Reloading on carpet floors

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whughett said:
Which? Hand load in a caerpeted area or vacuum up spilled powder. Spilled powder is a certainty in what ever quantity.
Not off thread but a side trip: A couple of years ago my gun club, due to concerns of lead dust being raised on the indoor range floor while sweeping up brass replaced the brooms with squeegees. They also purchase at some considered able cost a special vacuum with special filters for the exhaust air. Guess what else is on the cement floor in front of the fire line. Yep, unburned powder. Probably more than an average hand loader is going to spill on their floor around their bench.
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Wet it down (aka, spray with carpet cleaner) then vacuum.
 
Rule3 said:
A bit off topic here:

I have seen many reloading rooms showing a ABC type fire extinguisher. Everyone that has one raise your hand!!

You do realize that the household type extinguisher will do absolutely nothing to put out a powder fire??!!

Maybe if your radio or electric powder measure shorts out, but once powder burns your are SOL. Plus the extinguisher is usually mounted right at the bench., A powder fire would consume you before you even thought about grabbing it.

https://shop.hodgdon.com/sites/www/files/2020-06/winchester-smokeless-ball-powders_072811.pdf

FIRE-FIGHTING MEASURES Suitable extinguishing media Large volumes of water should be applied as quickly as possible from automatic sprinklers or fire hose. Unsuitable extinguishing media Do not use water jet as an extinguisher, as this may spread fire
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Right, since most household extinguishers smother the fire by denying oxygen, they’re useless vs. powder fires since powder “makes” its own oxygen as it burns. (I know terminology isn’t correct but theory is).
 
I stopped being on a carpet, because I moved to another room, not because of fear! I have never had any powder ignite by the vacume, BUT, I did have one prime go off in the machine, no damage:what:
 
CQB45ACP said:
Right, since most household extinguishers smother the fire by denying oxygen, they’re useless vs. powder fires since powder “makes” its own oxygen as it burns. (I know terminology isn’t correct but theory is).
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I’m not convinced the “powder” burning would be the real concern. Just how much powder are we speaking of, even a full pound will just smoke and burn poorly, rather it’s the flammable material around it that would be the problem, and the fire extinguisher would certainly be worth whole there.
Smokeless and black need a substance that supplies the oxygen in black it’s the nitrates not sure what in smokeless.
 
whughett said:
I’m not convinced the “powder” burning would be the real concern. Just how much powder are we speaking of, even a full pound will just smoke and burn poorly, rather it’s the flammable material around it that would be the problem, and the fire extinguisher would certainly be worth whole there.
Smokeless and black need a substance that supplies the oxygen in black it’s the nitrates not sure what in smokeless.
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Really? Both are a concern. We’re also not defining how much powder—a small handful or a one pound bottle.

But to do my own experiment, I went to an open spot on my concrete driveway and poured out some powder and piled up some powder and scattered some powder and did all sorts of myth busters type things (not all at once).

I found out once it’s ignited there is nothing that’s going to stop it but water and everything around it is going to be on fire too. A small pile of it bursts into flame and quickly consumes most of the pile—it certainly does far more than smokes. But when it’s scattered about it’s just hard to ignite and the flame doesn’t jump from spot to spot.
Anyway, reading powder recall instructions saying to soak powder in water to neutralize it and my own experiments, that’s when and why I came up with my dust pan then carpet cleaner, then vacuum approach. Afterwards, I dump the shop vac contents on my lawn and let the nitrogen do it’s thing (yes, seriously).
 
Back on topic - I cut up a couple of old yoga mats and position them in front of and under the bench. Added bonuses - nice to stand on and the occasional primer that jumps off the bench is easy to find.
 
kidneyboy said:
Back on topic - I cut up a couple of old yoga mats and position them in front of and under the bench. Added bonuses - nice to stand on and the occasional primer that jumps off the bench is easy to find.
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Great idea...I’ve been looking for an easy, cost effective way to replace my old carpet.
And, occasionally, I’ll get down and do a sit-up or crunch.
 
CQB45ACP said:
Really? Both are a concern. We’re also not defining how much powder—a small handful or a one pound bottle.

But to do my own experiment, I went to an open spot on my concrete driveway and poured out some powder and piled up some powder and scattered some powder and did all sorts of myth busters type things (not all at once).

