During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly remembered we
used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many
times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I simply
want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use it
all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

"Dustmaker" wrote in message

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use
it
all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

Industrial or janitorial supply houses should still have it. I just bought
a drum for the warehouse a couple of weeks ago.

"Dustmaker" wrote:

During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly
remembered we used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was
in school. Many times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over
to a site and I simply want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army
use it all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden
location?



Boy, that takes me back. School, military ..

Did a google. They sell it at Ace Hardware. Now environmentaly safe!
Probably means the smell is gone.

LD

On Sat, 6 Nov 2004 21:30:50 -0600, "Dustmaker"
wrote:

During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly remembered we
used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many
times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I simply
want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Boy does that bring back memories. Nothing worth relating; a couple of
part time jobs during and after high school.

Thanks for the trip.

- -
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net

Leon wrote:
"Ba r r y" wrote in message
...

What is it?
IIRC it is a ground up saw dust that is red colored and a bit of oil
added in the mix. The stuff is sprinkled on a floor and swept up
with the rest of the dust. I recall seeing it in small town grovery
stores that had wooden floors. The floore were red tinted from
years of use of the compound. The oil mixed in was to keep the dust
down similar to dust mops having a bit of oil added to keep the dust
down.




Barry

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No oil -
wouldn't it be slippery?

Josie

On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 03:56:42 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"Dustmaker" wrote in message

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use
it
all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

Industrial or janitorial supply houses should still have it. I just bought
a drum for the warehouse a couple of weeks ago.



What is it?

Barry

"Ba r r y" wrote in message
...

What is it?
IIRC it is a ground up saw dust that is red colored and a bit of oil added
in the mix. The stuff is sprinkled on a floor and swept up with the rest of
the dust. I recall seeing it in small town grovery stores that had wooden
floors. The floore were red tinted from years of use of the compound. The
oil mixed in was to keep the dust down similar to dust mops having a bit of
oil added to keep the dust down.




Barry

that and "pencil smell" is my "going back to school season" memory =
yanker. s

--=20
SwampBug
- - - - - - - - - - - -


"LRod" wrote in message =
...
On Sat, 6 Nov 2004 21:30:50 -0600, "Dustmaker"
wrote:

During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly =
remembered we=20
used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many =

times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I =
simply=20
want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Boy does that bring back memories. Nothing worth relating; a couple of
part time jobs during and after high school.

Thanks for the trip.

- -
LRod

Master Woodbutcher and seasoned termite

Shamelessly whoring my website since 1999

http://www.woodbutcher.net

On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 04:18:50 GMT, Lobby Dosser
wrote:

"Dustmaker" wrote:

During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly
remembered we used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was
in school. Many times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over
to a site and I simply want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army
use it all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden
location?



Boy, that takes me back. School, military ..

Did a google. They sell it at Ace Hardware. Now environmentaly safe!
Probably means the smell is gone.

LD

Probably means it doesn't work as well, either..

Sat, Nov 6, 2004, 9:30pm (EST-1) (Dustmaker)
posts:
During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly
remembered we used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in
school. Many times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a
site and I simply want to use broom or brush and dustpan.
Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use
it all up during the 60's. =A0 Are they storing it in some hidden
location?

I must be missing something here. Yeah, I remember sweeping
compound. Light green, and the janitor used it when someone puked on
the floor in school. Dump some over it, sweep the whole mess up. I've
seen fine sawdust used the same way.

I don't see what the problem would be using a broom and dustpan on
scraper shavings. But, if so, I'd dump some sawdust down, and sweep the
whole thing up. And, we are talking about being in the shop, right?
So, what's to sweat?

Maybe you want to consider one of those little hand-held battery
powerd vacuums. Me, if the broom and dustpan doesn't get it, it stays
where it is until next time.



JOAT
Viet Nam, divorce, cancer. Been there, done that. Now, where the Hell
are my T-shirts?

Did a google. They sell it at Ace Hardware. Now environmentaly safe!
Probably means the smell is gone.

LD

Probably means that it doesn't work either.

