Make sure you get rid of old rags and waste if you use varnish or other hazardous chemicals, we were staining some wood for a house project my buddy left all the rags in a pile in the middle of his shop, instead of putting them in water we went to the bar came back and everything had burned up, no damage to his property but his walls got a couple shades darker and the floor has a dark burn mark. the entire garage was full of black nasty smoke from ceiling to floor. read the container and follow instructions glad you are okay! hope you get back what you lost.
Watch where your grinding sparks run and hide... A year or so ago I had a similar "did some work, returned a few days later and ...". Repeatedly thanked what ever spirits were watching over the shop. So happened I was grinding down corners on a couple of custom engine mounts, and apparently a couple of the spark found a nice "nesting spot" in a newly purchased bag of steel wool, the extra fine blend for polishing parts, on the bottom shelf of my parts workbench. When I came into the shop about three days later, at first I smelt what I thought was an electrical short and was searching frantically throughout the my '39. I grabbed a wrench and frantically disconnected the battery, dropped the wrench on the ground and it just happened to bounce next to the bag of steel wool, or at least what was left of it. In this incident, it also left some pretty good burn marks on the wood, but luckily never advanced past that point. Believe it or not, there was an old small 2lb fire extinguisher laying right next the package... how's that for kismet. I have since done as much grinding, or chopsaw use, as possible completely outside the confines of the shop, or I'll lay down a wet piece of old carpet if it's not convienient to take it outside.
The origin investigator just left. Looks like spontaneous combustion of some rags I had laying on the work bench possibly infolving a tube of silicone. He took some samples to run tests on. They could not believe how it was contained in a small area. Said it probably smoldered for days.
Wow that is scary. Times two on the rag comments. You just need to get a metal 5 gallon pail to keep dirty rags in (preferably partially full of water to submerge the rags in), or at least spread them out flat on a non-combustible surface before leaving for the night. I work for a chemical company that has had this happen more than several times before as have our customers. Fire terrifies me.
Worked fire restoration for many years.Saw lots of fires started by dirty rags piled on top of things.
Don't forget to turn them upside down and beat on them with a rubber or composite deadblow once a year. Need to pound on them till you are sure you have loosened all the dry chemical. They settle and compact until they are about as effective as throwing a brick at a fire if you don't "service" them...
One rule I have for work and my own shop, No sparks, No cutting, or No welding 30 minutes before you are going to call it quits for the day.
I am sorry to hear this Bob, being on a firedepartment myself, we respond to "out" fires the same way we respond to any fire. You never know when it might still be in the smoldering stage, and you introducing oxygen may cause it to suddenly flare. That is a clearcut case of p***ing the buck....fire department's responsability, not the sherriff's!
You should consider yourself lucky it wasn't worse. How did you not notice it earlier, if there was soot out one of the doors, and how about the smell of something burning?
I can't figure that one out. The shop is out behind my house and the soot that came out on top of the door is a pretty small area. I can't believe no body noticed it earlier especially me.
The Jalopy Journal
