Safety discussions

I was cutting off an axle shaft to make a hot cut hardy today, and I squirted a bit of RapidTap on the bandsaw blade. Popped the part into the induction forge, and it started smoking. Doh! The doors were open with a cross breeze, and I didn't get much in my face before moving out of the way and letting it cool off. I don't feel any negative effects, but I'd rather not do that again. Anyone know if RapidTap is (relatively) safe to burn off? And more specifically, what is it in brake cleaner that makes phosgene gas? I wasn't using brake cleaner, but I know that's gnarly stuff and you don't want to weld it. I want to know what to look for as an ingredient in the future.

I think I can safely assume this topic has never been covered here, but I thought I'd share anyway: Don't ya' just HATE IT when you're working away at a grinding job.....and accidentally set your bra on fire? LOL! WISH I was kidding, and thankfully it was only on fire for a second, snuffed it out with a gloved hand, but who knew that "burning your bra" was still a thing? Apparently a spark briefly landed on my chest, leaving a hole in my shirt and trying hard to make it's way past that! YIKES! Yes, I have a leather apron, but it's like 40000 degrees here, so I wasn't wearing it. No worries, Glen, this is NOT an invitation for raunchy talk - just foun…

Hi everyone, I purchased a forge at a yard sale to replace my original one, which was destroyed in an accident. This new forge is in far better condition than my old one was, but I noticed something about its construction. The floor of the fire pot has an insulating layer on top of it which is covered by a metal plate. This plate is both bent upwards exposing the insulation, and smaller than the insulation. Given the age of the forge and the appearance of the insulation, I am very worried about it being asbestos. Everyone I've asked agrees that it is most likely asbestos, but not on what I should do about it. My mother says to remove the asbestos and replace it …

Hello All,, This is my first post. My name is Terry Haumer and I own Caldera Forge in Livingston, Mt. I am currently considering setting up a learning facility with six forge stations. I've scanned the posts about scrubbers and the general consensus is that it's an epa nightmare. Unfortunately the only regulations I've found have pertained to large scale coal power plants. I haven't found any regulations regarding a small scrubber on a coal forge. If someone can direct me to link describing the legal guidelines you're sighting it would be appreciated. Thanks

I usually wear a kaffiyeh (shemagh) wrapped around my head and neck while blacksmithing to absorb sweat and keep soot out of my hair. On Sunday, a spark from the forge must have blown into a corner of the wrap and been fanned by the breeze from a large stand fan, because I found myself thinking “What’s that smell? And why is my neck stinging?” It's a good thing that the kaffiyeh is cotton, though: it smoldered (lost a chunk the size of my palm) but never caught fire. An artificial fabric would probably have blazed up or melted onto my neck. There's a reason for the natural-fibers-only rule in the forge.

Good Morning All, I have been watching some videos on what must be the Darwin Comedy network A.K.A YouTube and I see people modifying air punches and chisels I wonder how much hexavalent chromium they are being exposed to. I know that there are small hand rivet tool sets that may be for hot rivets but a good number of the run of the mill air tooling seems to be chrome molybdenum steel. I was watching a video where the guy from Christ Centered Ironworks was turning a chisel in to a ball end tool once he got it up to forging heat. I have read on IFI that heating up a vanadium chrome wrench to forging temp is at best a VERY bad idea so I figured that was also true for …

I know there are already a few posts about the dangers and solutions to a badly ventilated forge, I was wondering however if anyone has info about or access to any scientific study carried out in a forge or similar. I ask because I work in a 17th century forge owned by a charitable group that keeps it open to the public - the main draw is the water powered trip hammer, im just a sideshow. The problem is that it all collapsed a century ago and was then re built, they however ran out of money so the roof is just solid asbestos sheeting, There are 2 open forges both burning coke ( there are plans to switch to cola soon), one has a very badly designed hood that is…

I was up on a ladder yesterday, stick welding the cross bars of a large rose trellis when I noticed flames and smoke coming up under my helmet. Looking down I realized that falling sparks and slag had set fire to a Sharpie marker in the chest pocket of my coveralls . Before I got it out the burning pen burnt all the way through the inside and outside of the pocket and singed my shirt, but luckily not my skin. I was really impressed with how incredibly hot and flammable something as common as a felt pen could burn. I was lucky I was't burned badly , since I was working on a small island where the nearest medical attention was one very expensive medevac flig…

A cautionary tale. was cutting some blanks for a project from 1x3/8 flat stock. had my gas forge warming up while using my angle grinder with a cut off wheel. When I finished cutting I looked at my forge and saw the dragon breath had thousands of sparkys in it. Quite pretty. At first I wondered if something had broken down in the forge, but then realized that my cutting had put invisible particles in the air. even with a breeze going through the shop, it must have suspended and mixed it throughout the shop. took it about 3 or 4 minutes to go away. So I thought this is a good lesson on leaving your respirator on for a while after using the angle grinder. I als…

Where and how do you store propane, ox/ac, and other gasses safely? The containers sometimes leak, and propane being heavier than air, hugs the ground looking for an ignition source. The flame then travels back to the tank and gas build up in a building and it can be a bad day. So, where and how do you store propane, ox/ac, and other gasses safely?

Hi....my name is Steve and I just joined. I just built my first forge and started out using charcoal but I am concerned about carbon monoxide gas. I really do not want to drag my forge outside every time I want to use it. Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.....

