spontanious combustion of oily rags

[DocHeb]

Although all the hydrocarbons mentioned can spontaneously combust, chemicals that undergo a rapid (over hours) polymerization (eg: linseed oil, tung oil, polyurethane) are more susceptible. The polymerization reactions are exothermic and will add to the heat generated by straight oxidation of the solvents/oils.

 

[Soundguy]

That did seem to be the 'deciding' factor.. the faster the heat was released.. I.E. if released slowly.. it would be less likely to build up to the point of ignition.. etc.

Soundguy

 

[rox]

I couldn't say about other substances but I can say that you never want to leave rags with stain on them on a plastic tv tray getting full sunlight through a window.
Like Bird, I came home and smelled a fire but couldn't find it. My neighbor cam over and we couldn't figure it out. The fireman found it right away. As soon as they picked up the rages I was using for stain and varnish, you could see a big burn spot on the old tv tray I was using.
Like Bird, I was grateful I cam back home when I did. Of course the tv tray was right next to some furniture I was re-finishing and it could have been a disaster.
i felt red faced with the firemen, and they came with sirens blaring, even though I asked themnot to, jsut send a guy in a car I said, because ther were no obvious flames. Nope! They sent a blaring firetruck and all my neighbors came out... and all it was was a bunch of rags. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I felt like this /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Bottom line, don't leave rage out with stuff on them in the sun!

Also I didn't knwo steel wool would burn? Also didn't know steel would burn also. I learn so much on these boards, thanks all!

 

[bher]

Sorry, no triple bonds in the ozone molecule.

 

[Bird]

Rox, I don't know whether all the fire departments are the same, but I know Dallas was always just like you said. If someone reports smoke, odor, etc., they're going to send the truck with all the lights and siren. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[5030]

I put most of my ferrous turning under our numerous pine trees. The pines like the oxidizing turnings, makes the Blue Spruces really blue.
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[JasonL]

This thread brought back some not so fond memories!! About 14 years ago I was job foreman for a general contractor building homes. On a Friday, the paint crew just finished painting and staining the interior of the house. On Saturday morning I got a call from the hysterical homeowner saying her house was on fire!!! Not a good thing! I drove over and found out just how fortunate we were. Apparently the painters had thrown their oily rags into a large card board appliance box full of trash. The box was setting in the middle of a two-story greatrooom. It caught on fire and burnt a hole through the floor dropping into the crawl space and burnt itself out! Can anyone say smoke damage?!? We had to replace all the light fixtures, repaint everything, and fix the floor. Not fun, but still lucky I guess. I am very careful now to at least spread out oily rags.