Close Shave.

[issatree]

Hi all,
While Turning a piece of Maple on Sat. & end grain at that, the Shaving were pretty hot, & falling into one of those Springy Waste Bins under my Lathe, because My " Tough " sits on 2 Rails, which it allows the Shavings to do.

Well, nature called, & on returning to my Garage I see smoke rising ?
I had, only a few minutes earlier, emptied everything on to The Ladies Garden, so there were only a few minutes of Shavings in the Bin.

I have never had this happen in all my years of Turning, that the very Fine Shavings were Smoldering in the Bottom of The S/W/Bin, & any more time I would have spent inside, maybe the Shavings would have really caught fire.

I know of a lot of Turners wear a Leather Mitten when Turning Biggish Bowls, due to the Heat of The Shavings, & being Left Handed, I know my Left Hand cops a bit of heat at times, on the Knuckle of my little finger.


Has anyone ever encountered this before, & if so what Wood were you using ?

[Ross]

Hi Issatree

I was taught warm is OK, hot is dangerous. If the shavings are hot check the sharpness of the tool and change to a lower speed. This advice was so you did not damage the job nothing was ever mentioned about burning the shed down.

Ross

[bellyup]

Gee, that sounds worrying! Are you sure there were no chemical soaked rags and the like in there - ie spontaneous combustion? Cigarette butt maybe?
I wear a glove at times for the heat but I can't say I have ever had anything approaching that sort of heat. What ever the cause, glad to hear you and the shed are o.k., albeit shaken.
Bruce.

[dai sensei]

:whs:

[issatree]

Hi Chaps,
Yes, it was a bit of a shock, but I don't Smoke, I do use rags & cloths, but I don't use some of those Combustible Finishes, as I gave that idea away years ago.

It really has me thinking, why it would catch on fire, ( no Flames ). I must admit that the Shavings were very, very fine.

I had a 38mm. Stubai Saw Tooth bit ( Forstener Bit ) 150mm Shank, took it slow to drill in as far as I could.
Then I used The Tool Described next.
The Tool being used was 3/8in. square McJing Steel, sharpened like a Parting Tool, & with a long bevel, both sides.
I have 3 of these, & they work very well, at removing Wood. They are virtually a Skew.

I was making a 2 piece round pen & pencil holder for our Lads Wife, for Her desk.
Still have no Idea why it caught.

[kraits]

i quite often find myself turning myall (hard as buggery), the stuff really is hard on my tools and when i get a little impatient with the roughing i do experience heat on the scale of smouldering, its those super fine shaving you get from the hard hard woods,they tend to stick/accumilate on the concave of the gouge,start smouldering and when you shake it off and it lands in a pile of fine shavings,

havent had it ever combust but i did a few years back turn something (can't remember what the job was) at that time i just had a wheel barrow parked under the lathe, it must have been close to been half full and i can't remembe what exactly happend but i left the job and locked up the shed, at that time i was travelling 600km to work and was away for 4 days at a time. upon my return i entered the shed to find a pile of ash in the wheel barrow which only a week ago was in very good condition but now it has no paint left on it

as for weaing gloves, even though there like little red hot needles hammering into my forearm i avoid gloves,wear long sleeves had it drilled into my head as an apprentice not to wear gloves around moving parts. better of having a red raw forearm/hand then missing fingers.

[bellyup]

Forstener bit could be the culprit, I have had black,burnt dust and smoke coming out of pepper grinders using a forstener, that could certainly get hot enough to cause a problem - I'll keep that in mind for next time.
Bruce.

[RETIRED]

I am with Bruce. Suspect the Forstner bit.



as for weaing gloves, even though there like little red hot needles hammering into my forearm i avoid gloves,wear long sleeves had it drilled into my head as an apprentice not to wear gloves around moving parts. better of having a red raw forearm/hand then missing finger

If you didn't wear gloves and long sleeves in our place you wouldn't have a forearm to worry about because the flesh would be stripped off. It is painful enough with those on sometimes.:D

[issatree]

Hi Chaps,
Now that you mention it, you maybe right. I still don't remember doing it though.
It is most likely an Age thing. You know, coming 75.
I still think All of you are Right.
Seems like the problem is Solved.
Thanks one & all.

[Tim the Timber Turner]

If you didn't wear gloves and long sleeves in our place you wouldn't have a forearm to worry about because the flesh would be stripped off. It is painful enough with those on sometimes.:D

I wear a L/H glove.

As said, the shavings will wear away your left hand/forearm.

Also useful when turning natural edge stuff. If your ungloved hand drifts into the hit and miss area, the first thing you know is pain. :oo:

A glove gives you a warning to relocate your hand before the pain starts.

Cheers

Tim:)

[tea lady]

I wear a L/H glove.

As said, the shavings will wear away your left hand/forearm.
:):D We go in both directions at our joint! :p

[Ed Reiss]

Fortunate that it wasn't a lot worse...'specially no bodily harm.

[Tim the Timber Turner]

:D We go in both directions at our joint! :p

:DWhat you and do in the privacy of your own workshop is your business:o:o:o

[Tim the Timber Turner]

:D We go in both directions at our joint! :p

Me I'm straight.:wink:

Only go in one direction.:cool:

But then I am a faceplate turner.:2tsup:

Cheers

Tim:)

[powderpost]

It's a bludy long time since you turned a face. :p :D
Jim

[Paul39]

Making Fire with a Bow Drill (http://www.primitiveways.com/pt-bowfire.html)

A lathe can turn faster than a bow drill.

[NeilS]

i am with bruce. Suspect the forstner bit.



+1
.

[Tim the Timber Turner]

It's a bludy long time since you turned a face. :p :D
Jim

Your right Jim but you should have seen me in action as a young bloke:;

Cheers

Tim

[tea lady]

:DWhat you and do in the privacy of your own workshop is your business:o:o:o:p