shop safety

[Brian C.]

My gasser sits atop a craftsman tool cart full of firebrick. I set the anvil of course next to the forge.

Today when hammering on a RR spike I smelled something burning between heats, on the bottom shelf of the cart was an old leather glove with a cloth back fully ablaze where a piece of scale fell onto it.

My point is, be aware of whats laying around your work area. If that glove had been laying somewhere else it could have gotten exciting. :oops:

[Brian C.]

I guess if I was a little more observant I would have posted this in the "Fires" topic thread :cry:

[Ten Hammers]

Actually, this is good done under shop safety. Keeping the wood scraps from the stove swept up, no leaves lying around (that have blown in the door), anything else flammable (I use either blue shop towels or a red rag with a little oil on it for finish work) should be stored properly. ALL drawers to the file cabinet closed, and just general policing of any flammables. I have a set system to shut the shop down (involving bottles turned off, compressor valve closed, damper/draft on the stove etc) that should catch anything but I sincerely believe that the deal is, just pay attention. The nose knows. :)

[Shane Stegmeier]

I have noticed on the occasions that I have set my cloths on fire, that it is very nice and convient to have gloves on, so that when you are putting the smack down on the flames your hands don't get burned:-) They seem to e more common in the colder months for me. Frayed edges of good sturdy cloths (like well worn Carharts), and winter synthetics are the normal places for the clothing fires that I seem to have encountered:-) BUT the gloves have kept my hands from being burned... Summer forging my cloths are so soaked in sweat, I am more likely to get a steam burn than to have my cloths catch on fire.

[Jim C.]

Brian:
I offer this concern to all:
Where is your propane bottle in relation to your gas forge? If you have a propane bottle connected to your gas forge with a short hose, you may be in for more than a surprise one day. For safety, the bottle or tank needs to be outside the shop building. If the bottle is close to your foge and if for any reason the safety valve on that propane bottle goes off while your forge is running, you will have a big fire or explosion. There is more about this subject on Ron Reil's site. Jim C.

[Stephan P]

.... and then are the farriers around here who set the bottle on top of the forge (I kid you not).

[T-Gold]

I'd just like to point out that the valve on the tank is designed to go off when the pressure in the tank gets to a point where it will soon be too much for the tank's physical structure to contain. This is usually when the tank gets very, very hot, such as when someone leaves it in an enclosed car on a sunny day. I would say that this is probably around 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Now, farriers with tanks on top of their forges aside, how often does your tank get up to that temperature...? I'm pretty sure mine never has. Drawing propane from the tank will cool it, as well.

HOWEVER, that is no reason not to keep the bottle outside while you're using the forge! Because it's just safer, for a lot of reasons.

[Stephan P]

Drawing propane from the tank will cool it, as well.

You bet it will, that's why the farriers put them on the forges. When the air is cool and your in a shoeing competition, every little bit helps. Just don't leave the tank up there too long. :shock:

[Brian C.]

Jim,

I only use the forge outside of the garage in the driveway & keep the bottle 2-3 feet from the forge.

[HWooldridge]

I use 25 gallon tanks (100 lb) and a propane rated flexible hose that is about 8 feet long. The gas forge is on an old shopping cart and the tank is on a two wheel dolly. I can roll the forge around the tank and have access to work table, power hammer or either anvil. In use, I only crack the propane valve enough to let out fuel, which is about a 1/4 turn. The tank is always on the far side of the work so is somewhat protected but I suppose there is a chance the line could be punctured with a hot piece of steel. I have used this setup for about fifteen years with no mishaps so far (knock on wood).

[Glenn]

And where is the fire extinguisher located ??

This question is not just to Hollis, but to all with gassers, as well as coal forges.

[HWooldridge]

I have two extinguishers in the shop - one is near the welding table and one is behind the gas forge. I also always keep the slack tub full.

I am more fortunate than some with regard to lighting the shop on fire because I have an all metal building with no insulation and a dirt floor. There isn't too much that can burn besides my shop rags and they are in a metal trash can. My last shop was all wood and I accidentally lit the yard on fire one day, which could have been a disaster if it had touched off a wall. I put that one out with a garden hose.

[Brian C.]

Put up 2 more fire extinguishers in the shop, for a total of three. Those plus the slack-tub, cooling bucket next to the pedestal grinder, and a slop sink with nearby bucket.

I hope I never have to use any of them for an emergency 8)