Oily Rag Can

Stephenw · Jan 3, 2009

I've been wanting an oily rag can for a very long time. They are a little spendy, starting at about $60. The major snag has been difficulty in getting one. They are generally not available at your local hardware store. An industrial hardware store that is on my way home from work has them in stock (but they are $90). Today I went to Harbor Freight to get some chip brushes and nitrile gloves.

I scored this...

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=37506

The container was only $14. The quality is also very near to those which you can buy from an industrial supplier.

Uncle Buck · Jan 3, 2009

That is a perfect example of something you can buy at HF that really cannot be screwed up! Well done.

ImportTuner · Jan 3, 2009

Yep, what Uncle Buck said ... nice

fotoflojoe · Jan 4, 2009

Hey, thanks for the tip!
I've been wanting one of these too.

bchee · Jan 4, 2009

seems like a sweet deal. I'm not exactly sure what it does though

The link doesn't show the price

nissan_crawler · Jan 4, 2009

You throw used shop rags in there. It's especially nice to have the can if they decide to spontaneously combust.

wantedabiggergarage · Jan 4, 2009

Thank you very much!

I have one that I found at one of my "junk" stores (damaged freight), I gave around $30 for it. I've been wanting a second (wood shop verses garage rags, don't like to mix things).

mkdive · Jan 4, 2009

good idea on the rag bin.....i should have one of those in my garage. looks like a trip to HF this coming week.

Stephenw · Jan 4, 2009

bchee said:
seems like a sweet deal. I'm not exactly sure what it does though

The link doesn't show the price

Under the right conditions, it is possible for dirty rags to spontaneously combust. A pile of dirty rags in a regular waste basket or laying in a corner of the floor could burst into flames and burn your shop down. I have heard that it is more likely to occur with rags that are soiled with natural oils such as linseed or other nut based oils. It is said that the possibility is low with motor oils or other automotive chemicals. I still feel it is a good idea to get the proper disposal container.

The item number, 37506, does not come up in the online store www.harborfreight.com.

The website for items available in most local stores is www.harborfreightusa.com.

It is my understanding that prices can vary from store to store, thus, the reason for lack of price information on the website.

67pete300 · Jan 4, 2009

How do you eventually dispose of the full can of oily rags?

Jbullfrog · Jan 4, 2009

67pete300 said:
How do you eventually dispose of the full can of oily rags?

They make nice fire starters for brush piles at the farm.

dxdexter · Jan 4, 2009

Stephenw said:
Under the right conditions, it is possible for dirty rags to spontaneously combust. A pile of dirty rags in a regular waste basket or laying in a corner of the floor could burst into flames and burn your shop down. I have heard that it is more likely to occur with rags that are soiled with natural oils such as linseed or other nut based oils. It is said that the possibility is low with motor oils or other automotive chemicals. I still feel it is a good idea to get the proper disposal container.

This is one reason why I never throw dirty or oily rags in a bucket. I always hang them over the edge of my large garbage can for a day or so (to dry out) prior to disposing of them. Engine oil is not to bad, but thinners, linseed oil, furniture finishing products and other volatile chemicals can spontaneously combust or create fumes that can be readily ignited in the proper conditions.

walrus · Jan 4, 2009

I use my wood stove for oily rag storage

Stephenw · Jan 4, 2009

67pete300 said:
How do you eventually dispose of the full can of oily rags?

I suppose it depends on your local law. Empty it into your burn barrel. Empty it at your local hazardous waste collection facility. Empty it into your trash can on pickup day (after you have put your can at curbside, away from your house).

toddjg · Jan 4, 2009

Stephenw said:
I've been wanting an oily rag can for a very long time. They are a little spendy, starting at about $60. The major snag has been difficulty in getting one. They are generally not available at your local hardware store. An industrial hardware store that is on my way home from work has them in stock (but they are $90). Today I went to Harbor Freight to get some chip brushes and nitrile gloves.

I scored this...

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=37506

The container was only $14. The quality is also very near to those which you can buy from an industrial supplier.

where is it made?

3 at 8 · Jan 4, 2009

Stephenw said:
I suppose it depends on your local law. Empty it into your burn barrel. Empty it at your local hazardous waste collection facility. Empty it into your trash can on pickup day (after you have put your can at curbside, away from your house).

I must be an el cheepo, I wash mine at least a couple of times. Wife won't be happy with you though after she smells what you've done to the washer.

So I've learned to first give them a quick soak/wash outside in a bucket of simple green before they go in the washer. Went to my HF this morning; they didnt have any.

davestlouis · Jan 4, 2009

A neighbor of mine had stained his deck, then threw the rags in a trash can. The explosion blew the overhead aluminum garage door onto the cars in the driveway, then burned the house down to the foundation. Lesson learned!

IDASHO · Jan 4, 2009

dxdexter said:
This is one reason why I never throw dirty or oily rags in a bucket. I always hang them over the edge of my large garbage can for a day or so (to dry out) prior to disposing of them. Engine oil is not to bad, but thinners, linseed oil, furniture finishing products and other volatile chemicals can spontaneously combust or create fumes that can be readily ignited in the proper conditions.

Your oily rags dry out, huh? :headscrat

le6920 · Jan 4, 2009

IDASHO said:
Your oily rags dry out, huh?

I have seen ones with linseed oil dry out after a bit.

