Shop safety tip
03-05-2009 | 11:27 PM
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From: Salinas,
CA
Shop safety tip
When you grind a bunch of aluminum (chainsaw case) on you disk sander, clear out the aluminum powder periodically. Once you have a big pile, then you grind some steel, you get a big fire! The sparks light off the aluminum powder. This happened to me a couple of days ago. Made burn marks on my bench and floor. It was a very significant white hot fire. Trying to scoot the burning pile off the bench with a handy stick made a big woosh. There was not serious threat of buring the house down but, it gave me quite a fright.
Intelectually I know all about aluminum powder and fireworks. I just did not engage my brain on this issue.
Keep it clean,
Intelectually I know all about aluminum powder and fireworks. I just did not engage my brain on this issue.
Keep it clean,
03-05-2009 | 11:33 PM
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From: Burtchville,
MI
RE: Shop safety tip
ORIGINAL: Scota4570
When you grind a bunch of aluminum (chainsaw case) on you disk sander, clear out the aluminum powder periodically. Once you have a big pile, then you grind some steel, you get a big fire! The sparks light off the aluminum powder. This happened to me a couple of days ago. Made burn marks on my bench and floor. It was a very significant white hot fire. Trying to scoot the burning pile off the bench with a handy stick made a big woosh. There was not serious threat of buring the house down but, it gave me quite a fright.
Intelectually I know all about aluminum powder and fireworks. I just did not engage my brain on this issue.
Keep it clean,
When you grind a bunch of aluminum (chainsaw case) on you disk sander, clear out the aluminum powder periodically. Once you have a big pile, then you grind some steel, you get a big fire! The sparks light off the aluminum powder. This happened to me a couple of days ago. Made burn marks on my bench and floor. It was a very significant white hot fire. Trying to scoot the burning pile off the bench with a handy stick made a big woosh. There was not serious threat of buring the house down but, it gave me quite a fright.
Intelectually I know all about aluminum powder and fireworks. I just did not engage my brain on this issue.
Keep it clean,
Be REALLY careful if your grinding magnesium and steel. Although I doubt you are going to find magnesium on a chain saw. Good advice though, I never would have thought anything of it.
Bill
03-07-2009 | 09:26 AM
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From: Burtchville,
MI
RE: Shop safety tip
ORIGINAL: jtisch
The Stihl 4-strokes are magnesium as well. Thanks for the tip and let's be careful out there!
J
The Stihl 4-strokes are magnesium as well. Thanks for the tip and let's be careful out there!
J
My father, a WWII Vet, told me how amazed he was when an aircraft crashed, cought fire on landing and burned. He said the sparks flying off the magnesium wheels was like the Fourth of July.
Bill
