Contributor
I had a guy that used to want hardwood only material from the dust collector. He used it for fertilizer or something. He hasn't been in touch so it's been going in the garbage as I have no where to really spread it on my property. I would really like to dump it in the woods so it doesn't go to a landfill, but in my area of Jersey I don't think getting caught for 'dumping' is a good idea.
Contributor
Mine often has pvc or treated lumber dust so it can’t be used on plants or as bedding. A kid down the street works on cars. He takes a bag from Tim to time to soak up oils. The rest goes to the landfill.
Contributor
I either compost it or burn it. Lately I dump my dust collector in a wooded side lot and distribute the shavings with a leaf blower. It returns to the soil in a month or so.
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
Contributor
Sawdust isn’t dumping any more than falling leaves are dumping. Make a pile. Pour a coffee can of high nitrogen pelletized fertilizer on it. Douse well with water. It will be dirt in 6 weeks. Makes great flower bed mulch.Originally Posted by Justin Rapp
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
Contributor
I actually tried to burn it last night (hardwood chips and dust from hickory and maple) and it didn't burn well or even fast. It almost smothered out the ambers from the fire we had going.
Contributor
Pellet manufs push the raw material through their dies at high pressure. The friction through the die creates heat which in turn brings out the lignites in the wood. Those lignites are the glue which holds the pellets together...for a while. Not sure how a hand press would do as I've never tried this.
Contributor
Sometimes it's tough to get going. The surface will ignite and it will do a slow burn. To be fair, 95% of mine is planer shavings either from a lunchbox or my hand planes so it burns OK. Regular sawdust can be tough. I usually mix it in with sticks and leaves so it can get some air.
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
Contributor
Mine goes into the compositors or into the garden.
Member
I was watching Ishanti Furniture on youtube . . .and in one of the videos you see him with his sawdust stove. Just an oversized pipe that he puts a second pipe in the middle of, and then loads it up with sawdust and shavings, packs it tight to where it's like a brick, pulls the second pipe out so there's an air tube, lights it and it heats the shop. Probably not practical in the city . . . but nifty nonetheless.
Contributor
We have yard waste recycling so most goes there. I'm careful to give them no sheet goods or pressure treated or trash. That all goes in the trash. Wood big enough to burn goes to a friend with a fireplace.
Member
I liked this in the description:
"...can be used to inexpensively compress paper that can then be used to start a chimney fire." Most folks here call the fire department when that happens. ; ) I got a chuckle out of that.
We have a wood stove in the house and thus I save sawdust for fire starter (mixed with diesel fuel).
Tony
Contributor
One of the local girl scout packs likes to make fire starters out of sawdust and wax. They like dryer lint too. I usually give them a couple trash bags full of sawdust / wood chips each year. I live in a small town, so I would imagine, larger cities may more options for this type of 'donation'. The 'boy scouts' is obviously not an option anymore.....
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