It’s what SAAMI recommends. They also recommend the wood be 1” thick.
Wooden primer storage box sources?
- Thread starter orionengnr
- Start date
Here’s the pertinent document.
I read something interesting about the storage box at that Saami link.
It says: "These cabinets should be ruggedly constructed of lumber at least 1” nominal thickness."
So "ruggedly constructed" is not the same as dove-tailed or finger-jointed corners.
And "at least 1" nominal thickness" is not the same as must be 1" thickness and it could be thicker.
With that in mind, I would build a box out of framing lumber, with half or full laps on all 4 corners and top/bottom.
jmt,
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Otto
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^^^ SAAMI doesn’t write or publish Fire Codes.
Ironically, they reference the NFPA 495 standard at the bottom of the page you posted. Apparently, they never bothered to read it themselves.
The 1” box only applies to storing smokeless powder in excess of 20lbs not to exceed 50lbs. Same limits apply to BP. Primers are exempted.
Ironically, they reference the NFPA 495 standard at the bottom of the page you posted. Apparently, they never bothered to read it themselves.
Regarding primers, it’s not important at all.
The 1” box only applies to storing smokeless powder in excess of 20lbs not to exceed 50lbs. Same limits apply to BP. Primers are exempted.
Nope. A wooden box could not safely contain the chain detonation of 10,000 primers. 10K is the maximum amount of primers allowed in a residence per NFPA 495.
Nope. Storing primers in a wooden box is never mentioned in the 2023 edition of the NFPA codes. Saami recommends it but they don’t publish fire codes. Nearly all State and local jurisdictions adopt the NFPA 495 standards and code.
BreechFace
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I know what SAAMI suggests, but fail to see the point. No commercial sales building of primers or powder are doing such. They have 8# kegs of powder lined up key to keg on shelves, and if anyone is going to require something more it would be insurance companies, and they don’t seem to bat an eye until one is talking black powder. And seeing how hard it is to start smokeless powder on fire, there is very little point to house powders in wooden boxes separated by 1” dividers.
Good on you to post their specifications, I’m aware of them but don’t find them particularly useful unless I was storing tons of powder in a confined area.
Good on you to post their specifications, I’m aware of them but don’t find them particularly useful unless I was storing tons of powder in a confined area.
jdsingleshot
Member
Thanks Otto. My primers are stored in a wooden tool box that also contains my bullets and dies. They are in there to keep things organized, not for some safety reason.
JohnMc
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Nominal means in name only. Like a 2x4 is nominally 2" x 4", though they're not actually, except of course for rough cut. It doesn't necessarily mean thicker or thinner, it just means what it's named.
So if one goes to the home hardware hut and gets 1 by whatever for their box, it's nominally 1".
GeoDudeFlorida
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I’m going to guess the OP is not going to acquire woodworking skills by miraculous inception so all the advice to rip this and rabbet joint that probably aren’t too useful.
This is my thoughts as well. Even during these days where powder is in short supply, a local company probably has 300 pounds (give or take) of powder in the open, on a shelf, in its plastic containers. Not to mentions a 100,000 (give or take) primers out in the open on a shelf. And this is just what they have on the shelf. In storage in the back, all the powder and primers just stays in the cardboard boxes it was placed in by the manufacturer when its delivered. Back there in the good old days? They had 100s of thousands of primers and 1000s of pound of powder, all in plastic jugs and cardboard boxes, all in one building, with nary a wooden box to be seen. Not to mention 100s of thousand of rounds of shotgun, rifle, and pistol ammo...
If anyone would have to follow National Fire Code to at a minimum be able to maintain insurance on their business, one would think it would be a reloading component supplier, but I cant think of any supplier Ive seen that follows these regulations.
I still dont see why wood would make something "fire proof"? I think this is one of those things that has been just accepted as how things should be done for so long now, that in the real world it simply doesnt make any sense anymore.
Finger joints are much stronger than a lap joint. In fact, a lap joint is one of the weakest types of joinery for a box because you have end grain glued to long grain which is inherently weak. With a finger joint, you have long grain glued to long grain throughout the joint. Using a full 2X would be stronger than using 1", but as noted even that isn't going to contain a detonation.
15 Types of Wood Joints and How to Choose the Right One
Get to know these common wood joints so you can better understand which one is best for your woodworking project.
OK, not sure why I'm responding here, so....Finger joints are much stronger than a lap joint. In fact, a lap joint is one of the weakest types of joinery for a box because you have end grain glued to long grain which is inherently weak. With a finger joint, you have long grain glued to long grain throughout the joint. Using a full 2X would be stronger than using 1", but as noted even that isn't going to contain a detonation.
15 Types of Wood Joints and How to Choose the Right One
Get to know these common wood joints so you can better understand which one is best for your woodworking project.www.thespruce.com
Most of that "stronger" jointery requires a shop full of wood-working equipment, which the OP does not have.
If I was concerned about the corner strength (I'm not) and building a wooden box for primers (I'm not), I would use simple metal brackets screwed to the outside/across all joints.
No power tools required, just a screw driver.
just me though,
.
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GeoDudeFlorida
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Mostly the last part.
Here's a Saami vid for fire-fighters about storing ammo/components:
www.youtube.com
fyi,
.
What Happens When Ammo Burns? Sporting Ammunition and the Fire Fighter | SAAMI.org
What happens when ammo cartridges burn? This video was created to educate and inform fire departments nationwide and to help firefighters better address the ...
www.youtube.com
.
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HEAVY METAL 1
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"I still don't see why wood would make something "fire proof"? " I think it helps with fire resistance rather than fire proof. It would slow down the transfer of heat hopefully holding it off long enough that the fire dept to arrive and extinguish the fire before the heat would rise to a point where the powder would ignite.
Blue68f100
Member
Wood does not make it fire proof. It's used as a insulator to slow the heat transfer down. Like you said delaying the time to reach critical temp. Primers are the only explosive device we use for hand loading. Powder is just a flammable material and burns really slow if not contained. The exception is black powder since it's easy to ignite. If you want to increase the time you can line it with a fire retardant material like dry wall.
If you have watched a house structure burn the framing is normally whats left. On a steel structure, the steel has to be heavier to resist yielding when it heats up. Once the temp gets to that point the structure collapses.
If you have watched a house structure burn the framing is normally whats left. On a steel structure, the steel has to be heavier to resist yielding when it heats up. Once the temp gets to that point the structure collapses.
lightman
Member
Thats a nice looking box!
Thanks!
A wooden box also won't contain an explosion making the box act like a pipe bomb.
Blue68f100
Member
The box is suppose to be designed with doors that will blow open. The doors can not have latches or other devices that will secure the doors closed. The idea is to slow the progression down so fire fighters can put out the fire before it gets to the combustion phase.
