Always keep a bucket of water at welding area

Yesterday I was moving some things around with my skid steer, when the muffler tail pipe fell off. I thought I would just go around the the front of the shop and weld it back on. While welding in a tight spot, I thought I smelled smoke. Down in the belly of the machine, there was some leaves and old oily stuff under the engine. Before I knew what was happening, I had a pretty good fire going on. Luckily, I keep a gallon of water under  the welding table. That got it slowed down until I could get the water hose out. I think I may start keeping a bigger can of  water handy.  Dave.

I agree... tougher in the wintertime, on account that the bucket is frequently frozen.  I have dry-chem extinguishers all over, too.  Big problems that occur with welding and torchcutting, is that 1) hot pieces scatter everywhere and 2) they hold LOTS of heat... so it frequently takes more than a quick blast from an extinguisher or a light splash of water to cool down the hot particle enough to prevent re-ignition of the fire.  With the equipment we work around, it's not unusual to find sources of stray lubricants, hydraulic fluids, and other debris... that's Class II mixed with CLASS I.

Having a cramped shop complicates the situation, as it puts too many things too close to the work zone, and of course, when things become an issue, too little space to maneuver.  During winter, most of us optimize our interior space to stay out of the weather... so these things happen.

Dilligence in cleaning prior to, observation during, and double-checking afterward, is the best modus-operandi.  One of the things I REALLY REALLY REALLY don't like doing, is finishing up a welding/cutting session and then walking away... I feel incredibly uncomfortable unless I've stuck around the workshop for at least an hour afterwards, just in case some little piece of something hot bounced off into a corner somewhere and started smoldering.  I guess that's a good discomfort.

Glad it all turned out okay.

Up here we have this neat things that really work well. A red canister filled with chemicals. We call them fire extinguishers. Sorry I couldn't resist

PS glad you and your equipment are safe. Those can get outta control real quick

Edited by Redwood - 03 Apr 2013 at 7:02am

Neighbor was cutting a piece of steel with a stihl gas powered cut off saw a couple of weeks ago near a corn stalk stack and it started the stack on fire they put out the flames then put the stack in the soupy steer lot and let them make crap out of it.

I keep two gal of water sitting in the shop and have four big fire ex placed around the shop just for this. I Try to keep the shop clean too. Dave the Bobcat is a fire bug becouse they hold stuff down in there that like to burn.

a grinder will start a fire quick and a long distance from work and David been there done that on a skid loader scary isn't it

Okay, since we're on the subject of setting clothing on fire...

It happens frequently when we're wearing welding shields, on account that we have limited peripheral vision, the clothes are heavy and hot to START with, and of course, we're sending fire everywhere...

So my two funny stories:
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I'm TIG welding an aluminum gearcase (marine outdrive)... nothing unusual about that... but my left (rod) hand is getting warmer than usual... it's relatively cool in the shop (mebbie 40F or so), so it didn't bother me... aluminum rods conduct heat pretty fast...

Well, turns out that my welding gauntlet was on fire. I typically wear a lighter TIG glove in my right (torch) hand, and heaver glove in my my left, just for that reason. I keep the opposite gloves nearby, in the event that I hafta weld back-handed, but I rarely do so.

Turns out, that a buddy was over visiting a day or two before, and he grabbed my heavy (stick-hand) gloves to move a hydraulic reservoir. He wiped the oil off with a paper towel... of course, it wasn't enough to remove all the combustable residue, but he didn't realize that THOSE gloves had a specific purpose.

It took me a while to realize what that 'funny' smell was...

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So my daughter's was in school... first or second grade IIRC... Teacher asks every child what happened at home this weekend that was fun...

She answers...

"Daddy set his shoes on fire..."

As you can imagine in today's highly-ignorant jump-to-conclusions 'we know better than you' attitude, they figure that warranted a call to the parents. Fortunately, my wife teaches at the school, so they asked HER... and she said...

"Of course- that happens all the time when he's welding."

Oh.

Anytime you weld n grind on a gas powered machine, it's a good idea to have your wife,kids,or friend stand by as fire watch. They might be able to see things going bad before it gets too big. Darn gaseline is so fast. I'll be welding on one this wkend. I will try to be prepared.

Just testerday I was doing some braseing, heard a strange whoosing sound. Turned my head and my dang shoulder was on fire. Shucked the coat in a BIG hurry, did the barnyard stomp. Used it again today. Guess I'll get the cold shoulder now! Leon

glad it turned out OK Dave!!!

My tractors get pretty dusty out in the shop. I have to work where they are stored. I have covers to put on them, but because of the welding and grinding, I am afraid of getting the covers on fire.

A couple years ago I decided to mount a rear view mirror on my JCB skid steer loader. needed to weld a little bracket to the frame to mount the mirror to so first I watered down everything with the garden hose then covered the seat with a welding tarp.  Welded on the piece, took maybe 1 minute.  Everything seemed ok, took off the tarp and started bolting on the mirror, smelled plastic burning.  Looked down between the cab and seat platform and saw flames.  Poured more water on it and thought, "There, no problem."  Finished the mirror and started the machine up, the foot and hand throttle wouldn't work!  Got hot enough to melt the plastic housing and had to replace the whole throttle cable,$210.  Most expensive mirror I've ever had!