saftey and fire

[james mcgrew]

on saturday i was doing a training session with the x3 machine, we were running a file that i had made the mistake of asking a 1/4 inch bit to cut through the material, the bit cut about 10 feet in cut length and snapped, we removed the bit (seemed warm but not hot) and left the vacuum on to hold the material while we went into my office to rework the pass depth on the file.

in just a few minutes one of the guys in the shop said there was a fire, on the way to the fire i still did not know what was burning, i thought first to grab a fire extinguisher (they are located in many places and all corners and entrances as well as passages thru the building) we got real lucky time wise.

while we had removed the bit a small ember had begun to burn, the vacuum gave it wind and direction and no one could see it, about the time someone smelled it it broke throughthe spoil board surface.

i hope all reading this realize size of machine does not matter, they are made up of two things
1) electrical parts
2) parts that create friction

be careful, pay attention. my x3 is a god send and i would be as hard pressed as any to replace it and or pray i do not burn down the building or worse

my hope is this will help the new and old cnc'r

jim mcgrew

[Russ Revels]

Glad it wasn't any worse. Could have been. Definitely something to keep in mind when running the vacuum and also dust collection.

That's two fires with the vacuum. :( Maybe there is a need to treat the mdf with a fire retardant.

I have seen embers when cutting KOA and not having sufficient feed rate. I was able to cut the router rpm and continue but it was a scary minute to see bright red at the bit.

Glad you caught it quickly.

Russ

[pescado_loco]

Fire

The last fire I had to deel with was on the USS America in 1972. Lagging caught fire. It took 2 days to get it completely out & two months to clean up the mess.

Glad you caught this in time with so little damage.

[james mcgrew]

USS Albany sixth fleet 1976-79

[Angus_Hines]

Ya'll are scaring Jaqui !!!!

[james mcgrew]

bumpity bump

bump,bump

want to keep this at the fore front!!

[james mcgrew]

More on Fire safety

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OOU...layer_embedded




http://www.htgsupply.com/Products.asp

[Michael Mezalick]

That looks interesting Jim,,,Thanks for posting.
~M

[james mcgrew]

at first I got all excited when I saw this single suppression system then I remembered that my entire shop is sprinklered,, still have no business letting the cnc run un attended, now i'd be lyin if I say I don't walk away once in a while, but not far and having caught mine on fire I should still know better...and on another note, to anyone who has ever had one of these "Go Off" under a restaurant hood,, it is Corrosive as Heck !!

[neal_meyers_jr]

Had a deep fat fryer fire on board the USS Frank Cable while I was Mess cranking in the early '90's. As I was covering the fire with a sheet pan the Mess Cook pulled the suppression system and hosed me and the rest of the galley down. I was lucky in that the pan was covering the grease when she pulled the pin other wise I would have been covered in burning grease.

We had the entire Cheifs mess covered in that stuff and took two days to get it all cleaned up.

[Luke Bennett]

I thought someone was barbequing. Ain't nobody got time for that.


Sorry had to go there glad all is OK and the fire was small.

[jzlitz]

Thanks Jim for posting, that helps us newbies pay a little ( a lot) more attention!

[anix396]

Thanks for posting. It is easy to get complacent and take things for granted. It never hurts to be reminded. That could sure be a wake up call.

[Michael Mezalick]

Just a reminder of what it could be.
Here's my spindle,,,,with the hole thru the spoilboard,,,,,black smoke everywhere....

Oh Ya !

Michael

[james mcgrew]

Mike made me fell soooo much better after he did that !!