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Best Tabletop Finish

10 Ways to Avoid Shop Fires
comments (31) February 2nd, 2010 in blogs
Shop fires seem to be everywhere: We got sad news last week that furniture maker Jon Brooks of New Hampshire lost his eclectic woodshop to fire. Last January we heard a similar refrain when furniture maker Mark Levin lost his woodshop and nine finished pieces in a shop fire. Ellis Walentine, host of Woodcentral.com, experienced a similar loss in 1999. And the list goes on... a quick Google search reveals more recent shop fires: in West Paris, Maine, Pocono township, Penn., Manilla, Ont., and so on.
Needless to say, woodworkers should pay CLOSE attention to fire dangers in the workshop.
To help with this we rounded up a list of ten safety tips--excerpted from former fire inspector Bruce Ryden's article Fire Safety in the Shop, from issue #174.
- Sweep up sawdust: It may seem like a real chore to sweep up a pile of wood chips or shavings after a long day working in the shop, but by cleaning up, you can remove the most manageable portion of the three elements needed to start a fire.
- Don’t smoke in the shop
- Don’t use torches or welding equipment
- Fix or replace power cords that are frayed, cracked, or otherwise not in great condition
- Secure all electrical connections tightly
- Dispose of oily rags properly to avoid spontaneous combustion (For more, read How to Safely (and not so safely) Dispose of Oil-Soaked Rags.)
- Be cautious of other potential sources of ignition like such as water heaters, furnaces, portable heaters, and electric fans
- Buy a heat detector
- Install a sprinkler system
- Keep at least one well-maintained, easily accessible, portable fire extinguisher in the shop. Keep it near an exit.
Do you have any fire prevention tips? Or shop fire tales that you want to tell? Post a comment below.
posted in: blogs, fire safety
Become a Better Woodworker
ABOUT YOUR SAFETY
Woodworking is a solitary hobby and it requires tools and techniques that are inherently dangerous. These two factors make workshop safety a top concern for any woodworker. When working in the shop it is important to protect your eyes, ears, and lungs, and take great care when using hand and power tools. These safety manuals prepared by the editors of Fine Woodworking provide the foundation of safety knowlege every woodworker should know.





















Comments (31)
Not a bad idea...
many is the time I have stayed longer to empty out the ts and dust collector when I thought that there was a chance of a spark or even shavings from an overheated ripping blade.
Got too much to lose.
Eric in Calgary
Posted: 12:56 am on March 8th
When I leave my shop to do anything, I switch off the electricity.
Safety to you all and happy shavings.
Posted: 12:29 am on March 7th
Don't rely on a single ground rod to clear a fault. The grounding conductor, the bare, green must be run all the way back to the main panel,also it should be isolated in the sub-panel, from the neutral. if the one in the shop is a sub panel. Either way that ground must be tied to the Grounded Conductor (white/Neutral) at the point of Service attachment, usually at the Main Service Panel (some states allow the meter socket to be the grounding point). This is what clears the fault for any breaker in the system.
GFCI's don't even need to be grounded to work effectively. They have a comparator inside that samples the current leaving the Hot and compares the return current on the Neutral if the imbalance if greater than 4-6 miliamps the circuit will open protecting the machine but more importantly personnel and property.
The GFCI came out in 1970, only recently, last 5 years or so, has it been discovered that Lightning can wipe out the electronics in a GFCI. You can push the reset button and the power comes back on but the circuit has no protection, the electronics are toast. The good news the NEW ONES , once it takes a lightning hit, they can not be reset and must be replaced.
Also remember even if you have Air-Terminals, Lightning Portection, that is not a failsafe against Lightning strikes, it does strike trees and other wooden objects.
The trouble with electricity is, it almost always works, But when you have a fault you want it off ...NOW.
They also make GFCI's for 240 volts, great for machines and safe, one less thing to worry about.
Posted: 10:04 am on February 27th
I couldn't tell where it came from and for some reason, I turned the saw on again. When I did this, smoke and started shooting out of the plug. Turning the saw off had no effect. Before I thought to unplug the cord the sparks stopped and the receptacle lay there smoldering. The blades on my table saw plug were gone, they had just vaporized. The receptacle was a molten mess. This is what I learned:
1. Concrete floors are good. (keep combustible materials contained)
2. Stay away from multiple outlet extension cords. If they become defective, they can short across the jacks.
3. Make sure plugs fit tight and the connection is solid.
4. Make sure your circuit breakers are recent and still work.
Fortunately my table saw worked after replacing the plug. I hope passing on my story will help others. Keep on woodworking!
Posted: 11:28 pm on February 23rd
Testing has shown without bonding to the service panel, that Earth ground has between 25-50 ohms resistance. And that depends on your soil and really how much rain you have had. The Earth is a terrible conductor. Primarily the Earth is used for Lightning strikes and can not function to clear a fault, a short, a partial short or even a ground fault. The purpose of a circuit breaker is to clear the fault quickly with in a 1/10 of a second to prevent fires. GFCI's and the New Arc Fault breakers are not a bad idea for a shop with a lot of wood dust The Arc fault breakers AFCI's are expensive but they can detect a parallel faults and a series fault, In other words, a line to neutral of a broken hot that is intermittently arcing or an open neutral that is carrying current that is arcing.
