John Miller wrote:
>
> Tony wrote:
> > ... The problem came from _organic_ oils
> > such as vegetable oils, cooking oils etc. Do we have any chemists "on
> > board" that would care to educate the list on this subject.?
>
> Wow, that explains a lot. I've never seen rags from auto work
> "go up in smoke", but after oiling some furniture down with stain
> the rag litterly burst into flames within an hour of use.
> It wasn't in a pile in the corner either. It was just laying over
> a sawhorse! I was impressed enough to be *very* cautious after that.
>
> I second the call for a chemist's explaination.
>
> JohnM
I am not a chemist (my degree is in Physics) but I do know that the
rate at which something evaporates is directly related to the
temperature it will reach while evaporating. ie: The faster that
something evaporates the hotter it will get. If the solvent that is
evaporating reaches the kindling point of your rag then you will
probably have combustion.
I have never had a problem with rags soaked with petroleum based
solvents and I have to confess to being pretty careless. Linseed
oil is what has the reputation for being very dangerous. I have
never seen it burst into flames but I have been told it can be a
frightening experience.
Shawn
|