Welding and shed(s) epiphany

[Parm]

@mrsbruce

While the floor substrate is important, I’d be more worried about what’s on it and nearby. Tins, packets, jars, “Stuff” boxes etc will catch alight much quicker with stray sparks than a sheet of ply or similar material.

A concrete floor full of flammable material will go up quicker than an empty ply floor

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

While the floor substrate is important, I’d be more worried about what’s on it and nearby.

All the fires I've had have been rags with either thinner or panel wipe on them....even 8 feet away in a bin they seem to catch!

 

[mrsbruce]

@mrsbruce

While the floor substrate is important, I’d be more worried about what’s on it and nearby. Tins, packets, jars, “Stuff” boxes etc will catch alight much quicker with stray sparks than a sheet of ply or similar material.

A concrete floor full of flammable material will go up quicker than an empty ply floor

Good points.

I’ve now drawn out a rough plan, and all flammables will be at the furthest corner, possibly in my little ikea wardrobe.

 

[zeppelin builder]

True, and having been told about the mess, I had originally planned to put it in the bigger messy hut. I think my epiphany has had more to do with realising that the way I have the sheds set up just doesn’t feel entirely the right way to do it.

If I use the big shed (9x13 feet, if I remember), for everything messy, including welding, the wee hut (5 x 7ish) for the lathe etc (more stable floor, cosy, its own hoover), and the ‘welding’ porch to safely store closed plastic boxes filled with any tools I haven’t got rid of yet, or might use once a year. That would then let me move onto cleaning out yet another little hut stuffed to the gunnels with even more ‘stuff’.

Thing is, worse case scenario (apart from the hut burning down) is that it doesn’t work, and I move everything back. Even then, I’ll have got more tools sorted and out the door. Best case scenario, is I love it, and get more tools sorted and out the door.

aluminium chequer plate
you not building a ship in there so fire blanket the area where sparks are likely to be going keep a fire extinguisher or hose handy ,keep combustibles safely
and most importantly do a little risk assesment before you weld
,check for any smouldering tenners lying around

 

[Parm]

and most importantly do a little risk assesment

Lol,

Wash your mouth out !!!!!! That man

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I've been surprised at how far the 'spatter' can bounce to, once gravity grabs it - red hot lumps can travel further than you think. And yes, there's the "1 hour" rule after hot work, but some fires will start before you can say "Oh, that's hot"

 

[ajlelectronics]

Chequer plate gets my vote.

 

[Yamhon]

I've been surprised at how far the 'spatter' can bounce to, once gravity grabs it - red hot lumps can travel further than you think. And yes, there's the "1 hour" rule after hot work, but some fires will start before you can say "Oh, that's hot"

Me too. When I dabbled with flux core on the garage floor, when I'd stand up afterwards you could see impressions of the spatter all around for quite a distance!

 

[mrsbruce]

I’ve just remembered, I have a pvc welding curtain, which I can use too, can’t I?

 

[Parm]

I’ve just remembered, I have a pvc welding curtain, which I can use too, can’t I?

It will be perfect

 

[Farside]

only issue I have with a sheet steel floor is if you have any moisture (due to condensation or whatever) or oils that end up on it, you will end up wth a skating rink... not a drama just something to keep in mind.

Got a welder, though. Run some beads over it.

 

[minimutly]

Blue roll - catches very easily, sometimes smoulders for ages. Never weld before packing up for the night - I guess this is the one hour rule mentioned.

 

[premmington]

The biggest risks on the floor from fire are - blue roll - wood dust/shavings - soiled rags.

Just sweeping up - will reduce your fire risk by a huge percentage.

My insurers insist on - metal rag bins - with spring close tops.


We have vehicle repair workshop - we don't have a dedicated "welding bay". We are tucked up at the back of a industrial estate - so arc flash pouring out of the roller shutter door - or the yard - is the norm.

My previous workshop was town centre - onto a busy pavement - we used to shut the big doors for welding - as "mums with kids in push chairs used to stop for a chat outside the door".

This also raises the big question of storing flammables in a workshop. We have one big yellow "high flash solvent" cupboard. But around the workshop we have little "brick pits".

These "brick pits" work well - and they are cheap - few engineering bricks - angle iron top lip - 1/4 plate lid on hinges - spring to keep them shut - painted yellow.

Get a fire - night or day - you are not gonna have 5ltrs of petrol in a green can dump its contents over the floor feeding a fire - it is gonna be contained in its little "brick pit".

My workshop was a "printers" before I turned it into a car repair workshop - I have never seen these "brick pits" in industry before - must be the norm for printers thou - they use solvents to cleaned printers for sure. Good simple cheap idea!

 

[Yamhon]

The biggest risks on the floor from fire are - blue roll - wood dust/shavings - soiled rags.

Just sweeping up - will reduce your fire risk by a huge percentage.

Do you have to be mindful of and perhaps even separate material once you sweep it up; I believe iron oxide fillings and aluminium fillings can produce Thermite, as one example, does separation of materials extend to what you sweep up off the floor?

Another idea which I'm thinking of introducing is having a metal bucket of cold water handy so you can quickly drop any parts or drops in to cool them off.

 

[Farside]

Another idea which I'm thinking of introducing is having a metal bucket of cold water handy so you can quickly drop any parts or drops in to cool them off.

Also comes in very useful for dousing fires under the bench.

 

[Parm]

The biggest risks on the floor from fire are - blue roll - wood dust/shavings - soiled rags.

Just sweeping up - will reduce your fire risk by a huge percentage.

My insurers insist on - metal rag bins - with spring close tops.


We have vehicle repair workshop - we don't have a dedicated "welding bay". We are tucked up at the back of a industrial estate - so arc flash pouring out of the roller shutter door - or the yard - is the norm.

My previous workshop was town centre - onto a busy pavement - we used to shut the big doors for welding - as "mums with kids in push chairs used to stop for a chat outside the door".

This also raises the big question of storing flammables in a workshop. We have one big yellow "high flash solvent" cupboard. But around the workshop we have little "brick pits".

These "brick pits" work well - and they are cheap - few engineering bricks - angle iron top lip - 1/4 plate lid on hinges - spring to keep them shut - painted yellow.

Get a fire - night or day - you are not gonna have 5ltrs of petrol in a green can dump its contents over the floor feeding a fire - it is gonna be contained in its little "brick pit".

My workshop was a "printers" before I turned it into a car repair workshop - I have never seen these "brick pits" in industry before - must be the norm for printers thou - they use solvents to cleaned printers for sure. Good simple cheap idea!

There’s a blast from the past, “Brick Pits” in printers workshops

used to see them when I started in this trade 25 years ago, neat solution to an industry specific problem

Most if not all modern printing machines have auto blanket washes, just keep the tank topped up and everything happens automatically. Very little free solvent used now days

 

[northwest]

I would say that you DO want a milling machine in the messy shed. Milling machines make a lot of mess themselves, spraying little chips of swarf all over.

Not if you make some simple plastic guards that can be easily positioned. I just wouldn't have grinding mess near my Mill.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

@mrsbruce

You may want to think about fire extinguishers and may be a fire blanket.

 

[mrsbruce]

I have 2 x fire extinguishers, and three fire blankets in the huts.

 

[gaz1]

Doing better than the rest of us