Official Luthiers Forum!

I spent the weekend putting linseed oil on some boards that I plan to use as walls in a cabin that I am making. On the way home my wife put all the old oil soaked rags in a plastic bag to bring home. Sure enough, about 4 hours into the trip home the bag in the back of the truck bursts into flames. I pulled over and put on gloves and started throwing burning stuff out of the back of the truck. Every time I did that the grass caught on fire and it spread under the truck toward the gas tank. I jumped into the truck and drove forward to avoid the grass fire, then parked, ran to the back of the truck bed which was still on fire and threw more burning stuff out. Which of course started another grass fire, repeating the process. I made about 5 of those starts and stops, scattering a goodly grass fire for quite some distance down the road. My wife ran to a house across the street and called the fire dept who came and got the grass fire under control before it lit the woods next to the road.

Insane. I mention this so that you can rest assured that the oily rag thing is not an urban myth. It can happen really fast. I think especially so with boilded linseed oil

John, My sides are splitting, and I know this was no laughing matter. Thanks for sharing this. Are you the guy or was it someone else on the OLF that just takes them on outside and burns them rather than dispose of them inside? Was that you?

One thing I do is rather than toss paint thinner paper towels is to lay them open around the opening to the trash can. Later when they are dry, I toss 'em on in. Sorry for your trouble, and thanks for sharing it. BD

Yikes!
Thanks for the reminder John, that is truly scary. Of course, I don't have to worry too much about the grass fire thing (!) but I'll remember your report next time I use the stuff. But you must admit, it must have looked kind of funny even tho it was a dangerous situation. Reality slapstick!Arnt38734.7407986111

_________________
Rian Gitar og Mandolin

This is no myth, i read a story similar but had had more devastating results. A lady somewhere in the U.S.A. had built her own log home and had finished the inside walls with linseed oil, had put 'em rags tossed somewhere and went out of her house for a little while. All her years of efforts alone gone down pretty quick!

I would not approach linseed oil with a 10 ft pole

Serge

Glad it was you and not Steve or we would have another darn wild fire down her in Texas to put out

"another darn wild fire down her in Texas to put out"

That must be where that smoking after sex joke originated - its true !!!

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Thanks for the reminder, John. Hopefully you didn't burn yourself. I do hope you punished your wife.

Yes, Bruce and Arnt
   In retrospect it's pretty funny. To make matters worse, I set all my clothes and pic nic basket, which were not of fire, on the ground. Eventually the grass fire got them. I made some poor decisions in those moments of stress. Laurel and Hardy put out truck fire kind of decisions.
   Bruce i had a few small burns on my hands where molten plastic stuck to my skin but nothing serious. All better today.
   You're right Michael. If that had been in Texas or Oklahoma the entire state would probably be ablaze.

State Farm was good to me today.

Whoa .. that was a close call John. Hope all is well on the skin front shortly, that hurts.

Years ago I put an oil finish on a hardwood floor, but knowing that the rags might do something like that, put the bunch in a bag in the centre of my interlocked patio in the backyard. Sure enough, later in the afternoon before I got home from the old day job, it started to smoke. The neighbor, retired electrician, smells somethings up, thinks my house is on fire, but cant really see anything on the house where smoke is coming from. Then notices the bag, smoldering, and douses it with the hose. Never do I leave anything like that around, if I ever have any, I usually put them right into the fireplace and burn them, or soak in water. Dangerous stuff.

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

About 30 years ago I made my wife a mahogany jewelery box and finished it with linseed oil. I tossed the rag on the kitchen counter top and forgot about it. About two hours later smoke was rolling out of it and I managed to get it in the sink before it burst into flames. Haven't used linseed oil since.

Too bad you didn't get that episode on film, it might be worth 10K on AFV.

Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

I have never heard of such a thing! What in the world is happenig that causes a rag to catch fire?

Glad your OK John!

_________________
Support the OLF! Bookmark our STEWMAC link Today!
Lance@LuthiersForum.com

It's an exothermic chemical reaction. Some other oils will do the same thing, even Danish oil. When I use Danish I always spread my rags out on the concrete shop floor until they are good and dry, then toss them. The reaction won't happen (to the point of ignition) unless the rag is balled up. The same thing happens to a large bale of hay that is rolled up before it partially dries. Spontaneous combustion.

Ron

_________________
OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Bruce,
I wrote an article for LINT about the very thing you mentioned. (Perhaps you were recalling that...)
Anyway, in an article on Koa finishing, I mentioned taking the oil soaked rags straight out to the driveway and intentionally--and carefully--burning those guys completely up. But not to be tried now. After 2" of rain last night, we're still under a burn ban.

SK

_________________
From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

I lay all my rag, no matter what liquid I'm using, on the concrete floor to dry before I set them in a can. I don't think it's just linseed oil. I think it can happen with any type of combustable. Not sure, but I don't take any chances. Took way too long to pay the house off.

There was a custom home south of Denver last year that had a similar thing happen. A month or so before the Parade of Homes, this gigantic home, 6 car garage, etc. went up in flames due to improperly stored rags. Independent builder, small company, first big break, heartbreaking.
Glad you're ok and around to tell the tale.
-j.

_________________
“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

As Tony mentioned, puting oil-soaked rags into water is a convenience option--especially helpful if you need to take them away from your work area to spread them out for drying. The water draws away the heat, so they can't combust; but remember, the water does not neutralize the oil--the rags still need to be spread out to dry after taking them out of the water.

I use linseed oil a lot, it's a great finish for WRC (non guitar related). I wouldn't let the spontaneous combustion thing put you off using it, you just have to remember to hang your rags up to dry or lay them out if you prefer that way. Funny thing is I've never seen a warning on the label!

Linseed oil is hot stuff. Also I know Minwax stain will do the same thing as it too has linseed oil. When in doupt burn it where you can control the fire or store it in water soaked plastic bags .
    Amazing how simple things slip out minds. Loved the story, should have had some hot dogs and marshmallows in there some how.
   LOL
john

I KNOW I should not be laughing so hard and glad you and yours are safe but the mental picture is still cracking me up.

VERY real problem and constant concern for me. My rags are layed out flat to dry where they can air out. Had it happen with Watco finish more than once. Again, glad you are safe.

Larry

_________________
Thank You and Best To All

Thanks for the warning, John. I'm glad your losses and injuries weren't worse.

The other thing I've heard of for keeping oil-soaked rags from spontaneously combusting is to seal them up in a metal can (e.g. empty paint can).

_________________
John Cavanaugh
Saint Paul, MN
"What could possibly go wrong?"