Wayne

On Sat, 6 Nov 2004 21:30:50 -0600, "Dustmaker"
calmly ranted:

During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly remembered we
used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many
times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I simply
want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use it
all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

They found that they could triple the price for it if they
relabeled it "New, IMPROVED, Dustless Kitty Litter".


----------------------------------------------------------------------
* Scattered Showers My Ass! * Insightful Advertising Copy
* --Noah * http://www.diversify.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"firstjois" wrote:

Leon wrote:
"Ba r r y" wrote in
message ...

What is it?
IIRC it is a ground up saw dust that is red colored and a bit of oil
added in the mix. The stuff is sprinkled on a floor and swept up
with the rest of the dust. I recall seeing it in small town grovery
stores that had wooden floors. The floore were red tinted from
years of use of the compound. The oil mixed in was to keep the dust
down similar to dust mops having a bit of oil added to keep the dust
down.




Barry

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No
oil - wouldn't it be slippery?

No more so than a waxed floor. They used to use it in schools and other
institutions for those long, wide hallways. The janitors then always wore
green work clothes and used a broom or dustmop with a head about the size
of Rhode Island. You always knew where they used it, as there was a
distinct but not unpleasant odor.

LD

Josie

"firstjois" wrote in message
I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No
oil -
wouldn't it be slippery?

Josie

Not at all. The oil in the sawdust help it keep dust down. The big
advantage of a sweeping compound it getting up the finest of dust and not
just spread it around.

Don't you always have to leave a little bit of dust for "seed"?

"Dustmaker" wrote in message
...
During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly remembered
we used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many
times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I
simply want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use
it all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?


I found it at the orange Borg a few years back in a 10# or so container (not
the bigger commercial cardboard drum size.

Jeez...I remember when my dad brought half a tin drum (I'd guess about
40 gallon size) of dark green sweeping compoun home from work. That
lasted for years. He later used the drum for storing coiled electric
wire.

John

On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 18:54:43 +0000, Lobby Dosser wrote:

No more so than a waxed floor. They used to use it in schools and other
institutions for those long, wide hallways. The janitors then always wore
green work clothes and used a broom or dustmop with a head about the size
of Rhode Island. You always knew where they used it, as there was a
distinct but not unpleasant odor.

Wow. Remembrance of things past. Your last sentence evoked the smell. Hot
spring days, watching the clock creep toward 3:00, hearing the swish swish
of the broom out in the breezeway...



--
"Keep your ass behind you"

On Sun, 7 Nov 2004 00:51:30 -0500, "firstjois"
wrote:

Leon wrote:
"Ba r r y" wrote in message
...

What is it?
IIRC it is a ground up saw dust that is red colored and a bit of oil
added in the mix. The stuff is sprinkled on a floor and swept up
with the rest of the dust. I recall seeing it in small town grovery
stores that had wooden floors. The floore were red tinted from
years of use of the compound. The oil mixed in was to keep the dust
down similar to dust mops having a bit of oil added to keep the dust
down.




Barry

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No oil -
wouldn't it be slippery?

Josie

Josie.. I do that several times a day...
Not only lets you sweep without raising dust, but I think if the floor
is slightly damp, it sort of attracts dust from sanding and things,
which is better than letting them float around until you breath them..

On Sun, 07 Nov 2004 18:54:43 GMT, Lobby Dosser
wrote:

"firstjois" wrote:

Leon wrote:
"Ba r r y" wrote in
message ...

What is it?
IIRC it is a ground up saw dust that is red colored and a bit of oil
added in the mix. The stuff is sprinkled on a floor and swept up
with the rest of the dust. I recall seeing it in small town grovery
stores that had wooden floors. The floore were red tinted from
years of use of the compound. The oil mixed in was to keep the dust
down similar to dust mops having a bit of oil added to keep the dust
down.




Barry

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No
oil - wouldn't it be slippery?

