Just a little reminder...

[A.McPherson]

Hey guys, keep your shop clean.

I just about burned my shop (and house) down because I'm an idiot and don't clean up after myself like I should.

I was cutting a bunch of cable up with a angle grinder and really wasn't paying attention to where the sparks were going, and so of course they were all landing in the pile of extremely thin pine shavings from a previous project.

Luckily I noticed the flickering of the fire before it got too big. I was wearing a PAPR mask with organic solvent filters and with the ear-pro engaged. So if it hadn't been in my field of view I never would have smelled, or heard it.

Be safe out there folks, clean up and be aware of where you're sparks are flying!!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Thanks for the Words of Wisdom.
15years ago one of our members, Raymond Richard, burned his entire shop and barn down using an angle grinder to cut stuff up. He was wearing a PAPR hood and didn't notice until it got smokey. The entire other side of the building was in flames by then and all he could do is save some of his trucks and combine.


Many years ago, I was grinding with my PAPR hood on. They are open below the chin, but the airflow doesn't let and dust or much smell in. I was hogging some blade profiles and after a while noticed a burning kind of smell. I thought it was just the hot steel sparks and ignored it, but the smell got more intense, so I shut off the grinder and took off my hood. That is when I noticed that my jacket was on fire.

 

[JoeBusic]

Covering your walls (americans are addicted to wood based construction) with at least gypsum boards helps a lot to contain the fire in the shop. Concrete sheathing is way better and it comes in 1/2" thickness.

 

[JV Knives]

Thanks for the safety reminder!

I recently covered my wall behind the grinder with sheet metal to deflect sparks in a safe way. I too noticed sparks going to the great unknown toward fine grinding dust (you’ve all seen the sparkler show on your rest! ).

It’s much easier to sweep up than rebuild. I’ve developed a mantra that every time I see dust in between processss, out comes the shop vac.

Stay safe knife makers! The world is counting on us

 

[Case_D]

Forge welding too. Sparks flying while setting a weld ignited a rag I had lying around once

 

[navman]

I almost lit the bed of my mill on fire with titanium shavings...not cool!

 

[Joseph Bandeko]

One thing I like to do if I’ve been doing heavy grinding, is stop grinding about an hour before I go in for the day.

 

[weo]

One thing I like to do if I’ve been doing heavy grinding, is stop grinding..

That's a great idea, but I prefer my edited version....

 

[Pinoy Knife]

Thanks for the Words of Wisdom.
15years ago one of our members, Raymond Richard, burned his entire shop and barn down using an angle grinder to cut stuff up. He was wearing a PAPR hood and didn't notice until it got smokey. The entire other side of the building was in flames by then and all he could do is save some of his trucks and combine.


Many years ago, I was grinding with my PAPR hood on. They are open below the chin, but the airflow doesn't let and dust or much smell in. I was hogging some blade profiles and after a while noticed a burning kind of smell. I thought it was just the hot steel sparks and ignored it, but the smell got more intense, so I shut off the grinder and took off my hood. That is when I noticed that my jacket was on fire.

I remember it well .. i took my forge and anvil over to him.. i figured he needed it more than i did.. as he made knives full time
and me just sometime.. things can be replaced in time .. i wonder what ever happened to him ?? hopefully everything is good with him ..