In this the first of two parts, Will Sampson talks with wood dust fire prevention expert Jeffrey C. Nichols about combustible wood dust hazards, new regulations, and what shops can do to prevent disaster. Will shares his own thoughts on woodworking fires and tells of his own close brush with a shop fire.
This episode of the Woodworking Network podcast was sponsored by FDMC magazine. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
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Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Welcome to the Woodworking Network Podcast where we explore the business of woodworking and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
This episode is sponsored by FDMC magazine, and don’t forget to take our survey at woodworking network.com/podcast-survey.
Today, we’ll be talking with Jeffrey Nichols about preventing fires and explosions from wood dust, but first I want to provide a personal take and talk about “Wood dust worries.”
As woodworkers, most of us think of wood primarily as a beautiful and versatile building material, but it can also be a means of destruction. Probably the scariest thing that can happen in a woodshop is a fire or dust explosion, and unfortunately, such incidents are not as rare as we would like.
I heat my home in the cold Maine winters with wood heat, so I am intimately acquainted with wood’s fire energy. But throwing a few logs into a sealed wood stove is a lot different than dealing with the potential disaster of fire raging through a woodworking plant. With wood fuel everywhere, such fires are incredibly hard to control and often lead to total destruction of the business. Wood dust can make things even worse, creating a combustible air/fuel mixture that can become literally explosive.
When you turn on a table saw or similar cutting tool, you likely immediately recognize the hazard represented by that spinning, sharp blade. You take appropriate safety measures such as how you feed the stock, safety guards, push sticks, power feeds or the like. In my shop, I invested in a SawStop saw for an extra measure of protection. But when it comes to wood dust, lots of us have been just brushing it aside for years.
Oh, maybe we installed some kind of dust collection for an individual machine, or even a comprehensive collection program for the full shop. Still, when it comes to combustible dust, that might not be nearly enough. The only time I came close to experiencing a wood dust fire first hand was when I was teaching an evening adult-ed woodworking class using a middle school shop in Connecticut. The school’s woodshop was in need of a lot of maintenance. It had an old 10-inch table saw connected to the central dust collection system by some plastic flex tubing that probably was originally intended as dryer ducting. A spark from the table saw instantly ignited the dust in the plastic duct and melted it. Luckily the fire didn’t go any further than that. No one was hurt, the ducting and rickety old saw were replaced.
Still, the experience left a lasting impression, and I know it’s usually not that easy to escape the serious consequences of a woodshop fire. Some of us might be tempted to get lazy about prevention and dealing with combustible dust issues, but don’t do it. You don’t want to be standing outside the shop with the fire department watching your life’s work go up in flames.
I suppose that means it’s time to talk to a real expert, but before we bring Jeff Nichols on, let’s pause for a word from our sponsor. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.