Flammable Storage

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hcpens

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
1,018
Location
San Antonio, TX
I have seen several fire-damaged shops over the years, and I am just wondering what some of you do for flammable storage and or disposable items?

The cost of rebuilding, replacing your tools and inventory would not even compare to the cost of a cabinet designed for flammable storage, but it's hard to spend that kind of money. My rags always go outside to dry ( I don't have very many freeze days here in Texas), so that is not an issue. I think I have answered my question, just wondering what the rest of you do.

So in my mind, it's a toss-up, do I feel lucky or play it safe and spend the money? I think I will check on my homeowners' insurance.🤠
 
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monophoto

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Joined
Mar 13, 2010
Messages
2,542
Location
Saratoga Springs, NY
This is something that I'm aware of and try to address, but I also try to not be excessively paranoid about it. In my case, my shop is in the basement of our home, so a fire could be more serious than if the shop were in a separate structure.

Many finishes and finishing components are flamable, but they also are packaged in metal containers. I keep bulk quantities in the original containers - I figure than if metal containers are safe enough for shipping and retail stores, they should be safe enough for the shop.

I do mostly small turnings which don't require lots of finish. So I decant small quantities as working stock - either in the original dilution, or diluted with some other components to make the final finish. I keep these in small (typically smaller than 3 liquid ounce) glass container (glass rather than plastic because plastic 'breathes' and the finish spoils more rapidly) - I grab the spice jars when wife empties them because they are made from especially thick glass so they are less likely to break if they fall onto the concrete floor. And because the containers are small, the amount of flamable solution is limited. I find that I can reuse a container once, and perhaps twice - after that, the buildup of dried finish around the threads makes it difficult to screw the cap on, so at that point I throw them away.

The other aspect of that is that I generally buy finishes and finish components in fairly small quanitites because, with smaller turnings requiring less finish, the stuff tends to go bad before I can use it up. So the fact that I don't have large quantities sitting on the shelf is another dimension of safety.

I apply finishes with either small paper towel pads, or pads made from toilet paper. After I have finished, I lay the pad over the edge of a waste container to dry (and consciously make sure that the the ends of the pad are bent around the edge and not just precariously balanced on the edge). After about 24 hours, they are dry and stiff and can be disposed of traditionally.
 

dogcatcher

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Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
2,359
Location
TX, NM or on the road
I have a paint can that is about a 1/3 full of water that I dump my finish rags in. Every so often I dump it in the alley and let them all dry out and throw the rags in the trash. I buy some of my finish supplies by the gallon, those I decant into either pint sized cans or bottles. Most of all I have a metal locker that all flammables are stored in, it was bought at a military surplus sale for $5. Not many bidders on a flammable storage cabinet, I got it with the opening bid.
 
Joined
Dec 22, 2017
Messages
3,037
Location
Wolf Creek Montana
I always let any rag or whatever air dry before throwing away. I store all my chemicals in a metal cabinet, not sure if it's fire safe but I think it might slow a fire down until the smoke detector sounded. I also keep a fire extinguisher handy "just in case" I think what dogcatcher got would be a great investment, especially at that cost. My shop heater flame is isolated from the shop so there can't be an vapor issue. I just have to keep it clean.
 

MTViper

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
728
Location
Clyde, Texas
I do the same as Wolf Creek. I have a stand up metal business cabinet. I know it's not fire safe. I have it located next to the roll up door to outside, on an outside wall. I let my rags, brushes, and paper towels dry outside. Most of what I have in the cabinet are paints/stains in metal containers, 2 x 1 gallon gas cans for the chainsaws and weed eaters, and chain oil for the chainsaws. Everything is closed tightly. Cabinet is ventilated so fumes don't build up inside. I keep flammable materials away from it just in case something happens. I'm well below the number and type of flammable materials that would trigger the need for a fireproof cabinet based on NFPA standards.
 
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