Use for wood shavings?

[Chrisj]

After cutting a load of fire wood recently I had loads of wood shavings from the chainsaw. It really seemed a waste to throw them so I bagged them up with the intention of finding a use for them. Now I have 4 black bin bags full of shavings. So, what should I do with them?
I know wood shavings are good for the bee smoker but since they will have some chain oil from the saw on them I don't particularly want to puff the smoke into my hives.
Inspired by seeing people mention the fire logs from home bargains which are wax and sawdust. I have a load of candle stubs (both mine and collected from friends) so I am having a go at making some of these. The first is setting in the mould at the moment.
But, I have serious amounts of the stuff so what else can I do with it?

 

[Bigfoot]

Make a smoke box and smoke some fish or meat with them? What kind of wood is it?

 

[Robbi]

great for rabbit bedding or for hamsters etc

 

[Toddy]

It's good on paths, it's good under the compost heaps, it's good for tinder for firelighting, it makes really good wax/ shavings pots for candle torches for around the camp, depending on the timber it's good for dye or for tanning too, and it if you mix it with damp newspaper and squeeze it with one of the log makers (takes a lot of drying out) it makes good overnight logs.

Three sack loads though best of luck with it

cheers,
M

 

[Shewie]

Firelighters would be handy but you could also store some in a bin liner outside and keep adding water to it until next spring, you should end up with a nice bag of wormy mulch to chuck on the garden

 

[Chrisj]

As it has been generated from a chainsaw and will thus have an amount of chain oil in it I would be reluctant to use it to smoke food. The wax / shavings pots sound interesting. I'm guessing that these would be like a smaller version of what I have just made with a stick in the middle. I like the idea of mixing it with paper in a log maker as it doesn't need any wax. Much as I can collect a fair amount of wax as candle ends by asking friends to keep them, it would need a massive amount of wax to use up all these shavings as wax / shavings pots or logs.

 

[robin wood]

start using vege chain oil and you open up a lot more possibilities. I switched to sunflower oil 15 years ago. I have saved myself a whole lot of money on expensive chain oil in that time and not spread gallons of the non biodgradable stuff around the countryside.

 

[Chrisj]

When you say vege chain oil is that a special product made from vegetable oil or just kitchen vegetable oil. If the latter how do you find it performs with out the anti fling properties of traditional chain oil. I work as a gardener and tree surgeon so my saws do a lot of hours and I don't want to compromise longevity but if it performs well and is cheaper then it could be interesting.

 

[Miyagi]

Wood shavings?

I canny believe we dinny have any "old school" Jannys on board.

Any Janitor worth his salt would use those wood shavings in School on a daily basis;

a) Projectile/Exorcist type vomit or kiddie's wee was absorbed by sawdust and later fed into the coal fired boiler/heating system of the school.
b) It was mixed with PVA glue to make an unbreakable, yet "sand"-able, filler for arts and crafts projects.
c) The "switched on" Janitor made a "retirement fund" from selling it to the Companies that made "Woodchip" wallpaper.

You could always spray it with "Tweed by Lentheric", "Mandate" or "Blue Stratos", mix wooden curls with it and sell it as Pot Purri to affluent folk...

 

[robin wood]

When you say vege chain oil is that a special product made from vegetable oil or just kitchen vegetable oil. If the latter how do you find it performs with out the anti fling properties of traditional chain oil. I work as a gardener and tree surgeon so my saws do a lot of hours and I don't want to compromise longevity but if it performs well and is cheaper then it could be interesting.

I mean sunflower oil bought from the supermarket. It is a little thinner than the oil you will be used to but still lubes chain well. I have use saws pretty hard carving bowl blanks for woodturning. They get a bit more gummed up but 15 years hard use I have never had any problem with bar or chain wear.

 

[Riven]

Hi Robin will you be at the Woodland Festival at the weekend and did you carve the Greenman in the Edale visitor centre? Camped there in the week and was very impressed.

 

[robin wood]

Hi Riven, no and no. The green man was carved by a chap called Phil who lives on one of the campsites in the village and does bits and bobs as a hobby.

 

[Riven]

Fair enough, living on a campsite sounds interesting. Talked to a couple looking after Fieldhead who know you. All the best, Riven.

 

[Whittler Kev]

Hi Robin will you be at the Woodland Festival at the weekend and did you carve the Greenman in the Edale visitor centre? Camped there in the week and was very impressed.

Got a link to the festival by any chance?
(Didn't mean to thread jack by the way)

 

[BILLy]

I too have loads of chain saw chips from cutting wood, I have about 8 bags of oak, and was wondering if you could do anything with them, at the mo I just use it on the fire, which is a shame, also I have one massive old oak tree that has been down for about 15 odd years which is dry as a bone, i use this for fire wood and it burns lovely, I have just made my first spoon out of it(no I am not putting a pic up, It looks like some little kid made it lol)

 

[Whittler Kev]

Just a though after reading Miyagi's post. Couly you mix them with PVA glue and after inserting pins in a knife blank, mould the goo around the blank? When dry you could sand it down to make a custom handle. Should be waterproof with the PVA glue?

 

[Ogri the trog]

I recon you need to find someone who uses a pellet fed wood burner for central heating and sell them the shavings as fuel. I've seen a few being demonstrated at shows where a slow turning auger feeds woodchip pellets into the burner - surely chippings would works equally as well!

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[nitrambur]

Pykrete!

 

[Riven]

Hi Whittler Kev, no link but it is this coming weekend at Black Rocks near Whirksworth/Cromford in Derbyshire. Quote,(event celebrates trees and woodlands, showcasing traditional crafts and modern day forestry.) Should be a good day out.
Riven.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

We are not allowed to let jannies touch any extracted or collected shavings due to COSHH regs and the material. I collect it off benches after planing and re-use it in my kelly kettle, just like small off cuts etc.

All woodust is carsengenic, especially cedar etc.

Planed shavings etc are nice soaked in perfumed oils/herbs and then put on a wee tray/saucer. They can also be hung in a wee cotton bag.

Nick

PS I'm a techy teacher (CDT)