No more so than a waxed floor. They used to use it in schools and other
institutions for those long, wide hallways. The janitors then always wore
green work clothes and used a broom or dustmop with a head about the size
of Rhode Island. You always knew where they used it, as there was a
distinct but not unpleasant odor.

LD

Josie

we used to use huge bags of it on the cement floors of a plastic
factory I worked in... it left the floors a lot less slippery than
they were before we used it, as I remember...

I though the purpose of the compound was to avoid the swish-swish. With the
compound we were taught to push the mop straight ahead. The repeat stroke
is to pick up dust left behind. Compound left nothing.

School always smelled like linoleum - the real stuff - waxed with
water-emulsion wax, and construction paper.

"Australopithecus scobis" wrote in message
news
Wow. Remembrance of things past. Your last sentence evoked the smell. Hot
spring days, watching the clock creep toward 3:00, hearing the swish swish
of the broom out in the breezeway...

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No
oil - wouldn't it be slippery?

No more so than a waxed floor. They used to use it in schools and other
institutions for those long, wide hallways. The janitors then always wore
green work clothes and used a broom or dustmop with a head about the size
of Rhode Island. You always knew where they used it, as there was a
distinct but not unpleasant odor.

LD

In the school district I work in they now use "oiled" dust mops. These
are about 3 ft wide or so with replaceable head covers. The covers are
impregnated with a substance that appears to accomplish the same as
the old compound - all the fine dust is picked up & easily shaken out
without leaving any oil or anything else on the floor surface. When
the effectiveness wears off simply replace the head cover and put the
used one in a bin for the company that supplies them to launder and
retreat.

On 8 Nov 2004 06:29:54 -0800, (David Hall) wrote:

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No
oil - wouldn't it be slippery?

No more so than a waxed floor. They used to use it in schools and other
institutions for those long, wide hallways. The janitors then always wore
green work clothes and used a broom or dustmop with a head about the size
of Rhode Island. You always knew where they used it, as there was a
distinct but not unpleasant odor.

LD

In the school district I work in they now use "oiled" dust mops. These
are about 3 ft wide or so with replaceable head covers. The covers are
impregnated with a substance that appears to accomplish the same as
the old compound - all the fine dust is picked up & easily shaken out
without leaving any oil or anything else on the floor surface. When
the effectiveness wears off simply replace the head cover and put the
used one in a bin for the company that supplies them to launder and
retreat.

the mother of all Swifters? *g*

(David Hall) wrote:

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same.
No oil - wouldn't it be slippery?

No more so than a waxed floor. They used to use it in schools and
other institutions for those long, wide hallways. The janitors then
always wore green work clothes and used a broom or dustmop with a
head about the size of Rhode Island. You always knew where they used
it, as there was a distinct but not unpleasant odor.

LD

In the school district I work in they now use "oiled" dust mops. These
are about 3 ft wide or so with replaceable head covers. The covers are
impregnated with a substance that appears to accomplish the same as
the old compound - all the fine dust is picked up & easily shaken out
without leaving any oil or anything else on the floor surface. When
the effectiveness wears off simply replace the head cover and put the
used one in a bin for the company that supplies them to launder and
retreat.

Another tradition going! Maybe we need to get started on an oral history
of sweeping compound before the last users die out. )

mac davis wrote in message . ..
On 8 Nov 2004 06:29:54 -0800, (David Hall) wrote:

I've seen people use a sprinkle bottle with water to do the same. No
oil - wouldn't it be slippery?

No more so than a waxed floor. They used to use it in schools and other
institutions for those long, wide hallways. The janitors then always wore
green work clothes and used a broom or dustmop with a head about the size
of Rhode Island. You always knew where they used it, as there was a
distinct but not unpleasant odor.

LD

In the school district I work in they now use "oiled" dust mops. These
are about 3 ft wide or so with replaceable head covers. The covers are
impregnated with a substance that appears to accomplish the same as
the old compound - all the fine dust is picked up & easily shaken out
without leaving any oil or anything else on the floor surface. When
the effectiveness wears off simply replace the head cover and put the
used one in a bin for the company that supplies them to launder and
retreat.

the mother of all Swifters? *g*


Pretty much, except that they are reusable after laundering and retreatment.

