that oxidize.

Personally, I just burn rags/papers that have drying oils. For petroleum
oil, I toss it on my big burn pile "out back".



--

dadiOH
____________________________

Winters getting colder? Tired of the rat race?
Maybe just ready for a change? Check it out...
http://www.floridaloghouse.net

"Dwight" wrote in message
m...
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes of
various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can, but
I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

For oil finishes like linseed, tung, etc., I hang them on a chain link
fence outside until they have finished curing - a few days. I then dispose
of them in normal trash. Opening them up and hanging them on a chain link
fence exposes them to a maximum amount of air (oxygen) so the oil cures as
rapidly as it can. Spreading them out on a metal fence enables any heat to
dissipate rather than causing the rag to combust.

For motor oils and other oils which do not oxidize / cure at any
appreciable rate under ambient temperature and pressure, I do not bother
with trying to get the oil to cure / oxidize. I dispose of them as you
would any non-spontaneously combustible oil soaked trash.

Good Luck.

Yes, that sounds like a very wise thing to do. I like the big surface area,
won't retain any heat. That does sound much safer.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Baron" wrote in message
...


For oil finishes like linseed, tung, etc., I hang them on a chain link
fence outside until they have finished curing - a few days. I then dispose
of them in normal trash. Opening them up and hanging them on a chain link
fence exposes them to a maximum amount of air (oxygen) so the oil cures as
rapidly as it can. Spreading them out on a metal fence enables any heat to
dissipate rather than causing the rag to combust.

For motor oils and other oils which do not oxidize / cure at any
appreciable rate under ambient temperature and pressure, I do not bother
with trying to get the oil to cure / oxidize. I dispose of them as you
would any non-spontaneously combustible oil soaked trash.

Good Luck.

Baron wrote:
"Dwight" wrote in message
m...
I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes of
various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can, but
I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb

For oil finishes like linseed, tung, etc., I hang them on a chain link
fence outside until they have finished curing - a few days. I then dispose
of them in normal trash. Opening them up and hanging them on a chain link
fence exposes them to a maximum amount of air (oxygen) so the oil cures as
rapidly as it can. Spreading them out on a metal fence enables any heat to
dissipate rather than causing the rag to combust.

I don't have a clue, but I'd like to see that tested on Mythbusters!



For motor oils and other oils which do not oxidize / cure at any
appreciable rate under ambient temperature and pressure, I do not bother
with trying to get the oil to cure / oxidize. I dispose of them as you
would any non-spontaneously combustible oil soaked trash.

Good Luck.

Erik wrote:
In article om,
ktos wrote:

Dwight wrote in
m:

I realize there are many different opinions on this subject....

I have a small workshop with regular rags - motor oil and oil finishes
of various sorts.

I have been drying rags, and then throwing them in an open trash can,
but I probably should do more.

If I use a covered can should I use water, or just keep it airtight?

Thank you in advance.

Dwight Gibb


Throw all the rags over the fence.

I'm normally not a 'Simpsons' viewer, but did see one episode where
Homer disposed of his old couch by merely shoving it up and over the
fence into (disliked next door neighbor) Ned Flanders yard. It was
pretty good.

Guess you had to be there...

Erik

Last weekend couch burning did over $30k damage to cars, streets, WVU.
Did they use linseed oil ?

Greg