Don't weld when too close to garbage can

[cruiserpilot]

So I'm welding the freespool lever on my new winch in the shop, got the mask on, concentrating on
precise little spot welds. Then I smell smoke, toxic smoke, damn - garbage can is on fire!!

I rolled my welding table over to one side for the space today, puts the vice right next to the
can. About 2 ft away. Anyways, safety first, always be aware!

This is in humour cause no one got hurt, not the first time I've started a welding fire. At least it
wasn't my clothes, with me in them like last time!

 

[GTSSportCoupe]

Glad everything worked out ok. I started a straw broom on fire welding before; scared me a bit. I've been very conscious about it since then.

 

[asutherland]

Pics!!!!

 

[cruiserpilot]

Too busy to take pics. Wish I had actually. I will take some tomorrow of winch install. 1/8" from the bottom of the rear
crossmember to the top of the freespool lever. I originally fitted a Warn M6000, and now have a Runva 11000, and it's
all of 3/8" bigger, and that is being a real pain in the ass.

 

[seapotato]

I had a shirt catch fire on me once....Ripped it off, threw it on the ground, stomped it out...damn thing kept smouldering and catching fire again...could NOT get it to stop

actually had to use the hose on it, and threw the soggy remnants away...

Fast forward 3 months, welding in the driveway under a truck, when my arm starts getting warm...seems a scrap of that old shirt was still buried in the gravel and had caught fire from a spark.

Dunno wtf that shirt was made of, but it was un-freakin-believable how easily it caught fire with a spark.

Course now I'm paranoid, haven't made a spark in the shop in over a year. Something to do with all the red and yellow cedar...