What to do with sawdust

[breadstick]

Between the scroll saw, table saw, miter saw, and planer I make a good amount of sawdust. I've been throwing some away and making some piles outside.  I'd like to find some sort of solution long term.  What do you guys do with the sawdust you make?

[Scrolling Steve]

I will sometimes mix with wood glue to make a wood filler, but that is just a small amount......not a lot of help for you I'm afraid .

[zimmerstutzen]

I put saw dust in the compost pile and when it has cooked a few years mix it with garden soil

[heppnerguy]

Mine is sought by horse owners. I have them come by and pick it up, empty the barrel and bring the empty barrel back to me the same day

[jerry1939]

When I was a kid, my Dad (R.I.P.) had a sawmill as a sideline.  The local nursery took most of it to put around their trees.

 

jerry

[sullyscroller]

I make a lot of sawdust also , I spread it on my flowerbeds like mulch to keep the weeds down. Works great !!!!

 

sully

[WayneMahler]

I have a couple people that want it for their horses. Just have to be careful of what kind of sawdust it is. No Cherry or Walnut. With the amount I create Oak, Pine, Birch, Poplar and others (safe for horses) don't take long to fill a few bags.

[Jim McDonald]

You also want to be careful about using walnut as mulch.  Years after a walnut tree has gone and is forgotten, the roots will still kill most garden plants in the vicinity.

[Phantom Scroller]

Mine goes into my tip in the garden then back onto the garden. Plus a few different pots for mixing filler with wood glue. Roly

[LarryEA]

Bucket, wheel borrow, or truck load? 

My sawdust all goes in for horse bedding.

Very important: Black Walnut.... KILLS

No shavings, chips or any bits around 'horses'.

Also none to be used with any other animals or plants.

[Jim Finn]

I just toss about three bushels of it a month. Trash truck takes it.  I have tried composting it but the result does not help plants.  It consumes nitrogen for many years, as it decomposes, I am told.

[Chachi111769]

I make mine into fire starters you melt down a bunch of wax pour into a throe away foil pan (the kind you see at buffets round the holidays) dump the saw dust into it make it about an inch deep mix sawdust and wax all together let it harden then dump it out of the pan cut into 2x2 squares and wrap in a coffee filter and than sell them at a show for a buck or two... and they light quick you just place it in the fire pit or place and start your fire...

 

Idea is from youtube Ocala woodworking....  

[LarryEA]

Great to use on Blueberry bushes

[DWSUDEKUM]

Here is a thought although it will take some doing to make the press.  If you have a significant amount of sawdust and live in an area where you use a furnace to heat your house in the winter you could make starter logs like those Presto Logs sold in the stores. Mix a bit of paraffin wax with the sawdust and compress it into a log shape and it will make a homemade presto log.  It will take a little bit of experimentation to get the amount of paraffin wax to add to the saw dust correct.  You also could mix it with damp corn starch and make a log that way as well.  You could mix it with a little bit of fertilizer and dirt and make a potting soil.  You can use it to soak up oil spills,  You can "cook" it and make wood oil.  There are a lot of uses for it.  I know one person that makes methane gas with his sawdust and uses it to heat his shop in the winter.  Most of us however bag it up and to the landfill it goes.

 

DW

[Dan]

Sawdust I put in the garden or compost. The wood shavings from the planer I put in empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls, seal the ends with wax or masking tape, and use as fire starters for the fire pit.

[Lucky2]

I burn mine, it's great to start fires with. Sometimes, I will make fire starters like Chachi has mentioned, they're very handy to have in the winter when out snowmobling or snowshoeing. 

Len

[amazingkevin]

Between the scroll saw, table saw, miter saw, and planer I make a good amount of sawdust. I've been throwing some away and making some piles outside.  I'd like to find some sort of solution long term.  What do you guys do with the sawdust you make?

It's my understanding that hard woods especially cedar are great for lawns as a mulch spread over the top.I also heard that particle board ,plywood,mfd,pressed wood all have way to much glue in them and are not good for living things.I don't think anything will grow covered in this mix,so maybe as a weed retardant around trees it could be helpfull?

Edited April 20, 2016 by amazingkevin

[WigWag Workshop]

I mix mine with wax to use has a fire starter for the fire pit. 

[RangerJay]

You folks put me to shame.

 

In years past I gave mine to a serious model train enthusiast - he used it for building landscapes - grass, trees etc.

 

.... but that was a long time ago .....

 

.... now it goes to the landfill ....

 

 

Jay

[tonylumps]

I have been using it for oil dry and other spills then to hazmat collection.

Edited April 20, 2016 by tonylumps

[Lucky2]

To make the fire starters, I use egg crates. The paper mash type, after they set up I store them in a plastic bag. When going into the woods or fishing, I always grab a handful of them to take with me, you never know when you'll need one. I keep a baggie full of them in my truck, just in case I need them.

Len

[WayneMahler]

I have been using it for oil dry and other spills then to hazmat collection.

This is just one of many ways to utilize it. Cu-do's for your usage 

[Phantom Scroller]

Len are you saying the egg case is paper mash or you mix paper mash with saw dust?? Roly

[Phantom Scroller]

What to set fire to them Larry. :lol:  Roly

[Phantom Scroller]

I mean to quote this to previous Larry oops   Where's my quote something strange happening on here.  Roly

Edited April 21, 2016 by Phantom Scroller