BS: Teak Oil Dangers

Subject: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Alan Day
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 04:14 AM

A friend of mine has just had his shed burnt down,losing his motorbike,tools etc. After investigation by the Fire Inspector to ensure it was not arson or vandalism the problem was found to be a paper towel that was used to apply teak oil to his garden furniture.It appears that teak oil on paper or cloth is susceptible to spontaneous combustion when put in rubbish bins,particularly in hot weather.I was not aware of this fact and I hope this posting stops a major problem for somebody.
Al

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Gervase
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 04:29 AM

A lot of vegetable oil does that - old rags with linseed oil on them are liable to combust. There's generally a warning on the label to that effect.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: bubblyrat
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 05:35 AM

For exactly the same reason,we were not allowed to leave oily rags lying around when working on aircraft in the Fleet Air Arm ( British Navy Aviation Branch). Even more dangerous ; allowing oily/ greasy rags to come into contact with LOX ( Liquid Oxygen),although not many people have that in the shed !

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Newport Boy
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 07:16 AM

An awful lot of commonly-used solvents are known to self-combust in suitable conditions. Prevention is fairly easy - spread the cloth or hang it in a well-ventilated space until dry.

I spent a year as a security guard at a cardboard box factory in London in the late 50s. Most boxes were printed, and a lot of solvents were used for cleaning the machines. Our main duty was patrolling the factory hourly through the night looking out for incipient fires. In the year, I dealt with about 20, any of which could have destroyed the factory if left for a few hours.

There was a another fire risk. The detergent boxes were printed in 4 colours on fairly coarse cardboard. Printing was done on a continuous roll of board running at high speed through 4 printing rolls. Unfortunately, ink technology then was not able to get the one colour to dry before the next colour was printed. The solution was obvious - play a naked gas flame over the cardboard as it came out of each roll. As long as everything kept moving, the risk of fire was low. If the cardboard broke, the trailing half usually caught fire before the auto cutout shut off the gas. Brightened up the night for a bored security guard!

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Mr Red
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 07:35 AM

In the UK midlands there is a TV reporter rejoicing in the name Lyndsay Doyle - and she is quite spontaneous but I have never seen her (com)bust!

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 09:40 AM

I was working in a hospital (maintenance) and the boss wanted to switch over to the "B" oxygen supply so that the "A" could be serviced. He hired a guy who knew ALL about oxygen supply system to prep the B supply system for the switchover. Guy didn't last long -- he oiled the valves and things for the B system. Thank God the boss caught it before the LOX was delivered!

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: paula t
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 10:34 AM

Yep, I bought some teak oil a few years ago to clean some garden furniture. The warnings were terrifying! I'm surprised they are allowed to sell the stuff!I won't keep the stuff in the house.I quite like the faded wood look now!

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 12:27 PM

paula t- Exactly the same possibilities with all solvents and oils, as pointed out in previous postings. Linseed oil is just as bad. Cooking oils also should be used properly.

Too many home repairmen and amateur artists and cooks are ignorant of proper disposal procedures for solvents and oily materials. Detailed information and instructions here:
flammables and combustibles

These wastes and many other hazardous materials discussed here:
Wastes and Environmental Issues

The second article points out environmental concerns.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 12:28 PM

So I don't suppose using teak oil as a personal lubricant is a good idea, huh? Lends new meaning to the question "Do you smoke after sex?"

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 12:32 PM

Try the second one again-
Waste disposal and environment

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 12:33 PM

Must be a bad link, but the first link is enough.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 01:11 PM

Geez, does that mean I can't continue to store glycerin, nitric acid, potassium permanganate, potassium nitrate, sulphuric acid, muriatic acid, aluminum powder, sulfur, linseed oil, and a bunch of other stuff in my workshop anymore?

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Alan Day
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 01:19 PM

Newport Boy- Merton Board Mills by any chance?
Al

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: paula t
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 05:00 PM

Q,

Thanks for the link. It has reinforced my opinion that teak furniture looks best when it fades to white outside!

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Tangledwood
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 05:32 PM

Geez, does that mean I can't continue to store glycerin, nitric acid, potassium permanganate, potassium nitrate, sulphuric acid, muriatic acid, aluminum powder, sulfur, linseed oil, and a bunch of other stuff in my workshop anymore?

