PSA: Boiled Linseed Oil Flammability--It's Real.

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  • msmith5150
    • Sep 2020
    • 352

    #16
    I actually never knew that until I got my M1 with a new CMP stock last year and started to research how to treat it. I used pure tung oil and... read the instructions! Crazy, I know. I had never used products like that before. After treating the stock I stuck the rags in a bucket of water.

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    • Blood_of_Tyrants
      • Oct 2010
      • 872

      #17
      Originally posted by la Fiere View Post
      What is the best way to handle BLO-soaked rags to prevent this?
      Lay them out flat on a non-combustible surface to dry. Or just burn them if you have a safe place to do it.

      Originally posted by Kestrel4k View Post
      Remember learning of this danger as a child; how adults can't know this, I just don't understand.
      Because many of us learned this in shop class. And they cancelled shop class for "social studies" and sensitivity training.

      I was at a fire scene at a factory with a fire investigator several years ago. The workers were doing some staining and application of other oils. I wasn't the lead investigator but I asked where their airtight container was for the oily rags. They asked what did they need them for. The fire investigator explained the problem with oily rags.

      Also, DO NOT put rags that haven't been completely washed of all oils in your clothes dryer. One fire investigator told me that someone had lightly washed towels that had chicken fat on them and threw them in the clothes dryer afterwards and it caused a fire.

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      • AJsun
        • Jan 2021
        • 81

        #18
        One safe way to apply BLO Toung oil, is use a patch rag cut off an old T-shirt. I cut them using pinking shears, even have used smaller patches cut to clean the Barrel. They dry so fast they will not combust. I like and use Casey stock oil products, my Rifles are not at all collectible. You can flatten the finish using a medium scotch brite pad. Like a lot of you troopers said never pile the rags, always lay them out flat. I have a 1955 Ford F-100 pickup. The pickup bed is walnut I treat it with BLO but I brush it on and put it in the hot midday sun. Never touch it with a rag usually drys with in a week.AJ

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        • Kestrel4k
          • Dec 2012
          • 2101

          #19
          Originally posted by Blood_of_Tyrants View Post
          [...] Because many of us learned this in shop class. [...]
          Except that this was /way before/ shop class - things that adults taught children like the dangers of live household wiring, hypothermia in wet clothes, that sort of thing.
          Kestrel4k feedback thread

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          • Stuckus
            • Jun 2019
            • 39

            #20
            A true story (like already mentioned, but twice as bad): My next-door neighbor had some wood floors re-done and the floor man put his rags on the redwood deck. The deck burned up. The floor man learned his lesson on how easy it is to burn-up a deck. So, the next day the floor man put his rags away from the house, next to the fence. He burned down the fence! That was around 1985 or so. I was a teenager or maybe 20 at the time. I had taken wood shop, and was a woodworker--even then, as a kid I knew about spontaneous combustion from all of my woodshop classes. I usually burn my oily rags (linseed oil, Danish oil, etc.).

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            • CW1863
              • Oct 2009
              • 132

              #21
              Airplane Hangar

              About fifteen years ago an ag pilot friend of mine in upstate NY had his airplane hangar burn down and destroy his spray airplanes. He was re-covering a control surface and left some BLO rags that combusted.

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              • AJsun
                • Jan 2021
                • 81

                #22
                Ya I am Doing a recover job on my Champ Fuselage, Stits polyfibre system, I stay away from rags, only use blue paper towels, the MEK and high temp thinner really dries fast. Using a top loader develbus 20 ounce HVLP spray gun. Our temps are cool with low humidity. Best time to spray paint. AJ

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                • SirWilliam
                  • Mar 2018
                  • 775

                  #23
                  Originally posted by SirWilliam View Post
                  My in-laws had a fire back in February-the workmen had been there earlier in the day finishing the woodwork and left all the rags in a pile in the upstairs hall. Hopefully they will be able to move back in by the end of the year...

                  Bill
                  Its been almost a year, close to a million dollars later and the house still isn't done. They've been staying with my brother in law since. 2 lessons, watch them rags, and spring for the full replacement rider on your insurance. The in laws are sure glad they did

                  Bill

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                  • dogboysdad
                    • Oct 2009
                    • 409

                    #24
                    I helped build a house back in the late 1980s. It was post and beam construction. We oiled all the wood with linseed oil. The rags spontaneously combusted while we were standing around at the end of the day. At least they were in buckets. I’ll not forget that lesson.

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                    • BRMPCF50
                      • Dec 2013
                      • 465

                      #25
                      UL and/or FM approved oily waste safety cans are one answer. I use a 6 gallon can with the foot opening feature for disposing of soiled cleaning patches and any other solvent or lubricant soaked rags.

                      https://www.justrite.com/09200-2-gal...tertop-can-red

                      https://www.justrite.com/09100-oily-...sing-cover-red

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                      • CW1863
                        • Oct 2009
                        • 132

                        #26
                        I may have posted this before. I have an agricultural spray pilot friend who lost his hangar and spray airplane due to a fire caused by linseed oil rags combusting in his hangar . This was in NY state about fifteen years ago.

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                        • Rmw
                          • Apr 2023
                          • 811

                          #27
                          Originally posted by la Fiere View Post
                          What is the best way to handle BLO-soaked rags to prevent this?
                          According to the armorers at last month's Advanced Maintenance Class the combustibility danger of oil soaked rags is a bit misunderstood. You don't have to burn them. All you have to do is hang them up on a cloths line or lay them out flat on a noncombustible surface (asphalt, concrete, dirt) until totally dry.

                          Once dry they are not going to self ignite. They can then be safely discarded in the trash along with everything else.

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                          • ZvenoMan
                            • May 2011
                            • 6429

                            #28
                            Originally posted by Rmw View Post

                            According to the armorers at last month's Advanced Maintenance Class the combustibility danger of oil soaked rags is a bit misunderstood. You don't have to burn them. All you have to do is hang them up on a cloths line or lay them out flat on a noncombustible surface (asphalt, concrete, dirt) until totally dry.

                            Once dry they are not going to self ignite. They can then be safely discarded in the trash along with everything else.
                            Meh.
                            I doubt it's misunderstood, people who recognize the problem understand that the process of drying creates heat.
                            The problem is many people don't think that through and the 2+ days it can take to dry coupled with placing them out to dry in an area where any fire can spread is a problem, including wind.

                            The key is that you need to put SOME thought to this issue.

                            There are several correct ways to dispose of these rags, and MANY incorrect ways.

                            I place mine in a bucket of water outside until I have a chance to burn or otherwise correctly dispose of them, a correctly designed flammable rag can is great, immediate burning, drying in a safe area, I have available many ways to get the desired solution (not burn down my house/shop).

                            I have read reports of rags with small amounts of oil combusting after months/years (after being "dry"); while that is rare I treat these with care. So far I have never seen one get hot, and not really hoping to find one.

                            Like many things, the google will supply you with many tested and accepted ways to manage this issue, several are free, up to buying an oily waste can (metal ones seem to start around $75, I'll pass on the poly!). As much work as I do it's probably time to get a can, it would save time.

                            JH
                            Zvenoman

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