Dust safety Question

[Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.]

Hey guys,

I don't have a dust collection system built yet so I am currently relying on the good ole sweep the floor and vacuum up whatever doesn't get caught by the slag bucket method.

I am currently working out of a single room where I grind steel and shape handles/ work with wood and micarta etc... I'm very concerned about wood dust and metal dust that inevitably ends up all over the shop catching fire. Im working on getting a separate grinder for handle material and when I build my dust collection setup I will have one for metal dust only and another system for wood, micarta, kydex etc....

So here's my question. How big of a fire risk is small amounts of wood dust and metal dust in the shop? I never mix hot or wet dust, only dry cool dust after Im done working. Im also currently using the same shop vac to clean up both wood dust and metal dust, is this a fire hazard? If so what is the best technique for cleaning up dust until I can build a dust collection system?

Thanks in advance! A safe shop is a must.

 

[Leethal Cutlery]

I have a big catch container under the kmg and after grinding wood and working up a nice layer of saw dust in it, I can grind metal and make it smoke pretty bad. Never caught fire but the smoking alone is cause for concern. I would sweep up after handle material and before grinding metal as a precaution.

 

[ron_m80]

I think you didn't mean it this way. If you want to know if piles of wood dust are safe to collect, I say no.

All shop injuries usually happen right after we say, awe I can do this just this time.......

And then the lesson hits us again like a suprise uppercut. Keep the shop clean. I wouldn't expect wood dust to readily burn though. A good catalyst would love to meet wood dust however.

Boiled Linseed oil can cause rags to combust. That was a real scary one for me.