Shopsmith Forums

I'm doing a lot of turning and building - collecting a lot of sawdust and occastional acrylic shavings from pens in my DC3300 and shop vac.

Anybody do anythig with this waste besides setting it out with the trash? I have about an acre of woods that I could spread it over or maybe just till it into the garden?

While composting is the "in thing" now, be aware that there are a lot of woods that are toxic to plants and animals. These shavings should probably go to the landfill where they can join all the rest of the poisionous materials.

Thanks - looks like I'll probably take most of it to the curb and maybe compost a bit of it

Think twice before adding to your garden! From what I have read, decomposing sawdust creates acids and chemicals very harmful to root systems of vegitable plants.

I wouldn't have believed it myself but, this years garden was a mess as last fall and winter I dumped sawdust in my garden and tilled it in this spring. Results: Very poor plant growith and the ones that did survive and grow produced very little crop. Most of my sawdust was SPF and some maple/popular.

My waste now is best left for the mother-inlaws cerial mix. Lots of fiber..

doug45601 wrote:Think twice before adding to your garden! From what I have read, decomposing sawdust creates acids and chemicals very harmful to root systems of vegitable plants.

I wouldn't have believed it myself but, this years garden was a mess as last fall and winter I dumped sawdust in my garden and tilled it in this spring. Results: Very poor plant growith and the ones that did survive and grow produced very little crop. Most of my sawdust was SPF and some maple/popular.

My waste now is best left for the mother-inlaws cerial mix. Lots of fiber..

Doug, while some woods can be toxic, I think the biggest problem with adding ANYTHING (sawdust, leaves, grass clippings, etc...) like that to a garden is the fact that as it decomposes it takes nitrogen FROM the soil to assist in the decomposition, reducing the available nitrogen for plant growth. Once it's decomposed, it will release that nitrogen again for plant growth. You'd be better off putting the sawdust in a compost pile and adding it to the garden AFTER it's broken down.

Here are a couple of things I have found.

Depending on the wood you can use it as mulch near acid loving plants as is, just not too much of it.

It can be added to the compost pile but again don't put it all in a big blob. Compost pile can have nitrogen added and it helps the process. I have had both hot and cold piles and right now we use a cold method so I limit the amount of wood going into the pile. When we used a hot pile I would throw in hands full at a time as it tends to slow down the process.

I like to keep a bucket around the garage in case I happen to spill some oil or other such thing. I put a couple of hands full on the spill and let it soak it up.

I use to save nice shavings for the gerbil cage and they seem to really like that and would spend days making it into smaller pieces.

As in most things moderation is the key.

Ed

Good suggestions Ed. I found a special tool to help "stir" up the compost pile, looks kinda like a cane with a hinged barb on the end. Poke it in the pile, and as you pull back out the barb extends and pulls the compost with it. Helps keep the pile mixed. I also throw an occasional handfull or two of 12-12-12 fertlizer on the pile when I add stuff to help in the decomposition.

With 7 3/4 acres, I just spread it around. Although, I do have a hole way in the back that needs filled...I could use my tractor and mix in some dirt...

I have used all of mine for mulch and/or compost with no ill effects to plants or as a soil amendment.

BPR