# What to do with leftover sawdust and chips?



## Hanman (Jan 6, 2012)

I'm just wondering what everyone else out there does with their loads of sawdust and wood chips leftover from their projects? I live in an extremely rural area so I have no problem with finding places to dump it, but it's always bothered me because it seems like there should be some kind of use for this stuff. I have 2 wood stoves and I've burned some of it at times but surprisingly it really doesn't burn as well as I thought it would. It just smolders and smokes a lot. Any good ideas out there??


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

We use everything except for black walnut. The chips are for animal bedding, We put the sawdust in the compost pile in the winter. During the warmer season, we put the sawdust on the garden beds with acid-loving plants such as blueberries.


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## HamS (Nov 10, 2011)

compost, except for walnut


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

Oak, beech, apple and other fruit woods, from lathe, planer & saw all for fish smoker.


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## Hanman (Jan 6, 2012)

didn't realize you could compost it. why not walnut though?

BigYin- Even the finer sawdust from your table saw?

The majority of mine is dust from the table saw. I don't use the lathe a lot, but I did finally buy a planer, which has been on my wish list for years so I could definitely save those chips.


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## DamnYankee (May 21, 2011)

I burn it or throw it away…silly me


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## Jack_T (Feb 6, 2010)

You do not put Black Walnut in a compost heap nor use it as mulch because it contains a toxin that prevents the growth of other plants.


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## Towtruck (Apr 4, 2011)

All but course chips from the planer go in my blackberry patch.


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## mtnwild (Sep 28, 2008)

I use it on my pathways and lay it thick around places I don't want weeds to grow.


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

Hanman

<bigyin->

yes, shavings underneath and sawdust on top
Mix brown sugar, honey, salt and lemon zest into a paste make enough
to cover both sides of filet, place on rack, and smoke till done


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## bobsmyuncle (Jan 12, 2011)

Black walnut is toxic to vegetables and also horses.

I have enough I just put it in the garbage tote. While I compost kitchen waste, too much wood will deplete nitrogen in your garden.


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## oldretiredjim (Nov 14, 2011)

Some gets composted but I have noticed that it decomposes at a slower rate than other organic material. If you compost it you need to turn the pile regularly and break up the mat of stuff. It tends to clump and prevent air from reaching other areas of the pile. Some woods have an acid PH so depending on what your soil is doing that is a consideration. Perfect for around acid loving plants like blueberries.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

I own almost 2 acres with a woodsy area at the back. My sawdust pile back there would easily fill the bed of a full-sized pickup.

Since I work with some exotics I don't know how safe it is to use this sawdust for flower beds or anything else.

I am not about to separate my sawdust by type of wood. There is no practical way to do that.


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## Hanman (Jan 6, 2012)

Thanks for the input everyone. This is why I love this site.


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## mondak (Oct 30, 2011)

If your doing BBQ, low an slow, then there is a tool/toy out there that will use the saw dust and chips to smoke your ribs, brisket or whatever. Type in AMNS in your search bar. And as for cutoffs aka: scraps…....throw'm on your grill when doing a steak or anything else that is hot an fast.


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## kizerpea (Dec 2, 2011)

I put my sawdust an shaving in walmart bags, tie'm up an toss in the wood stove….free btu,s


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## Rustic (Jul 21, 2008)

i make fire starters with mine.


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## HamS (Nov 10, 2011)

Old jim, just add your coffee grounds, they are nitrogen rich and it brings everything in balance. However, I never use the wood based compost on vegetable garden, becasue I am never sure there is not some finishing compounds that got in soe of the dust. I have lots of trees that need good mulch and it is great for that.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

*kizerpea* "I put my sawdust an shaving in walmart bags, tie'm up an toss in the wood stove….free btu,s"

http://www.projectgreenbag.com/plastic-bags-must-never-be-burned/

*After you finish reading this article , hopefully you will refrain from burning any more plastic bags , if not for your own health , then for others.*


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## Hanman (Jan 6, 2012)

I remember buying a box of firestarters from my local lumberyard once upon a time that looked like sawdust pressed together with something, probably some type of wax, and they worked really well. Does anybody know how to make something like this?


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## TrBlu (Mar 19, 2011)

I am fortunate. I have leaf & debri pick up from our city. I pour it on the leaf pile and the city picks it up.

Walnut is too acidic for compost. It will kill most garden plants.

I have heard it is dangerous to try and burn raw sawdust, because it can become airborn and somewhat explosive. I have never experienced that, but I thought it good advice to share just in case.


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## Rustic (Jul 21, 2008)




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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I have heard that black walnut is toxic to other plants but I have not seen this. I have put walnut shavings in the flower beds for years with no ill effects. Having said that I will admit that it is not pure walnut but is mixed with lots of other woods. I do know for a fact that walnut in all its forms is HIGHLY toxic to horses. I have treated many laminitis (founder) cases from horses being exposed to walnut. The interesting thing is they don't have to eat it to be affected. U of Ga. did a project where horses were bedded on walnut, muzzled, and they still developed laminitis!


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## timbit2006 (Jan 6, 2012)

It's good for removing ice from walkways in the Winter.


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## xplorx4 (Feb 26, 2011)

Most of mine goes to the dump, picked up with local trash, some goes to a mechanic friend to soak up spilled oil.


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## gpop (Feb 10, 2012)

Boat/canoe/kayak builders use saw dust / epoxy resin mixture to make fillet compound (a seam sealer) like with stitch-and-glue type of boats.
I collect, sift, and store all the saw dust I generate, but I am careful not to mix different types of saw dust. I wouldn't want to be in the middle of the ocean and doubting if my seams done with MDF dust reacts differently to sea water. 
I save the good stuff…real wood… for when I start building my catamaran. I keep the stuff in rubber garbage cans.

I keep some around when I am gluing a project together. If there are any splatters, bleeding, or leaking, I throw saw dust on the glue, the dust clumps with the glue, and its easy to wipe off without smearing glue on your work.


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## KnickKnack (Aug 20, 2008)

Sawdust is great for cleaning your hands - just grab a bunch and "dry wash" - removes glue, varnish, engine oil, paint - loadsa stuff.


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## donbee (Feb 7, 2009)

I use some of the sawdust in my shop to deal with waste finishes, thinners and brush/spray gun cleaners.
The stuff is considered a hazardous material until it dries, so I pour it into a cardboard box with sawdust in it and let it sit until it hardens. It can then be safely and legally disposed of in land fill.
I used to pour it into the boxes without the sawdust, but that method doesn't permit any great quantity of fluids. With the sawdust I can dispose of a pint or even a quart of material at once.

ddwwb


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

It does beg the question as to how you separate the walnut dust from other wood dust? Is there a special walnut dust separation device for my DC that I am unaware of?


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## Rustic (Jul 21, 2008)

ROFLMAO


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