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ive heard of solvent soaked rags catching fire. Does this happen with ethanol soaked stuff? I use foreshots on paper towels to strip sharpie marker writing on bottles. I e been leaving these on concrete floor to dry out before pitching. Is this overkill?

Any thing could happen. Better safe then sory.

They just bought us all metal rag bins for our service vans. Like I didn't already have enough crap in mine. So the rags we use won't burn our vans up.

As Mr. P stated, better safe, than sorry, but I don't think ethanol rags will spontaneously combust. The rags would need to be able to build up enough heat to combust. Rags soaked with linseed oil is one of the most (if not THE most) dangerous.

As the linseed oil hardens on the rag, it creates an exothermic chemical reaction. When the rags are piled together, it insulates and traps the heat.

If you're really paranoid, soak your paper towels in water before throwing them out...ain't no way they'll ever spontaneously combust.

I use a 15 gal steel drums with a steel lids. For my trash cans in my brew room shop area and laundry room. Added precaution. When I get my new welder I'm gona hinge the lids like the rag cans they gave us. When I get a chance. They will have to wait till the brew stuff is done.

I see what you're saying about the materials that create heat as they undergo something like polymerization, I definitely do this when I'm finishing a bow with linseed or tung oil finish. Shop looks like crap ith rags laying on the concrete floor but I pick them up the next day after they've hardened.

Let's see some pics of your bow! Never shot long/recurve but might get into it some day.

Washashore wrote:Let's see some pics of your bow! Never shot long/recurve but might get into it some day.

These are two longbows I made for some buddies, one is rawhide backed and the other has prairie rattlers. Both bows are 64" n/n and pull 60lb@28".

Those are beauties! I'm impressed at the draw weight. I'd like to try making one some day.

Theres plenty of good websties/forums that as as helpful for primitive archery as this site is for home distilling.

a easy test whould be to soak rags in ethanol, insert a thermometer an see if tempter rises.
i dont thank it will.it mite even go down do to evaporation.
but its not a good idea to leave fuel soaked rags lying around anyway. as the vapors are very combustible.
you could very well leave your shed closing the door and when you come back turn the lights/other on and.......................................................
this could happon with those that use mechanical switches for elements etc.if you had a vapor leak/soaked rags.
if you wanted to be real safe place any mechanical switches etc. outside distilling room and use electronic relays, guarded lights* and also have good ventilation.
*these can be purchased or a simple screen ..