Lobby Dosser wrote in
news:%hPjd.8$iY3.3@trnddc01:

snip

Another tradition going! Maybe we need to get started on an oral history
of sweeping compound before the last users die out. )


Are you willing to host and maintain the web site? ;-)

On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 21:11:12 GMT, patriarch wrote:
Lobby Dosser wrote in
news:%hPjd.8$iY3.3@trnddc01:

snip

Another tradition going! Maybe we need to get started on an oral history
of sweeping compound before the last users die out. )

Are you willing to host and maintain the web site? ;-)

It's there already. wikipedia.org - online collaborative encyclopedia
project. If there's not an article there, branch out from a logical place.

Dave Hinz

I spent a summer working in a warehouse right after graduating from high
school. The warehouse had been built around the first world war (OWW Lots of
beautiful beams!). I don't think it had been swept ever! We used almost four
drums of sweeping compound in two days. The foreman wasn't thrilled. He told
us that they used one every couple of month in the larger warehouse.

Grant

"patriarch " wrote:

Lobby Dosser wrote in
news:%hPjd.8$iY3.3@trnddc01:

snip

Another tradition going! Maybe we need to get started on an oral history
of sweeping compound before the last users die out. )


Are you willing to host and maintain the web site? ;-)

Menard's has the compound on sale this week in their flyer.


"Grant P. Beagles" wrote in
message RCIAL...
I spent a summer working in a warehouse right after graduating from high
school. The warehouse had been built around the first world war (OWW Lots
of
beautiful beams!). I don't think it had been swept ever! We used almost
four
drums of sweeping compound in two days. The foreman wasn't thrilled. He
told
us that they used one every couple of month in the larger warehouse.

Grant

"patriarch " wrote:

Lobby Dosser wrote in
news:%hPjd.8$iY3.3@trnddc01:

snip

Another tradition going! Maybe we need to get started on an oral
history
of sweeping compound before the last users die out. )


Are you willing to host and maintain the web site? ;-)

"Dustmaker" wrote in message ...
During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly remembered we
used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many
times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I simply
want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use it
all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

I make a substitute by putting jointer or planer shavings in a garbage
bag, adding a gallon or two of water and then turning it every which
way to distribute the water.Let it sit overnight or so, until the
water is all absorbed more or less evenly. It picks more dust off the
floor to begin with, stops it from becoming airborn, makes sweeping
faster and helps to show where you have allready swept.

"Dustmaker" wrote in message ...
During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly remembered we
used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many
times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I simply
want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use it
all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

IIRC a lot of them got pulled for environmental concerns (used oil don'ch know)
a quick search of the one I get at my local CTC turns up this...


Dustban

Nalco Chemical Co.
1 Nalco Center
Naperville, Illinois 60566
312/961-9500

Menard's has it.

"ajames54" wrote in message
om...
"Dustmaker" wrote in message
...
During my efforts to sweep up some scraper shavings I suddenly
remembered we
used to use sweeping compound in shop class when I was in school. Many
times, it's not worth the effort to get a vacuum over to a site and I
simply
want to use broom or brush and dustpan.

Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use
it
all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

IIRC a lot of them got pulled for environmental concerns (used oil don'ch
know)
a quick search of the one I get at my local CTC turns up this...


Dustban

Nalco Chemical Co.
1 Nalco Center
Naperville, Illinois 60566
312/961-9500

Around here the local ace hardware carries it. Don't know if it has oil in
it or not. Larry.
"Dustmaker" wrote in message
...
snip
Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use
it all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?

Was not aware it could be bought.

We made it. Saved sawdust and added some kerosene, and mixed it well. That
was all I knew.

Bill Houdek

"larry in cinci" wrote in message
...
Around here the local ace hardware carries it. Don't know if it has oil in
it or not. Larry.
"Dustmaker" wrote in message
...
snip
Did sweeping compound disappear for some good reason or did the Army use
it all up during the 60's. Are they storing it in some hidden location?