15 years isn't rod it's aged
Rot! I foud rot. Not in the sawmill itself, but in the three "sawdust piles" around back of the building. 3 piles of sawdust just a head taller than the sawmill crew have been rotting from the inside. Sitting on damp (wet) soil for 15 years will do that. Just finishing up making myself a new computer desk from purple heart cedar. Cedar is normally very resistant to rot, so will see if the new pile can out live me.
Tom Trigg
Very interesting, who would have thought modeling sawdust with sawdust, LOL. Thanks so much for your help, Bill
Forgot this point. When the wind picks up the saw mill gets water splash from the waterfall.
Ok, we do not have humidity like you do, My saw mill is in a dual watering zone. Twice a day it is hit by a regular sprinkler spray head for 3 minutes. For a total of about 1/3 of a small McD's coffee cup. Then 5 times a day a mist from a misting head for 10 minutes each time. I have a LOT of moss in that area. I have a soil moisture probe that shows a reading of 8.5 (scale runs from 0 to 10). The original shed was made from thin sheet balsa. I hade to replace the siding every 3 years. 5 years go I used styrene sheets. The building rotted away 4 times but sawdust piles no rot that I've noticed. I'm guessing the glue soaked into the dust preserving it from the water.
Boy Tom you are on the ball today, great idea, got two friends with shops. Think you said that after 12 years it faded about 50% if I remember correctly but what I'm concerned with is rot , here in FL where it is more humid than the ocean, wood rots no matter what you treat it with, so I'm concerned with holding up to moisture. Usually I use liquid concrete bonding liquid for holding stuff down like around the post for the elevated switching tower, also use it to keep ballast in place. So I guess I'm wondering how wet it is there? Thanks Bill
Call the cabinet maker shops in your area. You might score some from them as they have to pay to get rid of it.
Tom, As always thanks for the ideas, being as I don't use wood and everything I do is in plastics, I might try coloring some of my plastic dust like I did the oranges and grapefruit for the off co train, thanks again, Bill
Mix was 1 part glue, 1 part water, 2 parts wood dust, 3 drops food color, I think.
I collected the sanding dust from my belt sander and Elmer's glue it to the floor. Looked passible OK but rater pale. Second attempt I mixed in some black food color in the glue. Looked better. The "Da Boss" said add more, but use red. Looked good. That was 12 years ago and has faded about 50% since then.
Nearing the completion of my new sawmill I noticed how clean it was and I can't have that. So I'm looking for something that I can dust around to represent sawdust that is water proof that I can glue on to the floor and things. Open to suggestions
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