A lesson learned on oil-based finish rag disposal

[BucksDad]

An expensive lesson learned. : woodworking (reddit.com)

I didn't really understand how critical it was to dispose of oil rags correctly.. now I do. Thankfully the OP had smoke detectors and was able to get himself and his family out of the house safely.

(I can also recommend the woodworking sub-reddit as it is entirely woodworking focused with projects posted everyday)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I take mine outside and burn them. They can't go up in flames twice.

 

[Daniel2]

I take mine outside and burn them. They can't go up in flames twice.

Yep, me also.

 

[Linus]

I throw mine in the chimenea so if they ignite they're in the right place.

 

[thetyreman]

mine get thrown in the incinerator.

 

[Iestynd]

So this got me thinking... not that the original poster would have been able to use a small fire extinguisher, but what do people have at home? We have nothing! We have hardwired smoke alarms but i did start to think about a pan fire, or a small electrical fire... a fire extinguisher could be the difference between a total house fire and some messed up curtains!

UK based people what have you and what do you recomend?

Thank you

 

[Stigmorgan]

So this got me thinking... not that the original poster would have been able to use a small fire extinguisher, but what do people have at home? We have nothing! We have hardwired smoke alarms but i did start to think about a pan fire, or a small electrical fire... a fire extinguisher could be the difference between a total house fire and some messed up curtains!

UK based people what have you and what do you recomend?

Thank you

You have to be careful here, the wrong extinguisher can make the fire worse.

 

[Iestynd]

I've just purchased a 2kg Powder (ABC) extinguiser for the workshop. I also bought a firesafety stick for the house and 1 for the camper van!

Fingers crossed we never need them

 

[mr rusty]

I have water mist extinguisher. These are relatively new but suitable for all fire types Water Mist Fire Extinguishers - For Most Types of Fire

 

[Jacob]

Apparently it's very uncommon and conditions have to be just right; linseed oil on loosely bundled rags in ventilated space on warm day etc. I put mine in a jam jar with a lid on.

 

[Fergie 307]

You can't go far wrong with CO2 extinguishers, even quite a small one can put out quite a lot, and are good for most things, I have three in the workshop. They also work well at a distance. I also always keep a small powder one in the car. But dont forget than even if you haven't used all the contents it still needs to be replaced.

 

[Fergie 307]

I throw mine in the chimenea so if they ignite they're in the right place.

Ditto, in the barbecue smoker. They make good firelighters.

 

[Speedy23]

You can't go far wrong with CO2 extinguishers, even quite a small one can put out quite a lot, and are good for most things, I have three in the workshop. They also work well at a distance. I also always keep a small powder one in the car. But dont forget than even if you haven't used all the contents it still needs to be replaced.

Have you ever actually used one? They are very difficult to use properly (I used to be in fire service). I would stick to dry powder or water mist. Dry powder makes a bloody mess, though and you really don't want to be breathing it in if you have to use it indoors....

 

[Jacob]

Have you ever actually used one? They are very difficult to use properly (I used to be in fire service). I would stick to dry powder or water mist. Dry powder makes a bloody mess, though and you really don't want to be breathing it in if you have to use it indoors....

I had an old dry powder extinguisher 15 years past its use by date so I let it off to see what happened and was amazed by how the powder spread through the room even though I was pointing it into a box. I guess it would still have been effective if there had been a fire. Worth bearing in mind - by all means buy new ones but keep the old ones on hand they might still be useful.

 

[Distinterior]

So this got me thinking... not that the original poster would have been able to use a small fire extinguisher, but what do people have at home? We have nothing! We have hardwired smoke alarms but i did start to think about a pan fire, or a small electrical fire... a fire extinguisher could be the difference between a total house fire and some messed up curtains!

UK based people what have you and what do you recomend?

Thank you

I have to have various types of extinguishers at my business premises, as it's an insurance requirement as well as common sense.
They also need to be serviced every year and re-certified. This can only be done for a certain amount of times before the extinguishers have to be replaced with brand new ones.
When this happens, I then take the older models home and they live in my home workshop......They still work fine and hold pressure okay but would not pass an insurance inspection.....I have Foam, Powder and CO2 extinguishers.

