Oily Finish Rags

[Dave Crabbs]

Hi All,
I just started to use oil (BLO) as a base coat in finishing some of my projects. I know that oil soaked rags can spontaneously combust if left in a pile. What I am doing now is laying them open on a saw horse till they are dry(about a week) then disposing of them. I can find safety containers on the internet to dispose oily rags in but,I can not find one locally. Would a galvanized trash can work? I know that I could put them in a bucket of water but I would prefer some type of safety container instead.

Thanks and Happy New Year,
Dave

[Todd Burch]

Wad them up and put them outside in an old coffee can, in a safe place, obviously, and let them do their thing. I just stick mine a old coffee can full of water. No big deal.

[Michael Cody]

Hi All,
I just started to use oil (BLO) as a base coat in finishing some of my projects. I know that oil soaked rags can spontaneously combust if left in a pile. What I am doing now is laying them open on a saw horse till they are dry(about a week) then disposing of them. I can find safety containers on the internet to dispose oily rags in but,I can not find one locally. Would a galvanized trash can work? I know that I could put them in a bucket of water but I would prefer some type of safety container instead.

Dave


I put mine outside in a steel 20gal garbage can and throw in sand.. just throw them in, cover with a layer of sand and put the top on. It's got no Oxy and the cover is tight, nothing to let it combust with.

The can is next to my main HerbyKirby garbage can about 10' from the house on a slab so I don't see an issue. Works for me, total cost was something like 12$ for the can @ 2$ for the sand. When it's full, I dump it, pick out the rags and burn them.. no mess and can reuse the sand. Could go bigger but a 20 gallon can full of sand is pretty heavy.

[Jim Becker]

My BLO-soaked rags go outside and hang on a nail away from the shop until they are hard and dry. Then they go in the trash. I'd rather have them blowin' in the wind than wadded up somewhere, even if in a can. But an air-tight container is a good method, too, but I'd still keep it outside and away from the shop or house.

[Mike Evertsen]

outside in a coffee can then to the dumpster,,,,

[Ken Salisbury]

Since I keep a "burn pile" behind the shop for scraps, etc I simply throw the rags on the pile. If by chance they were to combust then the burning process just started sooner than planned. :D (which by the way has never happened)

[Tyler Howell]

Since I keep a "burn pile" behind the shop for scraps, etc I simply throw the rags on the pile. If by chance they were to combust then the burning process just started sooner than planned. :D (which by the way has never happened)
Two Guys I worked with both got new garages out of oilie rags. One replaced his and the other thought it was a great idea.

TJH

[John Wadsworth]

Dave,

Like you, I just drape them unfolded--in my case, usually over the edge of my shop's trashcan--until they're hard and dry, then stick 'em in the pile to go to the dump--ah, sorry, the Delaware County Solid Waste Management Facility.

Don't see any need to change that...

[Terry Quiram]

Galvanized trash can outside the shop. No lid. Just pitch when I am done.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I just clip mine to a chain link fence. When they dry hard, they go in the trash.