Setting up my new Shop(on wheels)....

[Brian Ayres]

So,

My boss gave me a shop. It's one of our construction job shacks. It's 8'x16' with 8' ceilings inside. Windows(barred) on three sides with 2 sturdy bright flourescent lights.
I changed the sloped blueprint table to a flat 3'x8' work bench and added drawers from a hospital remodel job. I'll be fixing it up over the next two weeks or so...

I have a GIB with VFD that I should be FINALLY finished with the next week or so, and a 9" disc grinder coming from Wayne Coe Monday and a table top Ryobi drill press.The grinder is set on the bench, but will be moved to the other end of the trailer and mounted on it's own stand with the 9" disc grinder.

My forge and anvil will be set up outside the trailer under a lean to.

The trailer was built in 1978 and has been around awhile but is in good shape.It even has a cutout in the wall for a wall A/C unit that I'll add later. Oh yeah, it also has electric baseboard heat.... It has a 30 amp sub panel for the lighting and 6 outlets. My plan is to increase the size of the panel, and rewire the trailer/shop with EMT tubing on the walls and removed the existing wiring completely. I have a 50 amp RV outlet at my dads that it will be plugged into for now until I get my new house(just sold mine)...

Eventually I'll likely set it on blocks or something. It's essentially a 2"x4" structure including 2"x4" floor joists set on a 3"channel steel frame.

So........
My concern. The floor is linoleum with a plywood base. The walls are wood paneling. What can I do in the grinder corner for fire proofing. As the trailer will be moved a couple times in the next few months, I can't lay tile. Should I be concerned? I know Raymond Richard's fire was said to have started from grinder sparks. But, it seems like half the guys grinders I see are set up on wooden benches
My company has a sheet metal worker. I could have him make me a 6' or so square sheet metal base for my grinder stand to catch the sparks that my grinder/dip bucket doesn't catch. And a spark shield up the wall. Would that be adequate? Maybe combine it with a dust collection system? Maybe just do one of the water bucket/shop vac dust collectors that drop the sparks into a bucket of water? I do have a VFD, so I can minimize the amount of sparks with appropriate speeds....
I can pull up the linoleum, remove the wood panel walls if needed...

Thoughts on how I can keep from burning it down???
PS, my brother in law is also a plumber, and he actually burned a house down. I'd like to be able to keep that over him....
I deal with fire hazards on an almost daily basis and don't want to add to my stress.

 

[12345678910]

I started a grinder fire too - actually an angle grinder spark + oily rag
Lucky I was still there, smelled it and got it out.


While you are at it, I would consider doing the whole trailer at once.
What happens if you want to move something?
or if you drop a red hot blade & it bounces off your protection?
Sparks fly quite a distance.


I like the cyclone spark traps.

Have a place for rags - airtight can that they go into -
Limit your solvents = acetone and alcohol and paint and such...


Thin sheet steel covering for the wooden benchtop.
See if you can get any steel firedoors - they make good solid benchtops.

Have a way to prevent your forge from tipping over.
Have a way to prevent your quench oil from tipping over.


Cover the walls with a layer of drywall and then overlay with steel siding. The siding could be used.


Remove the linoleum
Cover the floor with flat sheet steel
It could be very thin.

Some narrow 90 flashings instead of baseboards ?

What could you put beneath it?
There is a product for levelling a concrete floor before ceramic tiling - a very thin mortar type thing
put that under = even if it cracks when you move, just patch or repour
????