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Author Topic: A cautionary tale  (Read 2657 times)

Offline corkybstewart

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A cautionary tale
« on: January 28, 2012, 04:53:26 pm »
I spent the morning helping my neighbor pull all the sheet rock,appliances, toys, etc from his garage.  He was lucky that when he set it on fire there was no real structural damage, only smoke damage.  He did something I've heard warnings about all my life but really didn't believe.
After doing some remodeling in the house he took some rags that were saturated with linseed oil and put them in a plastic bucket with some other debris.  He put the bucket in the garage and went to bed.  4 hours later he wakes up to the sound of the smoke alarm.  He thought because it was in the 20's that night the rags would be safe until he could properly dispose of them. I've always heard oily rags could start a fire but never really believed it, but it does happen and a lot quicker than you might think.
Luckily his wife and kids were out of town, there would have been some serious panic if they had been around, and there would have been a pickup truck in the garage as well.  His homebrew kegerator, 2 kegs and the CO2 bottle are all fine..
Life is wonderful in sunny White Signal New Mexico

Offline euge

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2012, 05:02:36 pm »
When I was in art-school we were warned repeatedly about this. If the rags are laid out flat and seperately they can dry. Worst thing one can do is the aforementioned wadding and then throwing it away.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline punatic

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2012, 06:31:39 pm »
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


AHA Life Member #33907

Offline bluesman

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2012, 06:46:26 pm »
I first learned about SC when I was in high school. Thankfully I've never experienced it probably because I heeded to the warning. At least everyone escaped without harm. That's a tough learning lesson.
Ron Price

Offline boulderbrewer

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2012, 07:12:36 pm »
Greasy rags get tossed or stored outside.

Offline EHall

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2012, 05:18:23 pm »
My neighbor's house burned down due to this... they were in a coffee can on the back porch...
Phoenix, AZ

Offline Slowbrew

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2012, 07:35:04 am »
It happens a lot more than people think and it can happen very quickly.  I've had them start to get warm in a couple of hours.  Always spread out the rags and lay or hang them flat, preferably outside and away from your house.

Paul
Where the heck are we going?  And what's with this hand basket?

Offline corkybstewart

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2012, 08:55:16 pm »
It happens a lot more than people think and it can happen very quickly.  I've had them start to get warm in a couple of hours.  Always spread out the rags and lay or hang them flat, preferably outside and away from your house.

Paul
I've always hung them on a fence. more to get the smell away from the house than for safety. I'm going to experiment with a few oily rags in a bucket(way out in the yard) to see just how long it takes.
Life is wonderful in sunny White Signal New Mexico

Offline punatic

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Re: A cautionary tale
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2012, 09:43:42 pm »
At the power plant where I worked we had oily rag disposal cans.  They sealed airtight and were painted fire engine red.  The safety guys would write you up (serious s***) if they came into a work area where you were working and the oily rags had not been stored/disposed of properly.
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


AHA Life Member #33907