Safety discussions

I attended a hammer in on friday night, and did something stupid while showing off. I kissed my tongs after finishing a forging, and put a huge burn on my lips....

Can anyone give me a good reason (apart from ignorance and stupidity) why there are so many pictures and videos on, or linked to/from this site where small angle grinders are being used without any guards whatsoever fitted ?

I just heard that a man was killed at Berkeley Forge and Tool near Gilman and the freeway. There is an industrial district near a bunch of Asian restaurants. The broadcast said that he was struck in the back of the head by a fragment of an industrial grinding wheel. I didn't know that there was a forge shop in Berkeley. Anybody seen this one? Anyway, those wheels are scary.

I'm trying to find the best available (yet affordable) particle mask/ air unit for working in the shop... which includes occasional commissions in aluminum and stainless. (Nasty stuff!)

Having read two posts today about people getting hurt with wire wheels, I might offer than AIW in San Antonio (and probably many other distributors) carries a very dense and soft wheel which is not 100% snag-proof but much safer than most of the ones I've used over the years. It also has a smaller diameter wire in the wheel. The worst wheels for snagging seem to be the ones with the lowest number of wires per inch, so it's easier to get a piece caught if turned wrong. Conversely, the wide thick wheels offer more resistance to the operator pushing on a work piece. I also wear light leather gloves when using wire wheels in case something does catch and yank. I've had …

I had a bit of a wake up call today... I forged me another Titanium crowbar, the biggest one yet about about 50".... I had layed it down to cool and had some other iron in the fire, tapering some 5/8 sq and making some vines out of 3/8 round bar... Just one of those moments that in hindsight seem silly... the Ti bar was laying there and been long enough to be cool to the touch so I picked it up and was looking it over, thought i should hit it to the wire wheel on the grinder real quick... I started buzzin off the scale on my 1 1/2 HP bench grinder with a 12" fine wire wheel..... And BAMM! Im not sure what caught or grabbed but next thing I know I am holding my …

Maybe I'll pick up a tad before I get to work today......... :rolleyes:

Alan just posted this over on Don Fogg's forum. Thank you Alan for posting this! MAPP cylinder safety warning!

I saw this link on another forum. Pretty amazing the guy walked away. Things can go bad really fast. scroll down. By clicking the link you are navigating away from IForgeIron and the guidelines of a family forum. http://coloradok5.co...ad.php?t=291529

I am wondering about something. If I strike a piece of iron on the anvil with a large hammer, and the anvil rings a lot, that must be very bad for the hearing, right? Is ultrasound a component of ringing too and is it a part of what damages hearing? Just curious. i

Got down the manual for my Hyperthern 1250 plasma cutter to order some consumables and happened to notice a warning about plasma cutters/high fequency radiation and possible damage to hearing aids...The plasma torch is 7 years old, the hearing aids are brand new... Who would have 'thunckit" Just thought other 'hearing impaired' smiths might want to know..............

As the topic states I set my jeans on fire. I was using the shops plasma cutter on a small peice. I put it close to the edge so I could steady my hand on my leg. It was going good then my leg started to get hot, I thought nothing of it. Until my friend stated I was on fire. I kinda was like, "What? OH XXXX!!" So I learned my lesson of don't lean on the table, and wear the apron I was given for that specific purpose.

Ok folks........ GRIND OFF ALL OF THE UNEEDED SHARP CORNERS IN YOUR SHOP!!!!!!!!!!! I was working on my power hammer this evening and slipped and hit an unground corner with my finger. That's the second time I've hit something that should have been ground off and wasn't. The first time I was walking across the shop and slammed my elbow against a sharp corner on the treadle hammer. GRIND 'EM OFF! A lot of times people get hurt simply because it takes "too much time" (like 30 seconds to grind off those corners,) to take the proper safety precautions. safety glasses ear plugs NO CORNERS! As most of you know, the equiment is not what gives when you collide …

What counts for close........horseshoes, hand grenades......lightning.......Welding outdoors a couple of days ago I heard a rumble, then a few booms, a patter of rain........just a few more beads to go........CRACK!.........The tree took a direct hit and I was welding on the other side of the building with the red tile roof.....100-120 ft away on the other side. I wannabe back in my shop pounding hot steel.........

