I'm really concerned after an incident in my workshop and I'm hoping to hear if anyone else has faced something similar. Last night, while I was routing out grooves in birch ply, there was some smoke, but it didn't seem like a big deal at the time. After I finished, I swept up the dust and debris, which I dumped into a 5-gallon bucket that I use for trash. The only other items in there were some pieces of blue tape I used for shimming. I went upstairs, took a shower, and went to bed. About 30 minutes later, I began to smell smoke and found my entire shop filled with smoke and the trash can smoldering. Thankfully, I found this out before it turned into a bigger fire, especially since I often leave my dogs at home. Has anyone else had a similar experience or can shed light on how this might have happened?
3 Answers
For future safety, store your sawdust in a metal container with a lid and avoid mixing it with any chemicals or oily rags. Always keep a Class ABC fire extinguisher handy. It's great that you caught this in time, but make sure your smoke detectors are replaced regularly, every 10 years for smoke detectors and around 5-7 for carbon monoxide detectors. It could've been a lot worse!
Yes! I need to do the same check—good tip!
I've definitely had a smoldering situation happen on my end too. From using dull router bits before, I learned that the heat generated can create a perfect condition for combustion. Just one spark from your router could ignite the dust. Always clean your equipment after use and keep the shop tidy! Glad to hear you're safe!
Exactly! Dull bits can be super dangerous.
You just reminded me to clean my tools after every use too!
It sounds like there was possibly an ember from your routing that got swept up into the trash. When sawdust is compacted like that, it can smolder for quite a while! You might want to consider easing up on the speed and using sharper bits next time to reduce any excess heat while cutting. A metal garbage can with a lid would also help contain any accidental ignitions better than a plastic bucket. Be safe!
Great advice! I'm planning to switch to a metal can for sure.
Totally agree! I've had close calls with dull bits causing fires too.
Thanks for the reminder! I'll check the expiration dates on mine.