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Best practices for woodturning chemicals

K

KEW

Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
340
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Location
North Metro Atlanta
Well, I've been enjoying the thread on the Journal's article on the environmental impact of using exotic woods.

However, this discussion of the environment and woodturning brings another topic to mind which I would love to see covered in the journal, but would be like to get opinions and ideas through this forum:
"What is good stewardship of the chemicals we use"
In other words, as a small volume hobbiest, one of my biggest problems is I end up with chemicals (many types of finishes, mineral sprits, DNA, lacquer thinner, etc) which have been around a while. Once they get so old, I begin to wonder how old they really are and if they are still effective.
On the one hand, I don't want to ruin a project by coating it with some non-curing goop!
On the other hand, I'm doing no one any favors by prematurely disposing of these materials.
On the third hand, I'm not even sure what is the appropriate way to dispose of them when the time comes.
Consequently, I engage in what is probably the stupidest course of action possible - continuing to store hazardous chemicals in my basement shop which I will never use.

About the only intelligent practice I've adopted is to start buying the pint can for $6 instead of the quart can for $8.

To distill this ramble into some questions:
1) What are some good practices for managing & preserving these materials?
2) What is the shelf life for unopened containers?
3) What is the shelf life for opened containers?
4) Are there any tests to establish if a solution is still good?
5) How do we dispose of this stuff responsibly?

One finish/solvent at a time!

Thanks!
 
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recycling

I went up to our local city recycling center to get rid of some old paint and associated chemicals. They took the chemicals but told me to get rid of the paint by mixing it with sawdust or kitty litter and put it in the trash when solid. Imagine getting rid of two forms of waste at once, what a deal.

Vernon
 
Test and Call

Test your finish compounds from time-to-time on scrap. Solvents, if tightly capped, should remain good for a very long time.

Disposal is another matter. I put my used MS or naptha through several stages. Fresh "used" material is put into a sealed can to settle out the solids. I can then reuse the MS again as the initial cleaner for brushes. I do this twice before consigning it to the haz-mat can. Same goes for solvent brush cleaner. Lacquer thinner I don't bother with because is evaporates so fast and I use so little of it anymore; anything left goes into the haz-mat can along with the used DNA.

My county has a haz-mat clean up day twice a year. They will take up to 10 gals. of paint, used thinner, unlimited amounts of oil, gas/oil mix, and antifreeze, florescent tubes, pesticides, and a host of other relative nasties short of radioactive waste, PCBs, or dioxins. You should try to contact your local solid waste agency or "authority" and inquire about such efforts where you live.

I got the prize once when I took in a 15 gal can of semi-gelatinous dish detergent that I had left from soap-soaking bowls. When I explained what this jiggly mass was to the main on-site chemist, they all go a good laugh. The guy took my name, however, and when he had a cherry tree taken down next to his house, I got some prime turning stock for free.
 
I second Mark's motion to do an occasional test on scrap.

Regarding shelf life, for unopened materials, many have a hot-line phone number on the label. Call the manufacturer. There's usually a production code on the label from which they can advise; this may also help for opened materials. I had an unpleasant experience with an epoxy that was out-of-date. I might have persuaded the manufacturer to relocate the production code so that it could be read without dismantling the blister pack, and also to express it in human-readable form; I'm not holding my breath for either of those developments, though.

To help reduce deterioration of opened liquids, fill the container with clean marbles or pebbles to evacuate most of the air. Storing the container upside-down can also help by moving any surface skin to the bottom of the mass.

I've also been using a variation of Vernon's method for paint. Pour the paint on a bed of sand and let it dry. Apparently, wet paint is "hazardous," and dry paint is ordinary trash. Most of my use of this method is for 5-gallon buckets found as roadside orphans, to recover the buckets. For heaven's sake, the bucket is sometimes the most expensive component - about $6 each in truckload quantities, without printing, and lids not included.

Our county's hazardous material dump is open 6 days a week. Call your agency for their advice. Also another possible source of empty buckets.

Good score on the cherry tree, Mark.

Joe
 
aw man

I can't add much more to what has been said already for the disposal of paints, etc... As for checking the finish on scrap if it has been around awhile, I'll back that up. A friend of mine had completed a major wood sculpture. He put older Danish Oil on and it turned out to be bad. The major wood sculpture became a major re-sanding project.
 
Here in Gilbert we have a hazardous waste drop-off. Richardson, TX did too when we lived there. The interesting thing here in Gilbert, is they will actually make the latex paint available for re-use. Apparently, they do some tests on it, and then combine the small volumes into larger volumes and tint to various shades of tan/brown (that's what most of the houses are down here). One can then get this paint for free from the town. I wouldn't paint the inside of the house with it, but for patch ups, sheds, etc. why not. In general, it's probably best to contact one's local municipality and find out what they do.

Cascading as mentioned above is a good idea. Obviously, one can distill, filter, etc. solvents. But it's probably cheaper to just recycle them with the town and buy new, than to go through the expense, and potential danger to DIY.
 
Regarding an earlier comment on paint disposal: The home toxics drop off site here in Washtenaw County, Michigan accepts oil-based paints (among many other things), but suggests that latex paint be mixed with kitty litter or sawdust, dried, and disposed of in the trash. So, I don't know one way or another whether it is a good idea to dispose of similarly dried oil-based paints in the trash. I take oil-based paint (among other things) to the drop off site, usually only needing to make one trip a year.
 
oil based paint, etc

I believe when in doubt use hazardous waste precautions.

If the paint is since about 1980 and dried in the can (way old) I believe you may trash it. The hydrocarbons are long gone and lead wasn’t used.

If it is not dry, do hazardous waste, since the drying releases hydrocarbons (smog). Smog reduction is why water based paints are being phased in and oil based are harder and harder to make (rules) and buy, especially if you are in a state with major emissions laws.
 
I think at this point, we probably have enough material in this thread to co-author a blurb on chemical waste disposal in the journal 😀.
 
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