Shopsmith Forums

Yes, sawdust can be explosive especially fine sanding dust. That is the reason that I said I bag it. If you fill a dust-pan and fling it into a hot fire it can flash pretty strongly. Dropping a bag full in the stove does not allow enough air to mix with it to explode. It takes a fuel (wood dust), air and ignition. The air and fuel must be in the proper mix. Any dust can explode with the right mix. Grain dust has generated some massive explosions but it has always been in large enclosed areas where rapid air expansion could not quickly escape. Fire crackers go bang because of the tight paper wrapping. The same amount of explosive out flat on a table is just a minor flash.

thanks for clearing that up.

good to know

flatfoot wrote:I'm thinking I want to use mine to make firestarters, maybe mix it with kerosene or something then bind it all together with wax as mentioned before.

I was wondering about the amount of sawdust in the air it would take for ignition. I have one of those cannon shaped diesel burning heaters in my shop right now and I think about that every time I start the heater. Seems like I am taking a big risk.

I think the kerosene is redundant and could possibly decrease its effectiveness since it will cause the 'starter' to burn up too quickly.

The waxed stuff could be mixed before hand and stored until needed.


Open flames and saw dust in the air are a potential hazard, but I doubt the dust concentration could get high enough to cause an explosive situation, but the wood ash deposited on the heat exchanger could be a concern(for the heat exchanger). Those torpedoe heaters are very robust however.

flatfoot wrote:I'm thinking I want to use mine to make firestarters, maybe mix it with kerosene or something then bind it all together with wax as mentioned before. ....

A good fire starter that my family has used for wood stoves, avoiding paper or fine kindling is sawdust, (the heavier stuff) in an old coffee can, mixed with diesel fuel. Only enough diesel to get soaked up. A handful, or a scoop of this diesel/sawdust mixture is not explosive, but will start burning easily and generates enough great to start heavier kindling. You need to keep the can covered and in a cool place.

Another fire starter we used to make is corrugated cardboard strips rolled up tightly and crammed into a snoose can. Then wax is melted into the can and the corrugations. The fire starter is lit by lighting the protruding cardboard. Once lit the whole thing is placed in the prepared kindling.

charlese wrote:A good fire starter that my family has used for wood stoves, avoiding paper or fine kindling is sawdust, (the heavier stuff) in an old coffee can, mixed with diesel fuel. Only enough diesel to get soaked up. A handful, or a scoop of this diesel/sawdust mixture is not explosive, but will start burning easily and generates enough great to start heavier kindling. You need to keep the can covered and in a cool place.

Another fire starter we used to make is corrugated cardboard strips rolled up tightly and crammed into a snoose can. Then wax is melted into the can and the corrugations. The fire starter is lit by lighting the protruding cardboard. Once lit the whole thing is placed in the prepared kindling.

That anything like a Snuff can? Geez our age is showing!:eek:

JPG40504 wrote:That anything like a Snuff can? Geez our age is showing!:eek:

Yep! same thing! You say tomāto, I say tomăto! or so to speak.

BTW The can with the corrugated cardboard and wax works best when out in the field (forest) in several feet of snow and you need a lunch fire or a warming fire. The cardboard needs to be cut in strips before rolling, and the open corrugations point up when crammed into the can. Got this tip from an old Boy Scout handbook. My! how times have changed! The made up fire starter is easy to tote around in a vest or pack pocket.

For those not caring for tobacco - They now sell the same kind of boxes containing candy. Usually found near the checkout counter of a food market.

When I was in grade school my father owned a lumber yard. I remember him bringing bags of sawdust to the school where the teachers made a dough out of it for the students to make things out of. Don't know what the recipe was. May not even have been safe as you don't hear of that sort of thing being done any more.

burkhome wrote:When I was in grade school my father owned a lumber yard. I remember him bringing bags of sawdust to the school where the teachers made a dough out of it for the students to make things out of. Don't know what the recipe was. May not even have been safe as you don't hear of that sort of thing being done any more.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that were done that no longer are done. Many of these missing experiences were both educational and entertaining and the youngsters are now missing out. Instead they are left to figure out what to do on their own and what they chose (or chosen for them by their peers) is not always good for them or for the rest of society.

I got an idea from watching a tv commercial that brought me back to those old arts and crafts projects for young kids. Remember gluing glitter and crushed up "gemstones" to make a textured picture of some sort? Well maybe an artistic woodworker can do something like that with sawdust. With all of the different courseness, natural colors and with creative use of water based stain I can imagine some very nice wall hangings. Sanding dust, saw dust, planer/joiner shavings, ribbons from hand planing etc. for texture. Oak, dark walnut, mahogany, rosewood...
I'm kinda picturing a sawdust style of intarsia. That kind of work would bore me to tears though.

beeg wrote:I have emptyed my DC bag onto the lawn and racked it in.

I have done the same