 

[Henniep]

You can't go far wrong with CO2 extinguishers, even quite a small one can put out quite a lot, and are good for most things, I have three in the workshop. They also work well at a distance. I also always keep a small powder one in the car. But dont forget than even if you haven't used all the contents it still needs to be replaced.

I've said this before. With CO2 you need to eliminate the source of the fire otherwise the fire will re-ignite when the CO2 clears. Dry powder and foam might eliminate the source (except for electricity of course). NB NB isolate the source of the fire before extinguishing!

 

[TominDales]

I've said this before. With CO2 you need to eliminate the source of the fire otherwise the fire will re-ignite when the CO2 clears. Dry powder and foam might eliminate the source (except for electricity of course). NB NB isolate the source of the fire before extinguishing!

SPOT ON. Eliminate the source.
For a pan fire a fire blanket is best. But turn of the stove first.

A guy in my lab put the blanket on the chip pan at home, but forgot to turn the stove off. It put out the fire and his family retreated to the sitting room to get over the shock, but it reignited and burnt half the kitchen down.

 

[TominDales]

I have to have various types of extinguishers at my business premises, as it's an insurance requirement as well as common sense.
They also need to be serviced every year and re-certified. This can only be done for a certain amount of times before the extinguishers have to be replaced with brand new ones.
When this happens, I then take the older models home and they live in my home workshop......They still work fine and hold pressure okay but would not pass an insurance inspection.....I have Foam, Powder and CO2 extinguishers.

For certainty that's what you should do - and must do at work. However properly certified fire extinguishers will last for a very long time. So for home, I'd keep the old ones. I've got an old BCF one from 1986 in my garage. I'm 99.999% certain it will work.

 

[TominDales]

I had an old dry powder extinguisher 15 years past its use by date so I let it off to see what happened and was amazed by how the powder spread through the room even though I was pointing it into a box. I guess it would still have been effective if there had been a fire. Worth bearing in mind - by all means buy new ones but keep the old ones on hand they might still be useful.

Agree, see my reply to @Distinterior . Worth keeping the old ones (in a home situation) in reserve as properly certified will last beyond the use by date. keep as a back up. Power is very messy, but very effective, if practicing, use outside. And if used on a car engine, you may write it off, however better safe than sorry.

 

[TominDales]

Apparently it's very uncommon and conditions have to be just right; linseed oil on loosely bundled rags in ventilated space on warm day etc. I put mine in a jam jar with a lid on.

Not that uncommon, unfortunately its a bit too common. Famous fire at Meridian plaza and lots of HSE cases in UK. One Meridian Plaza - Wikipedia.

Its an inherent hazard with finishing oils.

Most finishing oils (Linseed, Tung, Teak, genuine turps) contain unsaturated chemical bonds, these react in air to polymerise, this is the drying process that gives a nice finish, its a type of oxidation and gives off heat.

On furniture the heat is converted away safely but in a confined space of a screwed-up rag the temperature rises - autoignition will set fire to the rag. If temperature rises above the flash point 93c for linseed oil, but only 40c if thinned with white spirit then spontaneous combustion occurs.
Also metal shavings oxidise giving off heat, so rags thrown in the bin can easily self ignite.

Precautions:
Storing the rag in a sealed jam jar, as @Jacob does, keeps the oxygen down, so lessens the hazard.
A strong metal tin or fire proof tin is be recommended these days as glass can break, but same principle.

Other common sense approaches, keep the volume of rags to a minimum, don't slosh the stuff about, and don't' leave them soaking wet with oil. All minimise the risk of fire. I'm sure most woodworkers do this naturally as its enviromentally sensible and minimises waste/cost! But I'd always advice new comers to adopt this practice, as they may not be aware of the fire risk.

I hang them on a washing line outside to dry before putting back in a tin, or disposing of them. Best to put outside in dust bin once dry or burn them as @Phil Pascoe does.