Just wondering...............

[Whitley]

I have been sorting out the accumulation of rubbish out of my workshop. Amongst the multitude of things I have decided to get rid of after keeping it 'just in case' for 20 years and never used is a pile of offcuts etc left over from numerous DIY projects. I have cut them up for burning in my mums woodburner. While sweeping up the resultant pile of sawdust, I starting to think of uses for it and the mass of shaving other than the usual ones of decorating the floor of the house and pi, err annoying the wife :twisted: . It is no use in the woodburner, I did try to make some pot pouri, but all it did was attract the cat,who just sniffed it all day long :? I was wondering if any of you had any ideas as what to do with this unwanted, but necessary byproduct :?:

 

[TEP]

All my shavings and sawdust is left on a pile for a few months then when weathered it is dug into my allotment, or used as a mulch around 'er indoors flower borders.

 

[Whitley]

I've mulched the garden with shaving and garden shreddings to such an extent, that I have difficulty in planting anything now. I have to dig down nearly a foot before I get to the soil. I have a tiny garden an no room for a compost bin.

 

[jpt]

mine goes in my garden refuse bin and the council take it away for compost. If there is too much of it to go in the bin I bag it up and take it down the dump myself.

john

 

[Paul.J]

All my off cuts,shavings now goes in the green rubbish collection and is also collected by the binmen every two weeks.
All off cuts are sawn to a smallish size so they don't rip or stick out the bag,and not too much put in the bags.
Phoned the council to see if this was o.k first.

 

[Anonymous]

If you have a lawn use the mowings well mixed with shavings/sawdust and put them in a compost bin (I have two made from pallets) ...stops the clippings breaking down into a soggy mess :wink:

Be wary of adding too much of the unweathered shavings/dust straight on to the garden soil... it will rob the soil of nitrogen as it breaks down!

 

[DaveL]

While sweeping up the resultant pile of sawdust, I starting to think of uses for it and the mass of shaving other than the usual ones of decorating the floor of the house and pi, err annoying the wife :twisted: . It is no use in the woodburner,

Well I use all of my shavings and sawdust in the wood burner to help heat the shop. It's all dry stuff, I am not a turner so don't work with green wood, apart from planking the odd log and stacking it away to dry.

 

[caretaker]

This year on the allotment I am going to put in my bean trench wood shavings/sawdust mixed with some shredded paper, the most that can happen is I'll end up with out a bean.

 

[stevebuk]

dont forget guys, digging wood into the soil will make it acidic eventually.

 

[Bodrighy]

I use(d) mine to make paths between veg beds. Once it's wet it mats down and as said it is so acidic in quantity it is a real good weed killer. Put it down really thick and then hose it and tread it down hard, heel style like Geoff Hamilton used to do. Makes a really nice solid clean path between the beds.

Pete

 

[Whitley]

Looks like I will have to continue to put the shavings etc out with the rubbish. The garden just can't cope with any more mulching.

Just to clarify a fine point regarding burning of shavings in a woodburner. Big shavings do burn, but rather quickly, they are best for lighting the fire in the first place (kindling), but finer shavings and sawdust just make the thing smoulder and reduce the heat output, or put the fire out.

Thanks anyway, hopefully, I will have my lathe back in operation very soon so I can start manufacturing yet more waste :lol:

 

[TEP]

Hi Whitley.

You can burn shavings/sawdust in a wood stove, but you would normally have a perforated steel tube running up through the centre of the fire to allow air to get at the burn area.

 

[Anonymous]

... just make the thing smoulder

Time for some smoked sausages methinks :wink:

best way to get rid of oak shavings/dust :lol: