Garage Shelf Oil Containment ?

[JasonJ]

I have some cheap kitchen overhead cabinets from a major home improvement store that I use over my workbench.

In one of them I store oil, grease, cans of CRC cleaners, etc....

Well something up there has a slow leak and that press board that the cabinet is made of is soaking it right up.

So I am looking for something in the future to help me out, some kind of oil containment like a tray or a pan that would go onto of the shelf before I put everything back on it.

Anyone ever heard of such a thing. Nearest I can find is a Quarter Sheet Cooking Pan, Two of them would cover about 3/4 of the shelf in question.

if it matters, the shelf itself is 9.75"x34". I could probably push the depth to 11.5" and still fit with the door closing.

 

[ky-mike]

I use plastic storage bins for all of my liquids just in case anything decides to leak. Can be found pretty cheap at walmart.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

I use plastic storage bins for all of my liquids just in case anything decides to leak. Can be found pretty cheap at walmart.

+1

Plus they are easy to take outside and clean up if need be


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[matt_i]

Shallow baking pan (metal) would also work. Even one discarded from the kitchen due to scratches, etc.

 

[WaterBoyz]

I've used disposable aluminum pans. They come in a variety of sizes. Plus they can be custom shaped as needed.

 

[bwringer]

Plastic boot trays are cheap.

Cookie sheets or cake pans, maybe even the foil versions if you're super-cheap.

 

[bdbecker]

If you go with the baking pan solution, get some cooling racks to go with them so the bottoms of your containers can stay clean.

 

[stingry]

I don’t wish to alarm you, but several years ago, my barn/shop burned to the ground. It started in a wooden cabinet that I stored combustibles like you. The shelves were soaked from leaking oil and the like also. The fire marshall attributed the fire to spontaneous combustion. The oil soaked wood was like oil soaked rags that we all know can lead to trouble if not disposed of properly! find another way to store combustibles!!!

 

[meboatermike]

I also made an outside storage container for all my gas, oils and acetone can. It is about 6 ft long by 3 ft deep and varies from 3.5 ft to 4 ft high which gives it a sloping roof that is hinged and flips up for full access from the top. Easy to keep snow cleared off with a quick shoveling and all flammables are away from buildings.

 

[PWC Repair]

Yep, bad news in the future. Get a steel cabinet.

 

[Lynden]

Window box liner. Glue a piece of plastic over the drain hole.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pennington-Plastic-Liner-for-36-in-Window-Box-100507831/202962891

 

[gunguy]

I have metal cabinets though not fire rated and use shelf liners cut from cardboard boxes. Always figured if there were any signs of a chemical or oil leak, I'd change out the liner and toss the leaker.

Since I'll be out today running errands, I'll be on the lookout for some aluminum trays.

Thanks for the heads-up.

Jim

 

[bad_idea]

I have a set of shallow steel cabinets with plexi inserts in the doors for storage of my spray cans I use in the garage. It started life as a Snap On tool cabinet for a puller set or something. I pulled it out of a dumpster years ago. The flammables such as gas, paint thinner, etc, are kept out in the shed. Shed is cheap in comparison, let it burn.

In a deeper cabinet I like to use trays that I can pull out and set on the work bench to rummage through. It's handy to get it out where you can see everything.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have cut up an oil absorbent pad to line the few shelves that I have my oil/stuff on.

While a big bulk pack can be bought from Uline or Newpig, you should be able to buy a smaller pack on Amazon, Ebay, Northern Tool or locally like TSC or NAPA.

 

[Millwrong]

There a wholesale restaurant supply store near me that has all kinds of baking sheets and cafeteria type trays in any imaginable size, aluminum, stainless, or plastic, and all for pretty cheap. Perhaps you have something similar?

 

[bad_idea]

In true GJ fashion you will need to buy a shear, brake, TIG welder, and a couple sheets of stainless. Cut, brake, and weld up some custom pans for the cabinets.

Be sure to post pics.

 

[Jlbc212]

I don’t wish to alarm you, but several years ago, my barn/shop burned to the ground. It started in a wooden cabinet that I stored combustibles like you. The shelves were soaked from leaking oil and the like also. The fire marshall attributed the fire to spontaneous combustion. The oil soaked wood was like oil soaked rags that we all know can lead to trouble if not disposed of properly! find another way to store combustibles!!!

