Don't do what I did!

Mark Olson

Mark Olson

True Classic
I was busy grinding away (on a Fiat part) and I didn't pay attention to the fact the sparks were hitting into my belly. I was wearing a hoodie that was 50% polyester and 50% cotton, and under that a 100% cotton t-shirt. When I noticed the flames I hit at them with my hand (dropping the grinder in the process) and some of the melted polyester stuck to my fingers but I got the fire out! The only damage (other than the clothing) was blisters on two fingers where the polyester stuck. While the cotton t-shirt burnt through as well my belly came through unscathed.

Two significant lessons - watch where the sparks are going! and don't wear polyester anything! Ever!

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Yeah you got to watch your sparks.
I was grinding near my buffer, a1.5hp stand buffer. And the buffing wheel was in the line of sparks. At first I was mad because it was the finish wheel and now I'd have to clean it to make sure it doesn't do any scratching. A little while later I noticed it was smoking just a little. So I turned it on to rake it and put it out at the same time. Do you know what happens when you fan the flames to a fire with a 1.5 hp motor. It gets bigger fast. Before I knew it I had a 10-in wheel of fire.
Yeah I should have known better.
 
Downunder on track days we have to wear natural fibres and long sleeves, then I was reading something that said cotton is fast burning, faster than polyester, but it doesn't melt like polyester. Worse is 50/50 polyester/cotton because it burns fast and melts. I did some tests which confirmed light weight cotton does burn quite fast once it gets going, but thicker cotton jeans not so bad. I went out and bought a race suit.
 
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I have a old pair of sneakers that I wear in the shop sometimes. They were running shoes made with mesh for lightweight and breathing. The splatter from a MIG melts right through them and ignites the cotton sox. By the time I get the shoe off to put it out the sox has burned a nice scar on the top of my foot. But I still wear them in the shop anyway because they are so comfy. :rolleyes:
 
Those of us who have a MIG but are not very good at it spend a lot of time with grinding tools making the welds look halfway presentable. I worry about sending the stream of sparks off towards something that will smolder and 15 minutes later will ignite. There have been many times when I have had to leave to go on an errand and fully expect a lot of fire trucks in front of my house when I get home but that has not happened...yet.

And like the doc, I have burned spots on my socks and mesh top sneakers with nice holes in them.
 
Yikes.

I have many a shirt with burn holes in the sleeves from grinding - and with belly/chest holes from not putting down the welding rod when I transition from one seam to another - I seem to typically flip the rod & stick myself with the hot end - happens all the time.

I did recently break down & buy a leather apron to use when welding & grinding - now I just have to remember to actually use it :D
 
Working in the shop is way less entertaining if you use all the proper safety tools! Had to laugh. My main shop work shirt is not cotton and has lots of spark holes as well. Although nothing quite that impressive.
 
GregS said:
Downunder on track days we have to wear natural fibres and long sleeves, then I was reading something that said cotton is fast burning, faster than polyester, but it doesn't melt like polyester. Worse is 50/50 polyester because it burns fast and melts. I did some tests which confirmed light weight cotton does burn quite fast once it gets going, but thicker cotton jeans not so bad. I went out and bought a race suit.
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Once there was some old stock of used jeans that somehow ended up at my parents house :D
My father rolled each pair of jeans and used them instead of firewood during winter 😅
 
carl said:
There have been many times when I have had to leave to go on an errand and fully expect a lot of fire trucks in front of my house when I get home but that has not happened...yet.
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Same here. I am careless about things like this and amazed it hasn't happened yet.

I keep several fire extinguishers at various points around the property (inside and out), but my main worry is exactly what you said, a oily rag smolders until I'm gone before setting on fire.

I've tried installing a couple different types of fire alarms in the shop, but all of them would go off constantly just from grinding or welding or other routine tasks that happen every day. So I had to eliminate them. I do wish there was a better way to safeguard from this happening - aside from me doing the right thing while working, that will never happen (like @RyanG said). :rolleyes:
 
When I was in the US Navy submarine force (several centuries ago) they were transitioning from newer-design polyester khaki uniforms back to the old traditional cotton ones, because it was discovered that during shipboard fires (which happen, most often from dryer lint overheating) the polyester would melt to the sailors' skin. Obviously not a good thing.
 
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