I found out once it’s ignited there is nothing that’s going to stop it but water and everything around it is going to be on fire too. A small pile of it bursts into flame and quickly consumes most of the pile—it certainly does far more than smokes. But when it’s scattered about it’s just hard to ignite and the flame doesn’t jump from spot to spot.).
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My point exactly. Plus you used an open flame. The thread is about a few grains of spilled powder on a carpet. One hopes the average hand loader isn’t going to dump a pound of powder on his carpet then try and vacuum it up.
 
whughett said:
My point exactly. Plus you used an open flame. The thread is about a few grains of spilled powder on a carpet. One hopes the average hand loader isn’t going to dump a pound of powder on his carpet then try and vacuum it up.
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Sounds like we’re in violent agreement. Oh, I also used a butane lighter without the butane for a spark only. I confess to chickening out since I didn’t have any gloves that I could wear and also flick the lighter. I now have one of those extended grill lighters and will try that some day but I no longer am interested in wasting my precious powder.

another cool experiment is to put powder in a simple mailing envelope and light a corner with a match...when the flames reaches the powder FLASH!
 
My reloading bench sits on a flagstone floor. Thought I do use a rubber mat to stand on, easy on the old feet and makes vacuuming up easy. Downside, why does every pieces of brass or dropped primer bounce off and go “under” the bench.
 
South Prairie Jim said:
reload in the kitchen:D
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So talking about powder in the kitchen....years ago I grew various types of hot peppers and decided to dry them and crush them for shaking onto/into foods. All went well until I put a large handful of completely dry peppers in the food processor, hit the pulse button and they “exploded” in a cloud of hot pepper dust that I breathed in and got in my eyes. It’s funny now, but I was in serious pain.
I only tell it here cause you don’t know my name.
 
whughett said:
My reloading bench sits on a flagstone floor. Thought I do use a rubber mat to stand on, easy on the old feet and makes vacuuming up easy. Downside, why does every pieces of brass or dropped primer bounce off and go “under” the bench.
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My bar stool with a memory foam pad is even easier on these old feet and pretty easy on my old butt. Brass and primers don't go off under under the bench on their own. The gremlins catch everything you drop and run under the bench with it. Brass, primers, screws, pins, springs, you name it, they grab it. I have a different name for them than gremlin when they get grabby.

As to vacuuming up spilled powder, I was pretty specific that I only did the few grains that I can't catch in my hand and that make it to the carpet. I have never spilled over a minute amount of powder on the carpet but if I did out would come the dust pan and a brush.
 
Cement floor in basement. Have a floor pad to keep my feet and knees from more abuse than needed. Pad can be easily lifted and shook out, then I get powder spills, bits of old primers, a couple unused primers and possibly rodent droppings up with a broom and dustpan.

If I have naught else on the schedule, I separate the bits with a process not dissimilar to gold panning (shake it right and the heavier stuff goes to the bottom and the lighter stuff to top) then deposit the layers in a waste can, brass to be recycled box or the 'waste powder' bottle. High hopes, I suppose.
 
Use a vacuum with the hose or wand, stuff a coffee filter into the tube, with the edges of the filter folded over the outside. Secure filter to the wand with a rubber band. Suck up powder, hold hose upright, then turn off vacuum and remove filter and reclaimed powder.*disclaimer* Re-use of reclaimed powder in ammo is discouraged. Dispose of properly and in accordance with all Federal,State, and Local regulations.

ETA. No clue if this really works for powder, but I used this method to pick up a bunch of teeny-tiny iphone screws.
 
I love reloading in my house on carpeted floors! I like to stand and reload! I prefer standing on nice comfy carpet and reloading in my no shoes, no shirt, heated and cooled room in my house.

I then vacuum up any powder that makes it's way to the floor without hesitation! I've spilled a full case of rifle powder by accidently knocking over/dropping a filled piece of brass. Ran the vacuum to pick it up! I guess I like living on the dangerous side of life!
 
Get one of those thick foam mats for standing on and put a thick terry cloth bath towel over it. The reason for the thick terry cloth is when you drop a primer it won’t go anywhere, and you can shake it off outside when you are done to get rid of any spilled powder. It works great, and is much more comfortable to stand on.
 
I spread an old bedsheet on the floor before I set up my B&D Workmate setup. And that's to catch spent primers when I decap in my Rochucker, but it would catch any spilled powder - take outside afterward and shake out. I dispense powder at my desk with old towels spread over the workspace, I prefer to have the electronic dispenser and scale apart from the loading press.
 
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