Motor oils will not spontaneously ignite, not even when soaked into wood or rags. However, they will burn when ignited by something else. You may have had something else on the shelves, like paint thinner, turpentine or ether. There is another possibility for spontaneous combustion. Oxidizers, such as chlorine (used for water sanitation) or ammonium nitrate (a common fertilizer) when mixed or soaked into any carbon based material can cause spontaneous ignition and/or dramatically alter burning characteristics (even explosive!).

 

[rburke65]

I like to dumpster dive, and on one dive I found discarded plastic cafeteria trays. They have worked out perfectly under the laundry tub cabinet and in the pole barn for just the reason the OP stated.

 

[bullnerd]

In true GJ fashion you will need to buy a shear, brake, TIG welder, and a couple sheets of stainless. Cut, brake, and weld up some custom pans for the cabinets.

Be sure to post pics.

Im with this guy!

When my shop burned down, I had a small, open metal shelf, closed on all sides but the front, with aerosol cans on it. It sounded like .22 shots going off inside the the garage as they burned.

 

[stingry]

Motor oils will not spontaneously ignite, not even when soaked into wood or rags. However, they will burn when ignited by something else. You may have had something else on the shelves, like paint thinner, turpentine or ether. There is another possibility for spontaneous combustion. Oxidizers, such as chlorine (used for water sanitation) or ammonium nitrate (a common fertilizer) when mixed or soaked into any carbon based material can cause spontaneous ignition and/or dramatically alter burning characteristics (even explosive!).

You are correct. I had it all, lacquer thinner, paint reducers, acetone,etc. I now use steel safety cabinets. Expensive lesson!

 

[Spareparts]

Stainless steel trays out of a salad bar, we just closed a cafateria at one of our golf courses and had plenty of them so I snatched a dozen of assorated sizes before they got tossed in the dumpster, works great, got one large enough to fit on my motor stand to catch oil when doing motor work

 

[Stuart in MN]

Well something up there has a slow leak and that press board that the cabinet is made of is soaking it right up.

Find the one that's leaking and toss it out. Problem solved.

 

[fasteddie]

Motor oils will not spontaneously ignite, not even when soaked into wood or rags. However, they will burn when ignited by something else. You may have had something else on the shelves, like paint thinner, turpentine or ether. There is another possibility for spontaneous combustion. Oxidizers, such as chlorine (used for water sanitation) or ammonium nitrate (a common fertilizer) when mixed or soaked into any carbon based material can cause spontaneous ignition and/or dramatically alter burning characteristics (even explosive!).

From what I have read, linseed oil or anything containing it is likely to spontaneously ignite in the right circumstances. Soaked rags in a confined space or container.

 

[Mr_fixit]

Find the one that's leaking and toss it out. Problem solved.

And ditch the cabinet or replace the bottom.

 

[Jlbc212]

From what I have read, linseed oil or anything containing it is likely to spontaneously ignite in the right circumstances. Soaked rags in a confined space or container.

A general rule of thumb: any oil derived from an animal or plant may spontaneously ignite given certain circumstances. Examples are linseed oil, turpentine and paint thinner. Oils derived from minerals (or the earth) do not spontaneously ignite. Examples are motor oils and transmission fluids.

 

[JasonJ]

Good info. Thank you all. I will look into a steel safety cabinet for some of the more flammable items. I have a small garage, so I don't stock much... and don't have the room for much.

 

[Jim_No_Garage]

You can get cookie sheets and other bakeware at the local Dollar Store or garage sales. I have more bakeware than my wife does!

A fire safe cabinet would be a good idea but not in the budget.

Jim

 

[rayra]

Seconding the warning about lubricants and particle board.

A disposable foil roasting pan, shape to fit. And lipped cookie sheets, too.
Or even just use some heavy aluminum foil.

But get the lubricants out of the wood cabinets.

 

[Matt XYZ]

This was my most valuable lesson from the general GJ community. I read a thread about 6 months ago about someone losing their garage. I realized that I was storing chemicals and lubricants directly on wood shelves. I have since place all of the containers in cheap metal baking trays and pans. I can't afford a fire cabinet. Luckily I was informed before experiencing a fire.

 

[NUTTSGT]

From what I have read, linseed oil or anything containing it is likely to spontaneously ignite in the right circumstances. Soaked rags in a confined space or container.

A general rule of thumb: any oil derived from an animal or plant may spontaneously ignite given certain circumstances. Examples are linseed oil, turpentine and paint thinner. Oils derived from minerals (or the earth) do not spontaneously ignite. Examples are motor oils and transmission fluids.

In my opinion, use extreme caution with linseed oil. Twice I have been on fires and it is the contributing factor.