This weekend I had to empty out my shopVac, and decided to do it outdoors to
prevent the dust from getting back in the house. Unfortunately, there
wasn't enough room in the garage, and it was too cold to venture out far.
So I ended up doing it on my front step, and surprise, I spilt some sawdust.
It got me to thinking that sawdust would make a great anti-slip powder for
ice! The best part is that it floats. Thus, if there's a slight thaw and
refreeze, the sawdust stays on the top, where it's most effective (unlike
sand which sinks, leaving a nice glazed surface on top). I haven't had the
thaw and refreeze yet, but I'm betting it would work. Of course SWMBO
doesn't like the idea because she thinks the sawdust will be tracked back
into the house.
I'm sure it's been tried, so I'd love to hear any comments.
John
On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 15:38:37 -0500, "John Smith"
<[email protected]> scribbled:
>This weekend I had to empty out my shopVac, and decided to do it outdoors to
>prevent the dust from getting back in the house. Unfortunately, there
>wasn't enough room in the garage, and it was too cold to venture out far.
>So I ended up doing it on my front step, and surprise, I spilt some sawdust.
>It got me to thinking that sawdust would make a great anti-slip powder for
>ice! The best part is that it floats. Thus, if there's a slight thaw and
>refreeze, the sawdust stays on the top, where it's most effective (unlike
>sand which sinks, leaving a nice glazed surface on top). I haven't had the
>thaw and refreeze yet, but I'm betting it would work.
Yup. It does. Coarser stuff (like from a dado blade) works better.
Although it eventually soaks up enough water and sinks. But then,
there is a large available replacement supply.
> Of course SWMBO
>doesn't like the idea because she thinks the sawdust will be tracked back
>into the house.
She's right too, unfortunately, but then so does sand. Just take yer
boots off when coming in the house.
Luigi,
Speaking from experience.
Replace "no" with "yk" for real email address
Some kooky think tank type wanted to make artificial airfields for the
northern waters out of wood chips and fresh water. Seems I read an article
in Popular Science or such back during cold war (pun intended) days.
Sawdust, of course, insulates the ice and makes it last longer.
Best anti-slip for ice is Calcium Chloride. Eats through, and the rough
surface of the ice provides the grip. Don't even _think_ of wood ashes
within 100 feet of any carpet.
"Silvan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John Smith wrote:
>
> > sawdust. It got me to thinking that sawdust would make a great anti-slip
> > powder for
> > ice! The best part is that it floats. Thus, if there's a slight thaw
and
>
> Funny you should mention this. We had an icy patch on the front porch.
> Nothing else to use on it, so I came to the same conclusion you did. My
> stuff is from my wood lathe, incidentally. I haven't done much real
> woodworking since I got that stupid thing.
>
> Anyway, I found that it didn't work terribly well myself. It needed to be
> hot maybe, to melt in. It just slipped around on top, and made the patch
> even more slippery than it was when I started.
>
> It was at near ambient temperature, as my shop was unheated that day.
>
> Probably better for the nearby flower bed than the ice melter stuff. The
> only down side is the termite factor. I hope I'm not putting out termite
> chow.
>
> --
> Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
> Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
> http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
>
I knew some farnmers who would put sawdust and/or hay in a mud hole to
dry it out. Worked great. Except that when it rains, the sawdust/hay
then HOLDS water. Then you have a bigger mess than before.
On Wed, 14 Jan 2004 00:53:26 -0500, Silvan
<[email protected]> wrote:
>John Smith wrote:
>
>> sawdust. It got me to thinking that sawdust would make a great anti-slip
>> powder for
>> ice! The best part is that it floats. Thus, if there's a slight thaw and
>
>Funny you should mention this. We had an icy patch on the front porch.
>Nothing else to use on it, so I came to the same conclusion you did. My
>stuff is from my wood lathe, incidentally. I haven't done much real
>woodworking since I got that stupid thing.
>
>Anyway, I found that it didn't work terribly well myself. It needed to be
>hot maybe, to melt in. It just slipped around on top, and made the patch
>even more slippery than it was when I started.
>
>It was at near ambient temperature, as my shop was unheated that day.
>
>Probably better for the nearby flower bed than the ice melter stuff. The
>only down side is the termite factor. I hope I'm not putting out termite
>chow.
I have a nice little "pond" that seems to accumulate right in front of the
door of my shop whenever it rains and I always throw some shavings or
sawdust down there to keep it dry. Whats amazing is Ive been doing this for
some time now and it never builds up. It just sinks into the ground and goes
away somehow. Weird.
Jim
"John Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> This weekend I had to empty out my shopVac, and decided to do it outdoors
to
> prevent the dust from getting back in the house. Unfortunately, there
> wasn't enough room in the garage, and it was too cold to venture out far.
> So I ended up doing it on my front step, and surprise, I spilt some
sawdust.
> It got me to thinking that sawdust would make a great anti-slip powder for
> ice! The best part is that it floats. Thus, if there's a slight thaw and
> refreeze, the sawdust stays on the top, where it's most effective (unlike
> sand which sinks, leaving a nice glazed surface on top). I haven't had
the
> thaw and refreeze yet, but I'm betting it would work. Of course SWMBO
> doesn't like the idea because she thinks the sawdust will be tracked back
> into the house.
>
> I'm sure it's been tried, so I'd love to hear any comments.
