Black pipe drain danger

**Copper Head** · 08-03-2012, 03:27 PM

Maybe some one can clear me up or inform I had some black pipe to get ready naturaly the lead at each bell housing is a added extra not to sell at short price . so as i busted up the cast the oakum fiber I believe it is called ( that is packed with the lead join ) I kept toss in a pile with no worry , well it was very hot today and i start smelling smoke and i look at the pile of packing and it is smoldering and then fire . Yes it was sitting in the sun, What the heck is that residual methane gas in the material ??

**oldtoothlessbassmaster** · 08-03-2012, 03:59 PM

oakum information

Oakum - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Copper Head** · 08-03-2012, 07:52 PM

I suspect what happened was I swept up any semi moist pipe crud that was inside pipe as I shattered bell housing so the tar oakum and residual human waste gave off some methane , causing spontaneousness combustion. Food for thought to prevent devastating results

**Ditchdigger** · 08-03-2012, 08:30 PM

It's doubtful methane had anything to do with it, but it seems as if oakum alone has a history of spontaneous combustion.

Thanks. I often do the same thing to separate the lead from the cast iron, and this is a hazard I'd never been aware of...

**Copper Head** · 08-03-2012, 09:04 PM

Tarred marline/oakum storage [Archive] - The WoodenBoat Forum
-------------------
Tarred marline/oakum storage [Archive] - The WoodenBoat Forum
forum.woodenboat.com/archive/index.php/t-17372.html

Can't recall an incident of spontaneous combustion of either Oakum or Marline. BUT..Oakum being saturated with light pine tar is very easy to ignite

----------------------------

**eesakiwi** · 08-06-2012, 01:23 AM

I have heard of rags with paint solvent catching fire before.

Actually, I was telling someone once about the danger (he had mentioned it, about a worksite he was working on, leaving a rubbish skip with paint waste on the site).
30 mins later someone walks into the house & says "The skip caught fire, burnt the worksite down".

**Ditchdigger** · 08-06-2012, 07:06 AM

Tarred marline/oakum storage [Archive] - The WoodenBoat Forum
forum.woodenboat.com/archive/index.php/t-17372.html

I did Google around a little before making that reply, and that's one of the articles I saw. There were some others though, really old stuff, that as I said, seemed to indicate that it's a possibility. I googled "Spontaneous combustion oakum".

Black pipe drain danger

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