# Swarf..



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

How many of you save your swarf for project accents and repairs...


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

I keep all my teak swarf for repairs on the boat...and about a cup of the latest cuts for around the house (like wood putty)...mix it with glue or epoxy, depending...


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

I keep a dozen or so plastic nickel coin containers with as many various kinds of sawdust. 2 or 3 of red oak and cherry alone... I find that I have more luck with the heavier sawdust than I do with the powdery dust....always attempt to put together a tube of the wood I"m using at the time of a project...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

TwoSkies57 said:


> I keep a dozen or so plastic nickel coin containers with as many various kinds of sawdust. 2 or 3 of red oak and cherry alone... I find that I have more luck with the heavier sawdust than I do with the powdery dust....always attempt to put together a tube of the wood I"m using at the time of a project...


I keep multiple grades in a variety of species in 4oz jars...

.


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## jaguar1201 (Feb 4, 2015)

I keep mine in large size baby food jars, and mix with glue for repairs.
Enrico


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## cocobolo1 (Dec 31, 2015)

Most of mine ends up on the driveway to keep the mud at bay. 0


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Cat litter. I can burn it later instead of dumping it.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

FWIW...

In woodworking, *Swarf * as I know it, is/are pieces of very fine to ultra fine (dust) wood, or plastic that are the debris or waste resulting from machining, woodworking, or similar subtractive (material-removing aka sanding) manufacturing processes.....


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## cocobolo1 (Dec 31, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> FWIW...
> 
> In woodworking, *Swarf * as I know it, is/are pieces of very fine to ultra fine (dust) wood, or plastic that are the debris or waste resulting from machining, woodworking, or similar subtractive (material-removing aka sanding) manufacturing processes.....


Understand that Stick. I don't seem to have any need to use swarf for the purposes suggested. Any dust, be it large or small, ends up outside.

Even when I was building cedarstrip canoes, which left large volumes of very fine dust, I didn't feel the need to keep or use any of it for mixing filler. Something that we may forget is that swarf from sanding may also include some of the abrasive particles from the sandpaper.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

cocobolo1 said:


> Something that we may forget is that swarf from sanding may also include* some of the abrasive particles* from the sandpaper.


which is ingrained into what you are sanding anyways...


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

When starting a new project and using the drum sander I clean the dust and chips out of the separator then run the pieces of each type of wood, saving the dust, clean the separator and run the next type of wood....

I usually end up with enough swarf from each type to last a life time (as long as I don't make too many mistakes).


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Stick486 said:


> FWIW...
> 
> In woodworking, *Swarf * as I know it, is/are pieces of very fine to ultra fine (dust) wood, or plastic that are the debris or waste resulting from machining, woodworking, or similar subtractive (material-removing aka sanding) manufacturing processes.....


Yeah I know. I was being a smart ass. I do use my planer shavings for cat litter for the 2 that are living in my shop (long story, is happening by order of SWMBO). The definition also applies to the slurry created when sharpening.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

and metal polishing/grinding...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Cats in your shop?! Well I guess the good news is no rodents in there...live ones anyway.


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> Cats in your shop?! Well I guess the good news is no rodents in there...live ones anyway.


A good dog will do the same, ask Stick. My sister had a Dachshund that was a better mouser then my mother's cat. The upside...no litter box.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

schnewj said:


> A good dog will do the same, ask Stick. My sister had a Dachshund that was a better mouser then my mother's cat. The upside...no litter box.


friendlier critters too...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

One of the cat's is at least that friendly. I do as much as possible sitting down because of a bad knee and if she wants attention she'll start circling around the chair and if I keep ignoring her she'll start tapping me on my thigh as if to say I'm here and I'm waiting.


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

Not often enough. I have to admit, I forget to keep samples sometimes. Which really sucks because when you need it, you need it, and it has to be close to the color of the wood you are repairing.


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## tacomamacxtech (Mar 31, 2009)

Back in the early 70's, I was lucky to share a space we used for woodworking in what used to be the laundry and storage room. (An apartment complex turned condominium.) It was 20' x 40'. We had our own tools and we shared their use. One guy would chide me about using MDF. I gave him a laff when I took the chips and dust (swarf) from a walnut project and mixed it with glue and formed a 12" square of "walnut MDF" !


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