>
> John
>
>
>
On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 23:03:08 -0500, Tom Watson <[email protected]>
scribbled:
>On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 19:41:02 -0800, Luigi Zanasi <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>She's right too, unfortunately, but then so does sand. Just take yer
>>boots off when coming in the house.
>
>Hey, Weegie.
>
>Does mukluks track as much as hobnails? I'm thinkin' about switchin'.
>It's freakin' cold enough for them 'round here these days.
Mukluks are great on snow and ice and keep your feet nice and warm --
hand-scraped and moose-brain-tanned moose skin soles and caribou
uppers with the hair inside, rabbit fur trim and lining, intricate
beadwork. The smooth bottom avoids tracking of anything, but makes
them wear out quickly on surfaces other than snow. However, you have
to find an old First Nation lady who is prepared to make them for you
and they end up being incredible pieces of craftswomanship which one
would never wear in the shop. Sort of like using a hand-made, solid
wood, inlaid, french-polished cherry/walnut/mahogany formal dining
table as your table saw outfeed or assembly table. (I was going to say
workbench, but then many wreckers wouldn't get it.)
Instead, check out:
http://www.sorel.com/html/gallery_CW_men.htm
Worn by all the better mushers in the Yukon. The denizens in front of
the sled wear:
http://www.tanzilla.ca/cat14_1.htm
But for your kind of mild weather, I wear:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374303514613&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474395348027&bmUID=1073980015374&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442291819&assortment=primary
or just plain old steel-toed insulated work boots:
http://www.marks.com/ctw/markprod.nsf/9587FFFA676F359887256DE80072158A/$File/JBD07861SP.jpg
Except mine show the steel toe cap. Maybe it's time to get new ones.
It depends.
I just checked your local weather. It's above zero (32F, Keith)! This
is what you could wear:
http://www.softmoc.com/default.asp?v=teva&c=802&c1=804&c2=809&c3=810&c4=801&country=canada
or
http://www.softmoc.com/default.asp?v=seru&c=803&c1=804&country=canada
BTW, we had freezing drizzle yesterday. Freezing drizzle! This is not
supposed to happen in the Yukon in January! Luckily, it turned to
regular snow, but still! Might be a side effect of the stuff I sent
JOAT's way. I gotta work on refining those secret powers.
OBWW: I just realised I have more boots than routers and as many as I
have drills. Gotta fix that. Can't have more footwear than tools,
otherwise people'll think I'm a woman.
Luigi
Replace "no" with "yk" for real email address
John Smith wrote:
> sawdust. It got me to thinking that sawdust would make a great anti-slip
> powder for
> ice! The best part is that it floats. Thus, if there's a slight thaw and
Funny you should mention this. We had an icy patch on the front porch.
Nothing else to use on it, so I came to the same conclusion you did. My
stuff is from my wood lathe, incidentally. I haven't done much real
woodworking since I got that stupid thing.
Anyway, I found that it didn't work terribly well myself. It needed to be
hot maybe, to melt in. It just slipped around on top, and made the patch
even more slippery than it was when I started.
It was at near ambient temperature, as my shop was unheated that day.
Probably better for the nearby flower bed than the ice melter stuff. The
only down side is the termite factor. I hope I'm not putting out termite
chow.
--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
John Smith wrote:
> Of course SWMBO
> doesn't like the idea because she thinks the sawdust will be tracked back
> into the house.
>
Let her fall on her bum once, then she'll think it's a great
idea.
--
Mark
N.E. Ohio
Never argue with a fool, a bystander can't tell you apart.
(S. Clemens, A.K.A. Mark Twain)
When in doubt hit the throttle. It may not help but it sure
ends the suspense. (Gaz, r.moto)
I guess I knew it was bio-degradable but it was the rate at which it went
away that got me. Seems like it mushes in the ground in just a few days.
Jim
>
> You didn't know that sawdust is bio-degradable? In small quantities,
> it will rot right into the soil. In larger quantities it becomes a
> good mulch. I have also used wood chips from the local tree timmers.
> Be careful to use the same wood types as you are growing. It's not
> good to use a lot of pine chips around hardwoods and fruit trees, or
> vice versa. Screws up the PH balance in the soil.
>
> Bob McConnell
> N2SPP
>
On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 22:04:24 GMT, "James D Kountz"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I have a nice little "pond" that seems to accumulate right in front of the
>door of my shop whenever it rains and I always throw some shavings or
>sawdust down there to keep it dry. Whats amazing is Ive been doing this for
>some time now and it never builds up. It just sinks into the ground and goes
>away somehow. Weird.
You didn't know that sawdust is bio-degradable? In small quantities,
it will rot right into the soil. In larger quantities it becomes a
good mulch. I have also used wood chips from the local tree timmers.
Be careful to use the same wood types as you are growing. It's not
good to use a lot of pine chips around hardwoods and fruit trees, or
vice versa. Screws up the PH balance in the soil.
Bob McConnell
N2SPP
On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 19:41:02 -0800, Luigi Zanasi <[email protected]>
wrote:
>She's right too, unfortunately, but then so does sand. Just take yer
>boots off when coming in the house.
Hey, Weegie.
Does mukluks track as much as hobnails? I'm thinkin' about switchin'.
It's freakin' cold enough for them 'round here these days.
Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker (ret)
Real Email is: tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet
Website: http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1