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Posted by: Tdskip Jun 14 2021, 07:51 PM

OK, slight exaggeration but seems worth passing along as a cautionary tale. I was working on touching up some welding on the 1958 750 Sprint and the next thing I noticed the front side yard was on fire.

Apparently a spark from the grinding disc flew about 20 feet up over one of the other cars in the driveway and ignited some dry brush. Oops.

Fortunately I caught it pretty quickly and was able to put it out with a hose. Fire Department came much to my relief (and the neighbors I am sure). I am mortified and embarrassed but there is a lesson in there somewhere beyond don’t buy a rusty Alfa.

Posted by: Tdskip Jun 14 2021, 07:52 PM

I have to say it wouldn’t of thought that a spark would’ve traveled that far with enough heat to ignite brush, a bit scary how easily things go up in flames. Makes wildfires easier to comprehend.

Posted by: bkrantz Jun 14 2021, 08:52 PM

Glad you got lucky. I think I can recall two brush fires started in this area in the past few years started (unintentionally) by guys out welding. But in both cases the sparks from grinding were the problem, not from actually welding.

Posted by: Front yard mechanic Jun 14 2021, 08:55 PM

I would blame it on the Italians

Posted by: Tdskip Jun 14 2021, 08:57 PM

Wow, more common that I ever would have guessed. Pretty eye opening how quickly it started to grow.

Posted by: Tdskip Jun 14 2021, 08:58 PM

Always causing trouble, aren’t they?

Posted by: wonkipop Jun 15 2021, 04:35 AM

+ russian steel.

you get chucked in jail and they throw away the keys for starting fires like this in summer in aus. no bar b ques, naked flames etc, or the whole sh%tshow burns down. :
it does happen and when it does..... run ----------

Posted by: Tdskip Jun 15 2021, 07:26 AM

I posted this thread over on Pelican on the 911 section as a cautionary tale and apparently there were some bad fires in Colorado over the past couple of years started by hobbyists using a grinder. Yikes.

Posted by: Root_Werks Jun 15 2021, 09:00 AM

You may get some angry posts from folks on a soap box. Bottom line is yes, you got lucky and learned from it. Metal embers can travel something crazy like 100ft and still burn. Something like that.

If it was me, I would probably be saying WHEW! Then go hit the pub.

Posted by: windforfun Jun 15 2021, 09:40 AM

Now maybe you'll finally quit smoking.

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Jun 15 2021, 09:41 AM

Glad you—and everyone and everything—are okay.

We just had a 2-3 acre fire get going in the hills that they nipped before it got past 5 acres. Service truck (probably gov't) that parked with hot catalysts on dry grass. And consider the fires up by Redding, sparked when a trailer tire went flat and the steel wheel sparked against the pavement. Family driving it had no idea…

So it really doesn't take much.

Oddly, we can no longer wash our cars at home anymore due to the current drought, but there has been no messaging whatsoever about risks from grinding at home and other easy ways to spark a fire. A neighbor recently parked their low car across the dead grass in front of their house. Mulled whether to say anything or not, as I've seen two cars burn to the ground that way.

Posted by: Mark Henry Jun 15 2021, 09:55 AM

25 years ago I almost burned down the neighborhood.
Now I will only weld inside my shop which is steel sided inside and out.

Posted by: 73-914 Jun 15 2021, 10:04 AM

Posted by: mepstein Jun 15 2021, 10:26 AM

We live in the woods but it’s been so wet here, I couldn’t start a fire if I tried.

Posted by: horizontally-opposed Jun 15 2021, 01:17 PM

Send our way, bitte!

Posted by: windforfun Jun 15 2021, 04:57 PM

Posted by: wonkipop Jun 18 2021, 05:01 AM

don't get me wrong.
got no soapbox,

just saying.....when it goes it goes.
and down here in aus this has been going on for 50,000 years.
but the blackfellas know how to keep it under their command.
fire stick farming is i think the historical tern.

but i think california looks like its going australian way - where the fire knowledge gets lost, -------or like here with the whitefellas was never there.
you don't want to let one of these fires get out and get out of control.

but as you say, if you survive it, down to the pub and ......phew.

Posted by: Shivers Jun 19 2021, 07:11 AM

I was welding on my old Kubota, being in the desert I was on sand. The one weed close to me ignited. Amazing how fast you can move when fire is the inspiration. Glad you caught it.

Posted by: Tdskip Jun 19 2021, 07:47 AM

I think I did indeed set a land speed record for quickest dash to the garden hose that afternoon.

Posted by: PCH Jun 19 2021, 04:14 PM

Did you have a nozzle on the hose end?