Let's Be Careful Out There!

[Bi11Hudson]

Recently I was using a cut-off wheel in the 4-1/2" grinder, and felt my side getting warmer! Found out I was on fire - cotton shirt. Done this a couple of times.

At least it was cotton and not polyester. Having a shrink wrap shirt is not pleasant in the high heat of a steel mill. Actually forbidden at Fairfield, you must wear cotton.

.

 

[C-Bag]

That's why I like my leather apron. And all cotton underneath.

 

[sycle1]

Had a wierd one yesterday.
Parting off a piece of 1" 1/2 mild steel bar with a HSS parting off tool, just going slow.
And Bang !!! I mean BANG!
WTF???????????????????
Apparently the parting off blade had worked itself loose and shot out the back of the parting off holder, it was one of those AXA sized Chinese holders for the QCTP.
After the initial shock had subsided, I found the tool steel blade on the floor still intact.
I thought it was parting off pretty good too.
This was a new one on me.
Mind you this holder has come loose before, but it just gradually slipped a bit not all at once in an almighty bang though.
I am thinking a new more solid parting off tool might be on the cards now.

 

[Tim9]

Its pretty much my standard operating procedure to always....And I mean Always look around for smoke after I do a small weld in the shop. For anything substantial, I always drag the welder outside . But every now and then, I have a small tack weld I have to do like weld a nut to a bolt. As soon as the weld is finished and and helmet removed, I do a scan around the shop two or three times. Pretty much 50% of the times I find a smoking rag. So its just what I do.
That said, If its anything substantial then the welding is done outside. Its just too dangerous and Ive got too much invested to start over at this stage. Heck, just last week I welded something and low and behold, a rag was smoldering.