# bad news



## biggreen (Feb 23, 2005)

I'm at the neihborhood bar relaxing after making 5 or 6 pens this morning. Something about a vortex is coming to mind. Bartender comes outside and says "who's ???", I look at her and say I am, (she knows that but she's kinda slow sometimes). Next words I think I'll remember forever, "your wife called and said your garage is on fire". I looked at her like she was stupid for a minute then realized she wasn't joking. Haul stuff home and see what must be the entire CyFair Fire Department in front of my house. Fire was out and my garage was still standing. Not sure how to describe what's going through my head at this time. Walk up to the garage and see the damage is mostly in the front right quater of the shop, my Powermatic joiner is laying on its side in the driveway with the pile of everything else they had to remove to make sure the fire was out. I walk down the drive to see if my wife is ok, I think this is harder on her than me (long story that starts earlier in the day with my dog and some unknown cat), and she's very shook up but ok. That's when I realize what started the fire. I'm very careful about things that combust, ..VERY careful. I toss them in the driveway on the concrete until the trash goes out and pick them up for the street. Anyway, some combination of fast drying CA, boiled linseed oil and plastic bags (like the tiny ones from pen kits) is my only suspect. Every thing else in that can had been there for quit some time and was mostly saw dust or small wood chunks. I took a couple pics. I'll post them up tomorrow hopefully. My mind is a bit fried right now. I'll be back tomorrow. Talk about expensive pens.
later, biggreen


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

Glad no one was hurt, glad your home still stands.


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

So sorry to hear about this, Steve..****** happens !!!.. 

Dunno if it's any consolation, but I read somewhere that even accumulated dust can bring about combustion...it was in an article about periodically cleaning out your dust collection system..and storage cannisters.. Dunno why it could happen, but it can..

Tell ya one thing...I'm getting out there and cleaning up all those shavings and dust and sandings I been just blowing under the benches where I don't have to look at them...Mebbe ol' Trodery has something goin' we ought to 'catch'

Just glad the Family and Home were spared...Holler if we can help..

Jim


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

I sure hate to hear that your shop burned.

I just put a trash can full of old paper towels with everything from acetone, BLO, and DNA on them out for the trash man. Even some shavings that Barb missed.


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## trodery (Sep 13, 2006)

Dang Biggreen! I hate to hear that...if you need any help cleaning up just holler!


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

Really hate to hear that. CA glue gets mightly hot while curing at times. That is a shame that you had a fire and hope most everything can be salvaged or insurance replaces.


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## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

Youch! Sorry to hear that bad news BG. Not a way to end the weekend for sure....but it could have a much worse. You could have lost a lot more. I was cleaning my shop yesterday and noticed a lot of fine sawdust around the electrical connections. I blew everything out...but this is a wake up call. Besides spontanious combustion....maybe electrical of some sort?? Keep us posted. gb


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## Surf Hunter (Sep 28, 2006)

Man, really sorry to hear the, boiled linseed oil can be very dangerouse. I know of a couple of lure builders that had paper towels combust with that stuff. 
At least everyone was ok, that is all the really matters.


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## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

*From Wikkopedia... *

* Spontaneous combustion*

Rags dampened with boiled linseed oil are a fire hazard, because they provide a large surface area for oxidation of the oil. The oxidation is an exothermic reaction which accelerates as the rags get hotter. This reaction may eventually become sufficiently hot to cause spontaneous combustion of the rags. Such rags should be washed, soaked with water or incinerated to avoid this. An example of this occurred at the El Rey Theater-Golden West Saloon in February 2008, which was destroyed in a fire ignited by the spontaneous combustion of linseed oil soaked rags.

I not only have rags (paper towles) with BLO on them in my shop, they are under the wood I dip in BLO and hang from 2 150 watt hallogen (hot) lamps !


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## Brew (May 21, 2004)

Sorry to hear that Steve. Hope the insurance folks can help ya get things repaired/replaced pretty quick.

Jeff


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## Flat Fish (Jun 18, 2005)

Sorry to hear that. Glad everyone is safe. The stuf can be replaced, eventually.


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## bear hide (Feb 14, 2008)

Sad for the stuff in your "man cave." Happy that no one was hurt. I would run into a fire if it looked like my autographed Norm Abram photo was at risk.


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## biggreen (Feb 23, 2005)

Well, I spent all day monday cleaning. Don't know for sure if I want to make an insurance claim or not. I had to replace the door and locks, the large garage door was ok. The joiner that was laying in the pile of stuff they drug out is suprisingly ok also. Two pieces of plastic on it are not the same shape they used to be but that's ok. The biggest thing bugging me that I'm debating calling the insurance on is the smell. I think it'll go away after a while, and a lot of cleaning, but I might be lying to myself too. I got the cast iron surfaces clean on the joiner, lathe, and table saw. Still have to do the bandsaw. Every single hand tool has to be scrubbed, screw drivers, pliers, everything. None of my metal tools, are silver any more, they're all grey and spotted, not rust, just grey. I don't think that will hurt anything. I guess it'll be a constant reminder of what I owned before the fire. I did have a small BLO spill that I wiped up with a rag and in the trash it went. For the life of me I didn't know BLO would combust. Not a note one on the can, every other type of finish I have has a note about rags and proper disposal. I know a pile of shavings will cumbust, especially wet or green shavings if they get deep enough can easily combust. I've seen rags with simple urethane, varnish, etc. go up. I know about this stuff and am careful. That's what makes me feel so dumb, I had no idea BLO would do it. I guess tonight I'll be back out there with another roll of papaer towels cleaning sticky black stuff off everything. I hope my walnut doesn't smell forever, I'm a bit worried about that too.

later, biggreen


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## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

Glad to hear you came out reasonably unscathed. No structural issues must be a relief. I hear you on the BLO thing, I had no idea either! Holly cow.


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

This has really had me thinking. I know Fire depts use it on wood handles because it will not create static electricty but a wiki search found this:

"Rags dampened with boiled linseed oil are a fire hazard, because they provide a large surface area for oxidation of the oil. The oxidation is an exothermic reaction which accelerates as the rags get hotter. This reaction may eventually become sufficiently hot to cause spontaneous combustion of the rags. Such rags should be washed, soaked with water or incinerated to avoid this. An example of this occurred at the El Rey Theater-Golden West Saloon in February 2008, which was destroyed in a fire ignited by the spontaneous combustion of linseed oil soaked rags"


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## dicklaxt (Jun 2, 2005)

End Tuition's post on BLO and rags is right on ,have read many occurances about this over the years that pointed the finger that way.Spontaneous Combustion is not well understood and may be a catchall but BLO and rags in a concentrated pile is a no no. I got into the habit of hanging rags to dry no matter what the use and if damp at dark, outside they would go.

While we are at it,pure oxygen and oil will self combust in the right concentrations so if you are running an oxygen system on your boat for bait/livewell aeration ,keep those two widely seperated.

A small electrical arc can also ignite dust, tho rare, it does happen so a grounding wire should be employed for static drain.I read once somewhere where a piece of metal in a blank being turned caused a spark which ignited some turning residue dust and was sucked into the waste barrel of the system and caught fire. so these rare happenings do happen and safeguards up front maybe worth the effort to keep in mind.

dick


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