The fact that I have several cans of aerosol paint, solvents, cleaners etc. lurking in the wooden cabinets in the garage bothers me more and more every time I see them.
What might you folks suggest as a cost effective, smallish cabinet in which to store these potential fire bombs? I'd hate to nail one with welding slag or any other unfortunate mishap resulting in a much larger loss.
just find a big metal box, or store you stuff farther away. We have a shelving unit (open, no box) in the corner away from everyting and never ever had a problem. (this includes oil, fluids, carb and a case of carb and choke, brake clean, brake fluid...you name it
We have a a big metal trunk thing if we wanted to store it better i guess....keep it away and youll be fine.
sounds like some heavy steel cabinets would work well enough. or atleast it would be safer than a wooden cabinet
Rather sounds like a misunderstanding of the dangers to me.
A can isn't going to explode or burst into flames merely from sparks or welding slag. Not even if you foolishly leave it right beside the welding operation. Put it right up there beside cars exploding from cell phone use when refueling.
In the event of an actual garage fire, the explosion of a paint can is rather minor. If you are storing large containers of things like lacquer thinner, those have a much more interesting explosive potential. In which case a heavy steel cabinet makes them into a bomb. So doing "the right thing" makes things much worse. Read it again and understand it, placing them in a heavy steel cabinet makes them into a bomb, and makes them much more dangerous. That's why you never see them in real prepared shops. You'd see true explosive safe cabinets that have very weak backs, opened to the outside of the shop through a wall. I doubt you actually want to go that far.
A wooden cabinet is actually quite fire resistent. Wooden boards don't easily ignite. That's why every boy scout knows about using tinder and kindling before adding large pieces of wood.
Old ovens or fridges are cheap. Remove plastic parts, insert metal ones.
Having some knowledge of this subject, I agree with foxtrapper... Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
Ian F wrote:Having some knowledge of this subject, I agree with foxtrapper... Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
Noted. Thanks guys! :)
kcbhiw wrote:Ian F wrote:Having some knowledge of this subject, I agree with foxtrapper... Don't make a mountain out of a molehill.
Noted. Thanks guys! :)
Agreed, I DO store my gunpowder a little further away from the welder, though... Keeps drier in the basement and it's closer to the loading press, there.
SoloSonett, You don't keep the powder in the safe next to the lock and hinge mechanisms? And a little near the corners? Maybe hang one pound in about the middle of a side?
Our safety officer, likely working off of local fire safety requirements, requires me to keep all of the solvents and other flammables in the lab I work at in a metal box. It's more of a case of isolation to prevent accidents, not so much as to keep it from going up if a fire coincidentily broke out in another part of the lab and spread to it.
I don't have a fire cabinet, but I do have a metal cabinet that I keep flamables in. It's mounted to a concrete wall. Just seems prudent.
Dr. Hess wrote:SoloSonett, You don't keep the powder in the safe next to the lock and hinge mechanisms? And a little near the corners? Maybe hang one pound in about the middle of a side?
Safe??
Safes are for banks!
Gun safe? ALL my guns are safe!
Loaded and standing in every corner. Tool boxes.. dresser drawers... glove boxes...closets...
Kids? They grew up ( and survived ) knowing that guns are lethal tools. And know how to use 'em safely.
I have a cheap metal cabinet that I use for this type of stuff. Gasoline and other fuel goes outside, in an outdoor storage (Rubbermaid) thingy.
DILYSI Dave wrote:I don't have a fire cabinet, but I do have a metal cabinet that I keep flamables in. It's mounted to a concrete wall. Just seems prudent.
Same here, except mine has a sheet metal back and is against a wooden wall. I also have 3 fire extinguishers in the shop at easily accessible points.
Try to find an old metal Coleman ice crest at a yard sale. .
foxtrapper wrote:Put it right up there beside cars exploding from cell phone use when refueling.
Lol!
Why, after reading this thread, do I have the urge to find videos of explosions inside containers like refrigerators, coolers, and metal cabinets? (rhetorical question...I'm sure I'm not alone.)
Ohhh...I also remember I've got two unexploded airbags from the '97 protege and will be in a suitable place to watch them go off this sunday!
Cool! Clem
Maybe an old locker or office supplies cabinet that a school is scrapping would wok well.
Well Clem, let me put it to you this way, dump some gunpowder on a table and ignite it. Now put some in a metal container and ignite it. See if you notice the difference a bit of pressure build up makes in the combustion rate.
Why even gasoline does that, or so they say. I've even heard that some engineer dude figured out a way to use that and make power or something. Think it's called an engine or such. Not sure it's real mind you. After all, it's not like pressure is going to make something burn differently, right?
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