Not in the same bottle, no.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 06:16 PM

Rapaire, those were some of my favorite materials when I was in high school many years ago. That was back before some of those chemicals became pc. Making guncotton in my lab bench got me kicked out for a couple of days.
You forgot iodine crystals.
Pour glycerin over iodine crystals. Makes a lovely fire.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 09:26 PM

Yup, sure does...and I, for one, would CERTAINLY never do anything AT ALL untoward with those chemicals and maybe one or two others. Nope, not me. Glycerin and pot. perman. is quite nice, too. And as for books like "The Handbook of Improvised Explosives" or "The Anarchist's Cookbook" or "The Poor Man's James Bond" -- well, never in all my BORN DAYS would I have any such things! I only read things like "The Bobsey Twins" and "Anne of Green Gables" and "The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew."

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 10:26 PM

And the Rover Boys and Tom Swift?

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Gurney
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 03:12 AM

As the first few posters say, there are a lot of dangerous oils about, but they only seem to be dangerous in the 'oily rag' stage, so I dispose of my rags in a metal bin outside.
You also have to watch where you use aerosol spraycans, which often have a flammable propellant, and contact rubber adhesives as they are getting to the 'tack' stage. You know, the stuff that Shane and Chongo never sniff!

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Newport Boy
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 03:34 AM

Alan Day - No - the works was at Tottenham. I forget the old name, but I think it was a Bowater offshoot about that time.

Gurney - I'm a mean, green oldie, so I re-use my oily rags. They're quite safe hung or spread over a rack in the carport until they dry. They will only self-combust if crumpled up, particularly if there's more than one and they're in a confined space. A metal bin sounds ideal - should contain the fire well!

Phil

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Will Fly
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 03:59 AM

Al, I thought both your concertinas looked bright and shiny on Monday evening - have you been at the teak oil again?

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 12:14 PM

Safety experts recommend a metal pail with self-closing top. They are made for the purpose, and are red in color.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Alan Day
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 12:58 PM

I think I was on something lively Will
Al

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Rapparee
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 02:46 PM

Things like the "Rover Boys" and "Tom Swift" and even "Little Women" and "Little Men" were considered far too exciting for me. Why, I was in college before I was allowed to read "Pride and Prejudice" (or wanted to).

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 08:19 PM

Newport Boy,
even back in the 70s as a kid Id sometimes come along with my dad
to work, he had a weekend job at a small printshop printing a community newspaper. My job was to watch the part with the flames. Occasionally when there was a paper misfeed somewhere it would catch fire.

In his memoirs he mentioned how at age 15 as a printers apprentice, his job was to clean the presses.. Once he suggested to his boss that it might be better to just burn out all the grease and dirt underneath the press. And Surprisingly his boss okayed the idea, even gave him the matches.. Not so surprisingly the fire got a bit out of control and needed to be put out with extinguishers, and number of the rubber rollers had melted..

(He died almost a year ago last June)
Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 09:16 PM

Many years ago my then husband opened a container of acetone in the doorway between our entranceway and the kitchen. On the far side of the kitchen, he had a pot of coffee heating on the stove. The acetone fumes bubbled out in flame -- ignited by the burner 30 feet away.

Since he always worked with a fire extinguisher handy, the fire was immediately put out. (He grabbed the fire extinguisher; I shut off the burner -- I had been just walking into the kitchen from the other direction.)

No "fire" damage to speak of, but the oily smoke from the vinyl flooring went through the apartment faster than I could while opening windows and the front door. What a mess!

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Will Fly
Date: 12 Jun 09 - 02:23 AM

Many years ago, a public library colleague of mine was working as an asistant on a mobile library which toured around rural areas. One of the things that the staff would do in quiet moments was to clean the plastic book jackets - with acetone.

Luckily for her, a stray customer pulled open the van door with an enquiry and found her slumped unconscious on the floor - the results of inhaling too much acetone with the door closed.

Needless to say, the use of acetone for such purposes was banned forthwith.. this was around 1962-3.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Rapparee
Date: 12 Jun 09 - 09:12 AM

Well heck, we just used gasoline (petrol). Put the book on the ground, pour it on, drop a match -- cover's cleaned and you don't have to worry about complaints about the book anymore.

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Jun 09 - 11:18 AM

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Magnesium chips as "one of the things they'd never mess with".

(a buddy & I had a key to the chem lab back in college)

Subject: RE: BS: Teak Oil Dangers
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Jun 09 - 12:51 PM

Another one, also liberated from the school chemical storeroom, was sodium. This metal is kept in oils, since it flares up when it contacts air.
The sodium was flushed down the toilet. Pretty soon .....!
(Too much and the school would have a plumbing bill)