Picked up a bridge crane this week from across town that I found on craigs. Everything went well considering we had been on ladders and were moving 900 lb. beams with a forklift and such, had around 3 tons on the trailer home with no problem but the toung weight was a bit slim due to the length of the beams 22'-24'. Anyways did I mention I built my shop at the top of a hill! Yep, DIllon hill claimed its first load, a bit of lost traction some wheel hop and that was it, hold on! The load shifted and then I lost three beams, by this time all traction was gone and I was steering backwards while sliding! Slid over the buss bar, toasted half of it, trailer popped a tire on one…

Well this is just a note to warn everyone that with the heat be careful out there and listen to your body. I was working at the museum today and started getting weak knees and light headed. I recognized the signs and found a cool place. Remember work slow keep hydrated and find a cool spot to take a break.

How much room do I need while doing a demo? I would like to have people as close as possible, but want them out of the danger zone. Not planning on doing any forge welding.

I don't know if I know this guy or not..........I call it very lucky.....mb Denver News Blacksmith Shed Explodes Near Niwot NIWOT, Colo. -- A blacksmith avoided injury when his work shed exploded and burned near Niwot Sunday afternoon, authorities said.The explosion and fire badly damaged the 500-square foot shed and an all-terrain vehicle, but the owner had left the building before the blast, Boulder County sheriff's Sgt. Mike Dimond said.The explosion occurred just before 2:28 p.m. at 6893 Niwot Rd. on a farm west of Niwot, Dimond said. The building was fully engulfed in flames. The blacksmith told investigators he had been in the shed, using …

A tragic end to a brilliant future. http://www.nytimes.c...ident.html?_r=2 Safety is a personal endeavor, we must police ourselves . I wonder how many times she was told to, "Tie up the hair"? It was drilled into us monthly, with ugly safety videos. Long hair was popular on men at the time. With few females in the trade, there were all men in the films who had merely been scalped.

I am trying to set up my new Chili forge. My local propane guy says that it is against the law (I am in WI) for him to install my propane tank outside with piping to the inside because it is high pressure and it is dangerous. (Chili recommends 9-15 psi working pressure.) He is only allowed to install pipe for up to 5 psi and that is only with a special permit. He said most residential uses are at .5 psi. Now, of course, having the tank inside is even more dangerous. I have tried to research this to find out what others have done and to find a solution. Please tell me what I am missing here. What do all of you do? Thanks so much.

It is amazing how much a 450 sq.ft. "studio" with an 8 ft. ceiling can pack up with grinding dust and welding fumes when all doors are closed! This is the first winter I spend in my shop and I simply didn't see that one coming... I do have an exhaust fan that I run every 20 to 30 minutes to change the air but it's "super Canada cold" outside and I throw all of my heat out. I am looking for a way to purifiy my air without having to throw it outside. I also wish to be able to contain the fumes inside the shop for our house is just next to it. We now have a little baby girl and it freaks me out just to think that I could intoxicate her. Is there an affordable solutio…

Recently, I lost my pedestal grinder to a downsizing. A garage sale arbor grinder ("blacksmith grinder") replaced it. These things look dangerous. What is the most pressing part to guard? The wheels or the pulley? Someone told me the v-belt, since one can get a finger nipped. I think it is the wheel. Here is an example of one of these old grinders. I have a buddy who runs one of these, and he insists it's perfectly safe.

I had a small fire in the shop today. A clean cotton rag had at sometime fallen off a table and landed under a computer cabinet. Some sparks got to it and the next think I new the plastic cabinet was on fire. Watch those rags. I was lucky no real damage this time. :rolleyes:

I burn charcoal in my forge. Contracted a case of mild to moderate carbon monoxide poisoning. Windows open, door open.. guess it still isn't enough airflow when the wind ain't blowing.

I recently overheated my propane forge and melted the wires I was using to hold in the ceramic wool, along with the piece I was working on. With nothing to hold it, the insulation drooped and now the flame is in places it shouldn't be. Is it safe to simply wire the insulation back in place? Will having it fired above its rating make it more dangerous? The <MSDS> for the insulation I used. I didn't know about this when I first installed it. The guys who sold it didn't use any protection, so I figured I'd be safe enough with a dust mask and wetting down the insulation. If I *can* do anything with the insulation, I'm buying myself a p100 half-face mask asap. Th…