powder spills on carpet

[brian]

can you just vacuum it up?

[bogey1]

i do. friction wont set it off.

[Iron Sights]

Make sure to change the bag right away.

[mauser]

Hold a match to it, it'll be gone in no time.


How much do you have to clean up?
if it's more than just a little bit you should scoop up as much as possible by hand, then you can vacuum up the rest, then change the bag or empty the chamber if it's a bagless model.

[brian]

it's not much, or enough to scoop up, well with in vac range.
just thought i heard a blurb about not using a vacuum.
going to get a cordless handheld dealie to keep handy at the "bench".

[mauser]

I'll bet what you heard is that you shouldn't vacuum up live primers, the static electricity could detonate them. Smokeless powder is OK.
I don't know about black powder though.

[brian]

I don't know about black powder though.

i don't spill holy black.

[bogey1]

i don't spill holy black.

black powder is very safe. smack it with a hammer, nothing. flash powder is a different story.

[Flash]

The thing about gunpowder and vacuum cleaners (and do NOT ask me how I know about this stuff) is that some particles will escape through some vacuum bags or filters and go through the motor where electricity routinely has a spark-shower happening between the brushes and the armature. This CAN BE enough spark to ignite the powder and the flash is carried by the moving air current and the discharge of the cleaner can look like the afterburner of an F-104 doing a maximum-performance takeoff. Shop vacuums are impressive, to be sure. Other household vacuums are built a little differently, and some are less safe than others.

Or so I am told, it can get even more exciting if the contents of the bag are ignited. They say that the dust in there is about the most flammable substance in your home, next to the lint in the clothes-dryer. And that is some highly flammable crud, and it purely stinks when it burns.

Or so I am told.

Further, deponent sayeth not.

Flash

[mauser]

Yes indeed, dust and lint are very dangerous things when it comes to heat and sparks.

Dust can be explosive, lint is very flammable.

Train your dog to lick up gunpowder as readily as he licks up table scraps and you'll have no problems.

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