[propane1]

Had a problem with the lgt165 ford today. I heard a snap and It stopped lifting the blower. Into the shop, figured out what was wrong, difficult place to work, figugued out how to fix it, found the stuff to do it, needed to make a 3/8 hole in 1/4 plate where the stud that lifts every thing was. When the stud broke out, if left a small hole throught the plate. So only need a bit more to enlarge it to get the 3/8 bolt in. Difficult place to work, so tried to figure away to drill it. Then thought, I'll use the cutting torch to cut it out, only needed a little bit. So lit the torch, put it up to cut , then instantly the old,oil and grease filled, grass went afire. Tried to blow it out, that was stupid, so it was heading to the plastic gas tank 1/3 full of gas. So ran outside , got some snow and threw it on it. Then crawled under and dug out the rest of the grass on fire and got it out. Burnt two wires. All the time this was happening I was in panic mode and wondered how long do I stay in here before the gas tank melts. And thinking about losing three tractors, my sons 64 rambler , my fathers tools and all the other stuff I have collected.

So please be carefully in your shops.

As olcowhand said, I'll go hide in my corner now. Noel

 

[Traill95]

I have 4 fire extinguishers in my shop, all easy to get to. Every shop should have at least a couple.

 

[Jazz]

cutting the hole then going in house for a beer break would have been disaster,,,staying on the job saved the day!

 

[wvbuzzmaster]

Glad you got the fire extinguished. Good lesson for us all going into the cold season.

 

[petrj6]

Don't beat yourself up to bad, we have all been there and hopefully learned from our mistakes. at least you managed to salvage it and nothing major was hurt. A long time ago when I was young and stupid :smilewink: I cleaned out the wood stove in my fathers garage, well the only thing I could find was a plastic pail------------------------------ so I cleaned the stove and put the ash in the bucket and said to myself "next time I go out I will empty that pail and it will be ok" :wallbanging: Well I worked in that garage all day and forgot then went home for the nite, about 2am I got a really nasty wakeup call by dad beating ion the door ready to kill me the garage was on fire and the fire department was on the way.

When all was said and done I had destroyed 3 chainsaws, really badly damaged a truck I had in there and lost the sled I had been working on all day. and really pissed my dad off!!!!!!!

Pete

 

[boyscout862]

Glad that you are okay. Chaulk it up to"the hurrier I work, the behinder I get". You were lucky, maybe you should by a lottery ticket. Good Luck, Rick

 

[Chopperhed]

A year or so ago I had to write a training manual detailing the setup use and safety on the oxy acetylene torch, complete with exam.
It's one of the most dangerous tools in a shop. The kids we were getting had never seen a shop class.

I've been there and done that, I actually set an old oil filled trench sump on fire once years ago.
I dropped a red hot nut I'd just cut off. And in true ******* fashion, I've set myself on fire a few times too.

 

[KennyP]

Been there, done that! Don't beat yourself up too bad! It's a learning experience! Bet you won't do that again!

 

[Chopperhed]

Been there, done that! Don't beat yourself up too bad! It's a learning experience! Bet you won't do that again!

True, but I still set myself on fire once in a while. I haven't set anything else on fire in weeks.

I always have a supply of sand, water, and several fire extinguishers. I do a lot of steel work, and that requires sparks. I pay attention to where my sparks go.

Unfortunately, cutting and grinding on a bench burns holes in my hoodies/shirt at a rate that can be expensive. I go through a dozen a year.

 

[Rock farmer]

I know that repair.
Did it myself.
Does not last for long.
The bolt will loosen up and fall out again.
It wasn't a bolt to begin with.
It was a welded on stud.
That's why you feel the need to drill the hole.
I was fortunate to have a parts tractor with a spare.
Still, it was a big job to get it out and the new one in!

Joe

 

[Jazz]

Chopperhed is dead right. Unless a person is trained in proper use, safe handling and storage of acetylene little else in your shop is as dangerous and lethal. I use torches very little anymore and switched to oxygen/propane. It gets the job done.

Shop fires usually happen after the person has left the garage. .many times the result of welding/grinding slag,,an ember that slowly turns your shop into a roman candle.. I always stay in shop for at least half hour after grinding or welding indoors.

 

[propane1]

Very true joe, but at least it will be a simple repair next time, with out the use of torches. Noel.

 

[Little Irish Men]

bin there done that , that's way I have 2 fire extinguishers in my shop . One on each end . And like we all said Thank god you are not hurt or worst a tractor get hurt .

Patrick.

 

[MH81]

We have two extinguishers and a couple jugs of sand... In a pinch kitty litter even.
Usually a little water out there, but in the winter, it's to hard to use.

 

[glgrumpy]

I know a repairman that no longer starts new or worked on engines in his garage. Takes them all outside for first start. He had an incident that almost lost his garage in a tractor fire on start-up try. Yep, torch makes sparks, slag, dumb aiming and burnt clothing and hands if no gloves when handling the worked on part, heh! Welding and grinding almost same issues if a big job.

 

[TomLGT195]

Glad everything turned out okay.

 

[637Yeoman]

I would recomend a fire extinguisher oke: Glad your okay though...

 

[chieffan]

Believe it or not I set a garbage can full of water on fire one time. A guy gave me an old champion out board motor I was trying to get running. Was not having any luck to see if I had spark pulling the wind up rope. I put a 1/2" drill on the rope wind cup and squeezed the trigger on the drill. Yep, I had spark all right. The engine was flooded and gas had run all over the back and down onto the water. Everything was in flames and this was inside a 5 bay garage. I don't know how much a 32 gallon steel garbage can with a boat motor weighs but I drug that out through the overhead door like it was nothing. Saved the motor but had to fiberglass the tank together as gaskets were NLA.

 

[dodge trucker]

yup count me into the been there done that club.... not involving a gt though. couple push mowers that I flooded and then went to check for spark over the years, fortunately those were outside.

but back about 25 years ago, when my Father in-law was still alive and he had his own business in an industrial area, I had been given an old station wagon as payment for work that I did on another car. the car needed exhaust, I had a buyer if I could fix the exhaust, so I asked if I could do it at his shop (not an automotive place, he did train locomotive work) one weekend.

Well I didn't consider that something combustible may be sitting right on the topside of that floor pan..

Talk about racing chest mine sure was... yikes!!! I did get it extinguished before anything but the car itself got damaged and before the gas tank blew, but wow... that was scary....

 

[637Yeoman]

Believe it or not I set a garbage can full of water on fire one time. A guy gave me an old champion out board motor I was trying to get running. Was not having any luck to see if I had spark pulling the wind up rope. I put a 1/2" drill on the rope wind cup and squeezed the trigger on the drill. Yep, I had spark all right. The engine was flooded and gas had run all over the back and down onto the water. Everything was in flames and this was inside a 5 bay garage. I don't know how much a 32 gallon steel garbage can with a boat motor weighs but I drug that out through the overhead door like it was nothing. Saved the motor but had to fiberglass the tank together as gaskets were NLA.

One would think you were trying to set it on fire. oke: Just goes to show yah anything can happen