Hi everyone, My son, who is 13, has put together a forge of sorts using a grill and charcoal embers. Using a blower and a graphite crucible he has melted aluminum. When I realized what he was doing I made him stop because he has no safety equipment. I don’t want to keep him from doing it as it Is something he’s really interested in but I’m terrified he could hurt himself. He’s smart and careful but I know accidents happen. Does anyone have any advice as to how to keep him safe? Classes, information, advice? Thanks!

During the last couple of months I seen some different threats about induction past my way. In none of the post I have seen any warning about the danger of this technology. While working with induction especially the DIY devices, you produce in the worst case a lot of EMF (electromagnetic field) radiation. This radiation is dangerous to your health if you are too close to the source or carry a pacemaker. So don’t wonder if grandpa is acting silly next to the forge, or you not able to reproduce yourself any more. In some countries they have research results that even an induction stove of some brands is not safe any more. Please consider this risks befo…

I've gotten several messages all asking what the best possible clothes should be worn while forging...well at first approximation, it seems rather simple...but after some thought, It's not quite that easy after all. So here's the original response and reasonings. So let's get the recommendations done first and then I'll tell you the reasonings behind these directives. First and foremost, the safest are 100% cotton clothes and second, leather. There that was simple and painless. So what do I have against synthetic fibers? Its quite simple. It is a given that slag, sparks, scale, and molten metals are going to be shot all over the immediate area, you will have punctate part…

When dumpster diving for a piece of premium tool steel ASO the other day, I leaned over resting on my lower chest bones on the steel recycling dumpster. Can anyone guess what happened? It was a little too heavy--even with help--and I wanted it immediately. I ended up fracturing a lower rib bone. This happened a few weeks ago and I posit this question to you now fellow smiths; is going after a piece of heavy steel worth your health? When you get caught up in the moment, pause and make sure you go forward in a safe manner.

Hello there, I have a problem which i am investigating the cause for some months now. I have run multiple blood tests and today another new test which measures the chemicals and or heavy metals inside ones system to show what vitamins and minerals are off the normal charts. The test has shown some worrying results in the heavy metals department and i am now considering the possibility of it being work related. I have been practicing blacksmithing for the last three years as a main profession but my workshop is still located at the back of the house in the garage (square space of 25 squared meters) which i know there is no proper ventilation even if i have the two w…

OK, I just managed to stab myself in the face with a flying 1000deg. knife. Yup. I was working it too cold and it flipped out of my locking pliers and into my nose. Penetrated to just inside my nostril, maybe 3/8 of an inch or so. I am SUPER thankful it was not 2 in. higher or I would be an eye short right now. Moral of the story? Don't work your steel cold, and use the proper tool for holding your stock. Locking pliers are great, but they are not for all stock shapes.

This is not just about smithing, but about many things we do in life. Saturday was a fairly nice day so i went out to do a little work. I am trying to improve my forge and needed to cut a piece of angle iron. Just 1 cut on a 1" by 1/4" piece. I get my tools out, get it clamped down,plug in the angle grinder, and can not find my safety glasses. So i look, the old lady says they may be in my range bag, i look but to no avail. So after a few minutes i figure dang it i would have had it cut by now. So what do i do? I just start cutting. About half way through the cut i felt a sudden stinging, burning sensation in my eye. I tried but could not get it out. So off to the E…

hi, i've been smithing for about a year. my detached garage is my shop. i have a rr forge with a side draft chimney. for the most part the smoke goes through the chimney, but sometimes with the doors closed it fills the room. when it does i try to open up and let the smoke out. it seems like there's always some smoke lingering around the upper part of the shop though. i have to admit i am a smoker too. it's winter in colorado and it's pretty **** cold right now. when it's nice i have the doors open and there's a lot more ventilation. mostly it's just my side draft. the reason i'm asking this question is because i'm getting a little cough although i think it's just from a …

Used to be you could just grab a wooden pallet and use or reuse it as a pallet, or tear it down to the slats and rails and use the lumber for other projects or as kindling to start a fire. Not any more. There is the logo of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and is stamped on the wood of the pallet. IPPC pallets are used for international shipping and require require pallets constructed using raw wood to be treated and to be made of a material that will not carry invasive insect species or plant diseases through different countries. Officially approved agencies supervise pallet treatment methods. There are other markings beside …

Okay, I am driving home and the check gauges light on my dash keeps flashing on and off. It finally stayed on and I saw my voltage dropping. I thought, over 200K miles, alternator. NOT! The control box for my winch in the bed of the truck caught fire (fuse did not blow) and it caught the coal in the back of the truck on fire. I raised the hood and disconnected the battery; I grab the fire extinguisher (fully charged last week's check) and ffft, nothing! So I doused it with a bucket of water. No damage to the truck I called the fire department and asked them why a "fully charged fire extinguisher would fail. I was told that they needed to be replaced every 3 to five yea…

Just saw this about a Kidde fire extinguisher recall. Something like 40 million extinguishers are involved. Please check your extinguishers... I have two of them, thankfully I haven't needed them...so far. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2017/kidde-recalls-fire-extinguishers-with-plastic-handles-due-to-failure-to-discharge-and

And this, boys and girls, is why we make sure our molds are dry before the pour. (Apologies if this has been shared previously.)

Have you ever used a fire extinguisher in your shop ( or other method to put out a fire). Details please as it could make a great story. (grin)

Yesterday while taking pictures at the back of our truck for it followed me home. I wasn't paying attention to where my feet were. I basically fell off of the edge of our pad and took a fall, like stepping in a hole. I found out I don't bounce like I used to. Luck was with me because I didn't break anything and the camera survived but I feel like I've gone a couple of rounds with Joe Lewis. So whatever you are doing WATCH YOUR STEP>>>>