Ground rods by themselves, can cause a myriad of problems by them selves, and a potentia above ground i.e., shock hazards, they can cause stray voltages to be floating around on metal parts. This is why it is so important to home run a wire from the ground rod to the main Service panel. All grounds in lighting fixtures, receptacles and any other device available shall be home run to the service panel.
It was once said, we spend an awful lot of time terminating wires( the groundwire) in hopes it will never have to be used.
Since I have been into woodworking, I have found that machines wired with 120 volts, both the Hot and Neutral are both switched, I even called the manufacture on it and they blew me off, but if the neutral opens on a machine like that and you energize that machine, it could become hot to the touch. Obviously manufactures don't follow the NEC (National Electrical Code.) A lot of these machines are made in China and they follow one plan, color coding is wrong too, so one must be careful when checking connections.
Another thing is, if you have water lines and gas lines running to the shop they too should be ground/bonded to the service panel.
One last thing Electricity doesn't take the shortest path to ground it takes all paths back to the source, the transformer...not to ground.
I apologize for the length of this but there are many things related and preventing fires, and personnel safety and especially with little kids in the shop at times, safety is of prime concern.
Posted: 9:56 pm on February 17th
the end of a piece of angle iron. Didn't notice that the sparks were going pretty far. A few minutes later(after I had turned the bench grinder off) I noticed a smoky odor.
Looked around and the cloth wheel on the polisher was smoking.
Apparently the sparks from the grinder started the cloth wheel
burning. Glad I didn't leave the shop right after the grinding. Also...any fuel cans(kerosene/gas)...I keep isolated
from any other machinery.
Jim
Posted: 2:47 am on February 11th
Posted: 4:05 pm on February 10th
Posted: 3:13 pm on February 7th
Posted: 11:49 am on February 7th
Posted: 8:05 am on February 5th
Posted: 7:39 pm on February 4th
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/in+your+garage/garage+accessories/ceiling+mounted+unmanned+fire+extinguisher.do?search=basic&keyword=extinguisher&sortby=newArrivals&page=1
They aren't inexepensive, but if installed correctly could provide a significant reduction in the amount of damage experienced during a fire. Plus, unlike a water based system, can be used in unheated spaces.
Posted: 3:40 pm on February 4th
Jim LeMay
Posted: 2:51 pm on February 4th
1)The system is well grounded right to an earth ground!
2) I always empty the bags when they are both half full!
3) I never ever sand,cut,grind or do any operation withmetal involved when my vac system is running in my shop! Nor do I us it to vac the floor if there is any metal shavins on the floor!
4) I installed 2 fire/smoke dtectors and 2 carbon monoxide detectors! One set is battey and local to the garage. The other set is hot wired electrically to the ones in all of our bedrooms and basement. If one goes off they all go off!
Safety and protection!
Ray Russell Sr.
Posted: 4:44 pm on February 3rd
Concerning the disposal of oily rags, any rags containing any substance that could spontaneously combust needs to be stored properly between use and properly disposal of. While using appropriate containers will reduce the hazards the safest practice is to remove the rags from within the structure and store outside away from combustible material.
The use of a heat detector is also a great idea but unless the unit is installed so as to sound the alarm in the remainder of the home, especially sleeping areas, it may not be heard when a fire is detected. For those shops detached from the home a fire bell installed outside the structure might alert those nearby of any alarm.
Last but in no way least appropriate fire extinguishers can be valuable in extinguishing a SMALL fire. The Extinguisher shown in the article appears to be the typical ABC rated dry chemical extinguisher. Unfortunately this may not be the best choice for a fire in a wood working shop. Generally a fire extinguisher rated class ABC has a higher rating for class B, flammable liquids, but a much lower rating for class A, wood paper and trash. Anyone anticipating using any portable extinguisher to control a fire should have a clear understanding of the limits and proper use of these devices. A pressurized water or foam extinguisher may be a better choice when attempting to control a SMALL workshop fire. Never get into a position where the fire is between you and a safe exit and be very conservative in judging the size of a fire you will try to control.
Posted: 2:09 pm on February 3rd
Put the photos, receipts, etc in a safety deposit box. Or some insurance companies will keep the photos and scanned receipts for you.
And always check your insurance renewal statement to ensure your workshop is still covered. Some firms may require a special 'rider' for very expensive workshops.
Posted: 10:50 am on February 3rd
Posted: 10:50 am on February 3rd
Yes, there is no attempt here to make any judgment on the Brooks fire.
Thanks for the feedback on insurance. It's something that we haven't done any reporting/research on here at FW.
Posted: 9:57 am on February 3rd
Posted: 9:41 am on February 3rd
Shawn Nystrom, Suffolk, Va.
