How do I clean up powder spill?

[latour50]

I just spilled a large quantity of Winchester 231 into my carpet! I'm afraid that if I vacuum it up, it might ignite due to static electricity. What is the best way to clean this up without exploding my shopvac and maybe myself?

HELP!

Latour

 

[flemgunner]

lit match on the end of a stick

 

[charliepapa]

lit match on the end of a stick

hate to say it but that's what I was thinking before I read that it was in the carpet...

Is it thick pile? How close to a wall? Maybe you should rent a carpet cleaner and wet it down, THEN suck it up.

 

[charliepapa]

Wait, if it's a shop vac, you don't need to rent anything, just wet the powder down and suck it up water and all. just do a little at a time.

 

[artabr]

Sweep up what you can and maybe use some packing or duct tape to get the leftover stuff.

Wet vac might work.



Art

 

[scubasteve]

I vaccum it.

 

[Big D]

take some of that foam carpet cleaner spray your carpet and then vaccum it up; yu'll make brownie points with the mre too

 

[latour50]

I like the carpet cleaner idea. I think I'll try that.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Latour

 

[Texasflyboy]

I just spilled a large quantity of Winchester 231

Vacuum. I spilled some Bullseye last week on the linoleum floor and just vacuumed it right up with the shop vac. Have to wonder, even if the three mandatory things were present (Fuel, Spark, Oxygen) were present inside the reservoir if the flame could ever propagate faster than the exhaust steam flowing out. Air flow exits a vacuum cleaner as fast as you pump it in.

Mythbusters had a similar thread (busted) where a vacuum cleaner was supposed to turn into a jet engine by sucking in fuel vapors. If vapor doesn't do the trick, I would think propellants are lower down the "ignite-ability" list of things. Kinda like a reverse burn rate chart....

My .02

 

[Storm52]

Don't wet it, just vacuum. You would need one hell of a spark from static electricity to ignite the powder. I use vacuum (shop vac) to suck up spilled/residue from reloading press.

 

[buddy_fuentes]

I have a small shop vac and I clean spills all of the time and have done if for years. If I were worried about a kaboom, I would put water in the shop vac and then vacuum it up. But, like I said, I have done this for years without any problems.

Buddy

 

[LACamper]

I have a small shop vac and I clean spills all of the time and have done if for years. If I were worried about a kaboom, I would put water in the shop vac and then vacuum it up. But, like I said, I have done this for years without any problems.

Buddy

+1
I'd pour a gallon of water in your shop vac first.

 

[RJFontenot]

My question is, why are you reloading where there is carpet? The static electricity you are concerned with, may exist while you are using your equipment.

 

[SKIPP3RLANDRY]

I just spilled a large quantity of Winchester 231 into my carpet! I'm afraid that if I vacuum it up, it might ignite due to static electricity. What is the best way to clean this up without exploding my shopvac and maybe myself?

HELP!

Latour

http://www.bayoushooter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23485

 

[bayoupirate]

Kaboom

My question is, why are you reloading where there is carpet? The static electricity you are concerned with, may exist while you are using your equipment.

+1

I'd me more worried about thowing a spark while I was reloading and setting off a casefull in my hand than I would be of the vacuum getting a little toasted.

If you have one of those "Rainbow" vacuums you're good. They catch the dust/powder in water.

Happy Reloading!!!

 

[buddy_fuentes]

OK guys, get a table spoon (any amount for that matter) of WW 231 and go outside and pour it on the driveway. Stick a lit match to it and see what happens. It burns...Try it with a spark plug connected to your lawnmower and it will still burn. For gun power to explode it must be confined in a small space for the amount of powder involved. As you know the confinement cause the pressure to build and push toward the least resistance, which is usually the bullet. If not the bullet, you get what is called case head separation. NOT GOOD!

If you are vacuuming a four pound jug of gun powder with a gallon shop vac, maybe there could be some concern. In that case I would put water in the bottom of my shop vac and clean up my powder spill.

Every time I reload I get gun powder on my reloading press, especially the Dillon 650. I keep a small shop vac by the bench and vacuum it when I'm through.

Buddy

 

[jimdana1942]

Cover it with motor oil and let it set awhile, that will inertize the powder. Then get a carpet shampooer and clean it up.

 

[charliepapa]

Cover it with motor oil...???

Um, am I missing something? Wouldn't motor oil be harder to clean out of carpet than the powder?