Replies

1. 
   Dale | Nov 29, 2004 07:00am | #1

   For starters I'd try pet houses, animal stalls, chicken house etc.  Another possible outlet could be gardeners or nurseries...etc....Good luck...Dale

2. 
   Michmesquite | Nov 29, 2004 07:37pm | #2

   The termites are already there. If you neighbor doesn't object spread it out, rather than dump it in a pile, over the lot. It will decomp in a matter of weeks. If you have a tiller, you could mix it in the soil and give your neighbor a great growing bed.

   Also, see the thread on Black Walnut last week if you use any of that material. 

   _________________________________

   Michael in San Jose

   "In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." Bertrand Russell 

3. 
   mudman | Nov 29, 2004 07:50pm | #3

   You could make your own MDF.

   HE HE,

   Mike

   please excuse my spelling.
1. 
   81treehouse | Nov 30, 2004 05:22am | #9

   MDF in a cabinet shop.  Not in mine!  (except for jigs).A bad day woodworking is better than a good day working -- yes, I'm retired!

4. 
   lwj2 | Nov 30, 2004 12:32am | #4

   Use your spare lot, rent a rototiller and turn up about fifteen feet square or so, dump the shavings/dust, turn them under, eventually earthworms will process it for you. You might go down to the local bait shop and buy a few dollars worth of them to speed the process.

   Composting won't work well because of the tannic acid.

   Oak and pine dust/shavings work well as a mulch for acid-loving plants like azaleas.

   If there's a stable near you, you might want to ask the barn manager if he/she is interested in them. Walnut dust/shavings are not good for horses, so if you work with it, segregate the dust/shavings.

   Good luck.

   Leon Jester, Roanoke VA
1. 
   Timagain | Nov 30, 2004 02:30am | #5

   Can I ask why burning in a stove is not an option?

   T

1. 
   tufenhundel | Nov 30, 2004 05:35am | #10

   I think 'cause it will not burn, only smolder and smoke due to inability to get oxygen.

1. 
   Timagain | Nov 30, 2004 12:28pm | #11

   I had exactly the same problem and didn't want to give away potentially free fuel.  As long as oxygen can get above and below the sawdust until the gases on top ignite then you will have no problem.  I actually changed my woodburner to one that can handle sawdust.  It cost almost nothing.  I know I'm in the UK but I've attached a link from the supplier here.  Maybe you can show it to a stove retailer or use the plans to adapt your own.  It is unbelievably efficient.

    

   http://www.thehotspot.co.uk/workshop-stoves/index.htm

    

   Hope it helps

    

   Tim

1. 
   tufenhundel | Nov 30, 2004 05:06pm | #13

   This is interesting!  How did you do the conversion?  The Relax stoves don't seem to be available in the States.  Were you able to burn as much sawdust (at a time) as you want?  I'd find it amazing that you could burn deep into a pile of sawdust, no matter how hot it gets.

2. 
   JohnWW | Nov 30, 2004 05:33pm | #14

   Tim,

   The web site at the link you provided doesn't describe how the stoves are designed, can you provide a quick explanation of how they work?

   Thanks,

   John W.

3. 
   Timagain | Nov 30, 2004 06:31pm | #16

   Basically there are two intakes in the top with slide over closing flaps.  One of these provides oxygento the top of the stove; the other is attached to a pipe that runs nearly to the bottom.  When lighting (sawdust in particular) both vents are kept open until the gases on the top of the hot sawdust ignite.  The bottom supplying one is closed then and heat regulated by opening or closing the other one (top feeder).

   In the winter I regularly empty a bucket of sawdust or shavings last thing at night, let it flare up (as above) and then close both vents.  It is nearly always still going the following morning.  Obviously care must be taken if you have very fine sawdust becuase of explosive risk - I just don't put that on if the fire is already lit but save it for starting up.

   I imagine if you email the suppliers then they will give you more info - I thought it was on the website sorry, but thats pretty much the gist of it.

    

   T

4. 
   JohnWW | Nov 30, 2004 06:50pm | #17

   Thanks,

   John W.

2. 
   Telemike | Dec 01, 2004 08:06am | #19

   Actually, composting is an option. With the tannins and natural herbicides etc you have to compost for quite a while - we compost for 2 - 3 years in piles. This won't work if you don't have some space. I compost black walnut and eucalyptus chips in with all of the other stuff that a few acres produces. Grows GREAT tomatoes (try Boxcar Willie, an heirloom variety.)

5. 
   nikkiwood | Nov 30, 2004 03:22am | #6

   Are we talking sawdust or planer shavings?

   For years I knew a woman who kept horses, and she gladly took all my planer shavings (except walnut) for bedding.

   She would also take sawdust, as long as it did not contain any dust from MDF, plywood, etc.

   I would start by looking up horse stables in the yellow pages.

6. 
   Curtis | Nov 30, 2004 04:10am | #7

   I remember reading that sawdust added to ice will last longer than ice alone. the old timers use it to line there ice houses and cold rooms with saw dust to keep things frozen long into the summer. being in Alaska there may be some people that still use the saw dust for that reason . You could put a add in your local paper?

   Or use it for burning, mix it with wax or old glue that got frozen?...  and make your own duro logs. there is a co. that comes to the local saw mill and picks up the sawdust, I Think they make those man made logs,and sell them at the corner market,Perhaps you can can to?

   C.A.G.
7. 
   81treehouse | Nov 30, 2004 05:21am | #8

   Thanks to all who took the time to reply to my question about sawdust disposal.  I don't have a wood burning stove.  Yes, there is also shavings.  I think the acid loving azaleas mulch is my answer as we have 8 of them in the back yard.

   Thanks again everyone!

   A bad day woodworking is better than a good day working -- yes, I'm retired!
8. 
   douglas2cats | Nov 30, 2004 02:53pm | #12

   Like a lot of the responses, I've used sawdust in the garden for mulch and for composting. I'd shy away from it as a use for pet bedding though. Planer shavings are OK, but sawdust tends to get picked up in their fur, and the next thing you know, it's tracked all over your house when you let Fido in. Stray planer shavings on their fur are easier to see and brush off before you let them in. This is probably less of an issue with horses, as they tend to wipe their feet better when you let them in the house. Like the warnings on walnut and horses, I've heard that some plants are averse to some types of sawdusts. Don't remember the details, but think I heard once that some plants don't react well to the tannin in oak. Might make a difference what you're growing if you're going to till it into the soil.

1. 
   81treehouse | Dec 02, 2004 04:25am | #20

   Thanks for the note.  I think I will stay with the azaleas and mulching.

    

    A bad day woodworking is better than a good day working -- yes, I'm retired!

9. 
   Garry | Nov 30, 2004 05:50pm | #15

   My wife has done a good job at using up the shavings in her flower gardens and a local farmer will take it for chicken bedding which in turn uses it for furtilizer when he cleans the coop

   Garry

    http://www.superwoodworks.com
1. 
   81treehouse | Dec 02, 2004 04:29am | #21

   Thanks for the note.  I'll use any left from mulching the azaleas on her flowers.

    A bad day woodworking is better than a good day working -- yes, I'm retired!

10. 
    UncleDunc | Dec 01, 2004 07:52am | #18

    http://www.penpages.psu.edu/penpages_reference/28901/28901209.HTML