Posted: 9:33 am on February 3rd
Eric Mueller
Posted: 9:22 am on February 3rd
Posted: 9:10 am on February 3rd
Posted: 9:01 am on February 3rd
While you are taking the photos you could look for hazards.
If you are worried about electrical fires have a master switch near the door which you can throw as you leave.
Remember - the main function of fire extinguishers is to help escape. Rarely are they adequate to put out a fire. If you think the first extinguisher will not put out the fire - GET OUT.
Posted: 8:57 am on February 3rd
I was building a spec house and my painters were staining the cabinets with DuraSeal. They left their wiping rags next to a wall in the dining room on a Friday.
Fortunately, I was showing another spec I was building next door and decided to check on the first. When I open the door, the house was filled with smoke but there was no flames. I finally found the source in the dining room where the rags had been tossed. Because the house was air tight without any flow the fire burnt down through floor. It was hot enough to melt an aluminum ladder.
The painters finished the cabinets the following week and using the same stain. They tossed their rags out against a rail fence; the fence burnt down that night.
I now keep an ash can in my shop and any rag, towel or piece of paper with any combustible material goes in the can.
Posted: 7:01 am on February 3rd
I would add that you should make certain that the insurance policy you are signing up for really covers what you are asking to have covered. There are a lot of slippery sales people that only care about making a sale and taking your money.
Chris Mills
Posted: 5:42 am on February 3rd
This article, inspired by the fire that changed Jon Brooks life,comes to me half way 'round the world from Fine Woodworking to New Zealand where I now live. But my friend who also lives in NZ, sends me the news about Jon's fire( Jon is his stepdad). Small world . . .
When hearing of the fire, I was immediately reminded of near tragedies in my own experience in my various shops. The first one that comes to mind, was in my shop in Glens Falls, NY. It get very cold and dry there, and before we all heard about static electrical charges building up in the dust collection pipes, I came back into the shop one evening to check on the finish that was drying on a project. I smelled that telltale wood burning, only to find it coming from my dust collector bag . . . Not long after that, I ran a ground wire along the pipe to ground it.
Another close one was when I came in the shop an hour or so after using my belt sander to put an edge on a piece of steel only to find the dust collector bag of the belt sander actually on fire on my favorite work bench. The belt sander is long gone, but I still have the mark on the bench to remind me . . .
Solvents in the air finding their way to an ignition source, oily rags, heaters, bearings getting hot and melting . . . so many ways to sneak up on you. I walked the shop many a night double checking everything. I have had no shop whatsoever for the last three years after moving here, and I still go over my safety checks in my head out of habit!
My deepest sympathies for all who have lost their tools and work. Hope this forum of ideas helps to prevent others from loss.
Chris Harrington,
Auckland, NZ
Posted: 5:24 am on February 3rd
Example: last summer I went back to my workshop to check on something. The shop has a very low ceiling so my air filter is mounted on a roll-around cabinet rather than the ceiling. I was standing about 10 feet from the air filter (which was turned off) when I heard faint sizzling/crackling sounds coming from it. I quickly stepped over to the filter and unplugged it. The whole event took less than 10 seconds. I could smell the faint odor of burning electronics. If I hadn't had the good fortune to be standing there then, maybe my shop (and house) would have been one of the examples mentioned in this article.
The filter was made by a major company, and their customer service people responded by promptly replacing the unit, even though its warranty had just expired.
Posted: 5:44 pm on February 2nd
I clean the shop every day and put the sawdust in my compost pile. Not only is it safer without the accumulation, but I seem to think better when the shop is clean ( and I need all the help I can get).
I agree with the previous poster, there is no way I could recall all the tools in my shop, not to mention the jigs which I spent countless hours making. It is so much better to avoid the disaster
Posted: 2:46 pm on February 2nd
Second, If the shop is attached to the house or another building, a small storage shed away from any structures is a good place to keep any combustibles. It's a small price to pay to have to go outside to get finishes or stains.
Third, having seen what a spark can do to a grain elevator, I highly recommend no open flames of any kind while there is any chance of sawdust in the air.
Posted: 2:28 pm on February 2nd
I think of my own shop and how many years it has taken me to acquire all the tools that enable me to do the work I do. I probably could not sit down and list every piece. If there was a fire in my shop, I might not be able to even remember all the pieces of equipment I have in order to make a claim.
If anything can be taken out of this fire, I am sure Jon Brooks would suggest that each one of us review our fire saftey equipment and procedures. May I also suggest to ask your insurance company for help on this. They don't wish to experience a fire any more than you do. But, because they do handle these claims from time to time, and see patterns in causes of fires, I am sure that they would be very willing to provide fire saftey suggestions that would keep you in business. The exercise of asking and implementing their recommendations may not only save your shop from a fire but will also put you in good stead with your insurer. This may result in their willingness to look for cost-saving credits to apply to your policy to reduce your rates.
If we were all to take a little time to review shop saftey and fire saftey and implement some improvements, that exercise, over time, would result in fewer insurance claims which, in turn, would result in lower rates.
Fred Webster
Posted: 1:21 pm on February 2nd
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