Uncle Buck · Jan 4, 2009

I take my old red rags to the local laundry mat late at night when no one is about and run them through their machines a time or two! :eek2:

3 at 8 · Jan 4, 2009

hholmberg said:
I take my old red rags to the local laundry mat late at night when no one is about and run them through their machines a time or two!

Your sooo bad, I knew you were a rebel.. :pimpflash

dxdexter · Jan 4, 2009

IDASHO said:
Your oily rags dry out, huh?

I meant the ones with gasoline, glues, wood finishes, thinners, varsol and such. Such nitpickers around here.

IDASHO · Jan 4, 2009

hholmberg said:
I take my old red rags to the local laundry mat late at night when no one is about and run them through their machines a time or two!

I still have a key to the laundry at our old apartment here in town. :spit:

PAToyota · Jan 4, 2009

hholmberg said:
That is a perfect example of something you can buy at HF that really cannot be screwed up! Well done.

Except for the fact that the paint contains lead and is flammable and the thin gage to the sheetmetal will melt in the resulting fire... :spit:

yellowbox · Jan 4, 2009

i use old t shirts that i dont want anymore then burn em , make great fire starters for the campfire pit

wythors · Jan 4, 2009

I have this same can from HF. The floor of it is unfinished, very thin gauge metal and is rusting severely after about 5 years of use. It should rust completely through before too much longer.

jay50 · Jan 4, 2009

wythors said:
I have this same can from HF. The floor of it is unfinished, very thin gauge metal and is rusting severely after about 5 years of use. It should rust completely through before too much longer.

I would think that oily rags would somehow coat the inner metal and provide a little bit of rust protection....but again, this is a HF product so the metal is probably paper thin... :bounce:

Danglerb · Jan 4, 2009

My rags are auto related only, oil and dirt, and I put them into a bucket of simple green and water until its about full, then toss it in the washer for a double run. Putting them in a dryer I've heard can be dangerous since the oil and gas never is completely removed in washing, but our drier is barely warm even on the cotton setting.

Spontaneous combustion, at least as I know of it is related to mildew. If the HF is rusting, that means moisture is present. Why not spray it with Rustoleum or something?

wythors · Jan 4, 2009

Danglerb said:
If the HF is rusting, that means moisture is present.

Rusting means moisture is present? Gee, thanks for the heads up.

IDASHO · Jan 4, 2009

jay50 said:
I would think that oily rags would somehow coat the inner metal and provide a little bit of rust protection....but again, this is a HF product so the metal is probably paper thin...

More often than not those HF items are painted in cheap enamel.

Know what enamel does when exposed to petroleum based products?

Uncle Buck · Jan 5, 2009

PAToyota said:
Except for the fact that the paint contains lead and is flammable and the thin gage to the sheetmetal will melt in the resulting fire...

I figure it an improvement over the old plastic kitchen trash can I am using now! :thumbup:

Stephenw · Jan 5, 2009

Today at the office, I took a really close look at an oily rag can. It was a Justrite brand and was made in the U.S.A. I didn't mic the steel to be sure, but it appeared to be the same gauge as the can I purchased from Harbor Freight. It was not painted on the inside either. The design and construction looked to be identical. The only difference that I noted was that the Justrite brand can had a UL Listing tag attached to the top of the lid.

russlaferrera · Jan 5, 2009

Gee, he spent $14 for a can. Now everyone is bad mouthing HF. For $14 , what does everyone want, a $90 can for $14? Just Rite is the higher end, that's why they are $$$

Kevin54 · Jan 5, 2009

hholmberg said:
I figure it an improvement over the old plastic kitchen trash can I am using now!

That's what I use :thumbup:

Mine has the teeter lid or whatever it's called on the top of it.

MAD · Jan 5, 2009

I have been wanting to get a proper rag bucket like the one in the original post or a while. Now I use old paint cans with lids to keep oil and solvent soaked rags sealed up. It would be nice to just use the paint cans for the really nasty ones.

Bolster · Jan 5, 2009

Stephen if you get the chance you might also want to post in the "HF PASS/FAIL" thread. Thanks for the heads up.

nissan_crawler · Jan 5, 2009

russlaferrera said:
Gee, he spent $14 for a can. Now everyone is bad mouthing HF. For $14 , what does everyone want, a $90 can for $14? Just Rite is the higher end, that's why they are $$$

Like I always say, you don't walk into HF expecting to buy a cadillac for the price of a geo.

However, choosing between NO can between my shop and spontaneous combustion, or a perhaps (I'm not convinced of it) not as good metal can, I'll still take the metal can.

The other part of me wonders why somebody let bare metal get to that point of being rusty in the first place without doing something about it.

eschoendorff · Jan 5, 2009

nissan_crawler said:
Like I always say, you don't walk into HF expecting to buy a cadillac for the price of a geo.

However, choosing between NO can between my shop and spontaneous combustion, or a perhaps (I'm not convinced of it) not as good metal can, I'll still take the metal can.

The other part of me wonders why somebody let bare metal get to that point of being rusty in the first place without doing something about it.

Stop it, just stop it!!! You are making WAY too damn much sense!!! :spit:

Uncle Buck · Jan 5, 2009

Kevin54 said:
That's what I use Mine has the teeter lid or whatever it's called on the top of it.

Yup, same damned one I have! Now you know why I said the HF would be head and shoulders over what I have now! :bounce:

OldSchoolSS · Jan 5, 2009

Was $14 the regular price or sale price? I should pick a couple of them up.

Oily Rag Can

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