The dangers of linseed oil

[desert_max]

As he is wont to do, my son made use of my shop, materials, consumables and electricity last weekend to do a complete refurbishment of his jet boat trailer. He displays a superior work ethic as this was a large project. Took the better part of two solid days. The job included stripping the old timbers off, completely blasting, primering and repainting the frame, cutting and treating new lumber (I'll get back to that), and recovering it with the appropriate material.

He used raw lumber, and apparently the recommendation is multiple coats of linseed oil prior to covering it. For some reason, he also read the pressure treated lumber is not preferred in this application.. as I thought and recommended it should be. As the work progressed, the Phoenix heat came on and I left him and his friend to their own designs.

I can't remember if it was later that day or the next morning that he asked me what the stench in my shop was. I replied that there was no stench before he started his work in there. We discovered there were multiple linseed oil soaked rags in my trash receptacle...which was just about full. That is where the stench came from. After extracting them from said barrel, it was discovered that they were extremely hot! About a minutes worth of research revealed that as linseed oil vaporizes, it creates some sort of chemical reaction that generates more and more heat as it dries. The internet is littered with horror stories of spontaneous combustion often resulting in disastrous fires from exactly what we were experiencing! He had no idea and neither did I. In fact, I didn't even know he was using linseed oil and wouldn't have thought anything about it if I had known.

So, unless I'm the last human on the planet to know about this, don't say you haven't been warned.

 

[VmaXXX]

Holy snikeys. Been seeing YouTubers using rag after rag of that stuff to enhance the "patina" on old cars.

 

[Fire-medic]

Shoulda-asked!

Be glad you weren't somewhere near a direct-sunlight window allowing rays onto the bucket. They would have ignited instead of smoldering. As a fire inspector, I saw sloppy storage cause fires all too-frequently. I store any paper towels with solvent outside the garage. They do not stay inside. Rags, same way.

Hey, you're lucky, it could've been spontaneous human combustion!



Since we're on the subject of PSA's, I have one for GFCI's. On another forum I use, there was a thread about "how do I re-attach the red reset button on my GFCI?"

If you have a GFCI fail in any-part, replace it immediately! Do-not search the internet for "repairing your GFCI!" If you discover a GFCI has fallen-apart, the safest thing to do is to de-energize the circuit and remove the GFCI from service. Replace it with the proper one for the occupancy, usage, and environmental conditions in-which it is to-be used. I saved on my phone one I found during inspections, it was overheated and the occupant is glad I found it.

 

[desert_max]

Mother McCree and General Jackson where the heck do you find this stuff?!?

 

[Zenuwlijer]

The internet is littered with horror stories of spontaneous combustion often resulting in disastrous fires from exactly what we were experiencing!

Yup.

I was warned for this exact scenario years ago when I took care of my aged rifle stock.

Ended up soaking the rags in water, put them in a sealed plastic bag en threw them in the outside bin.

 

[Coastal Grey]

My grandfather was a boat builder and when I was a wee boy I would help set nails and putty stuff up and other shit like that anyway that was drilled into my head hard when you were done with the linseed rag it was to go straight into the wood burner never ever leave them soaked and free

me thinks you dodged a bullet on that one
cheers

 

[Parminio]

Wow. And here I thought it was just a wood conditioner and a base for stains. That's scary.

 

[CaptainKyle]

Thanks for the heads up ! I had no idea

 

[Screwloose]

I’ve just made up an electric guitar and coated it with linseed oil. This could be some performance on stage.

Thank god I don't use a wheelchair also.

 

[Screwloose]

I'm kinda wondering what songs would fit in with both my guitar and ass on fire whilst playing some rock covers.

 

[Fire-medic]

"Light My Fire" - Doors

"Fire" - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
Even Jimi Hendrix at Monterey setting his guitar on-fire can't top Arthur Brown



If one performance is good two is better!

 

[Screwloose]

"Light My Fire" - Doors

"Fire" - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
Even Jimi Hendrix at Monterey setting his guitar on-fire can't top Arthur Brown

Your right; I can definitely imagine myself in the background, but with a guitar on fire also. What a set that would be! Then I'm going to claim it as a natural phenomenon of linseed oil.

 

[Coastal Grey]

Burn. Deep Purple

 

[Parminio]

 

[Screwloose]

Burn. Deep Purple

I was halfway through secondary school when this was out, at the time when we were trying to form into rock groups. Brilliant stuff, I really do think Deep Purple deliberately put out songs that young people could try and do covers on, and go mental with Lol. The only thing I regret in those rock forming group days was that you had to look the part also, or you never got in. Sad but true., that it was style and looks over ability. My girlfriend at the time, and all her mates had to wear badges of our group everywhere they went or they never got to hang out with us Lol. Those were the days man. I can see the cover's for the new 'Burn' project mounting up here

 

[02GF74]

Electric six - danger high voltage


Big black - kerosene

 

[Screwloose]

View attachment 78470

I might have to smash the guitar up as Jimmy does, that is if the linseed oil does burst into flames for real. I'm going to tell everyone about my new combustible guitar. this will surely become a major talking point. Possibly a first!

There were a few reasons why I coated this new guitar in linseed oil.
1. Nitro cellulose as on Gibson guitars is too long a process.
2. Yacht varnish cracks after time, and it makes the guitar body/neck look cracked also.
3. It finishes natural wood nicely with no damage.
4. Re-coat after time to get the finish back.
5. Does not smell very much.
and more that I cannot think of right now.

Anyway D_M's info may have given me an advantage in the rock game now. Thanks allot!

 

[Screwloose]

Electric six - danger high voltage


Big black - kerosene

I love that song, it's absolutely and mentaly bizarre.

The linseed oil self combustible guitar would fit in right at ' Don't you wanna know how we keep startin' fires '

 

[desert_max]

 

[Screwloose]

[QUOTE="desert_max, post: 505448, member: 4447"
[/QUOTE]
Somebody might need to put the fire out . My ass.

I’m still a bowie fan, great music over an entire lifetime.