Fire In The Hole

[ScollSaw Slasher]

Here's a chuckle!  Just got finished cutting Steve Good's firetruck word art pattern from a few months ago. Was doing a little sanding etc when I noticed a wisp of smoke. Did a quick perusal of the garage and nothing. About a minute later, even more smoke and the smell of burning plastic. Then noted that my control section of my scroll saw was the source even though it was turned off. Immediately unplugged, but the smoke was still coming forth. Now get this one guys and gals. My magnifying light unit was perfectly lined up with the setting sun through the open garage door. This was the source of heat to start my saw a burning (not my bad cutting). Moved the magnifier and the melting and smoke stopped. Just a little warped plastic and the saw still works because the generated heat didn't reach the internal wiring and switches. Weird that this happened when cutting a firetruck. And brings back memories of when I was a silly kid and we would fry ants with a magnifying glass.

[lawson56]

Yea it does bring back memories, Glad it didn't reach the inside and fry your wires.

[Tomanydogs]

Glad you caught it.. Good thing you were in the garage to stop it.  I had the same thing with a x7 magnifier mirror in the bathroom. Bathroom filled with smoke, good thing I was home.  

[RabidAlien]

Good catch!

[meflick]

Glad you figured it out.  I have read about this being a possibility but your's is the first I have heard it actually happened.  Good reminder for all of us to make sure our magnifier lights are covered or blinds are closed when leaving the shop! Thanks for sharing.

[Scrappile]

Ha, so that is what the covers were for that WERE on each of my mag lights!!!  I thought they were dust covers you flip down to keep dust off the lens when not in use....... I removed them because they bothered me......

[stoney]

1 minute ago, Scrappile said:

Ha, so that is what the covers were for that WERE on each of my mag lights!!!  I thought they were dust covers you flip down to keep dust off the lens when not in use....... I removed them because they bothered me......

Yea Paul if your magnifier lights are anywhere near an east, west, or south window it would probably be a good idea to put the covers back on.   

[Scrappile]

This is good to know. I am okay with my current set up, but I have to keep it in mind if I rearrange the shop or move to a new one.... The covers are long gone....

By the way @ScollSaw Slasher, glad you caught it in time... And thanks for the education.

Edited December 7, 2018 by Scrappile

[OCtoolguy]

A very good reminder to everybody. I got tired of my lens cover falling forward so I put a mini bungy cord on it to keep it up. That was on my Dewalt which sits next to a south facing window. I did notice one day that the sun was being magnified a bit on the hard board cover that I put on my table top to keep it from rusting. I took the bungy cord off and let the lens cover do it' s job.

 

[WayneMahler]

Glad you were still in the shop and found the source. Could have been disastrous otherwise.

[Rockytime]

Ah yes, frying ants. I remember those days as a kid. More fun than video games. My mag light always has the lid down. 5X is too strong for me. I'm sure glad the damage was minimal!

[Fab4]

Hi Blake:
Do you believe in Karma
When you frying those little ant butts, they were all screaming
"We'll pay you back someday you (insert inappropriate word of choice here)
Thanks for letting us know
Just imagine, if you were cutting the Towering Inferno...
Fab4

Edited December 7, 2018 by Fab4
correct spelling

[JAC1961]

Wow, that's pretty scary. Glad the damage wasn't any worse.

The thing that always cracks me up is if you were trying to do that, you wouldn't be able to in a month of Sundays.