Fire In The Table Saw

[cabinetman]

DC's were first considered a vanity that were for wimps who couldn't live with a little dust. Ignorance prompted the reaction to DC's like "Dust?", "Hell, this is heavy sawdust". After some serious cutting within minutes, smoke came billowing out of the base of the Unisaw, and a formidable fire was generated in sawdust that was about 6-8 inches deep. A little spark from something. After putting it out, the only real damage was that some of the insulation had burned off the wires that hang down in there. That little fire drill was enough to purchase a DC. My first DC was basically a shop vac and hose. That was quickly replaced by a four bagger. That was quickly replaced by a central system with a large hopper. Used PVC in different diameters with blastgates to maximize airflow. Eventually solved the "static electricity" problem.

[Peter M]

That too happened to me, once. I was ripping a piece of 2.75" maple on my old benchtop, so that meant that most of the dry dull blade was being used and I didn't give much thought to the smoke billowing out. After I turned off the saw and turned my attention elsewhere, I saw that the smoke just kept on coming out of the table top. Having started campfires with the caveman "bow & drill" friction method, I quickly figured out what had happened. Now, with a much better contractor saw, I take care to keep my blade clean, sharp and lubed up.

It does raise a warning, though - if you have a dull dry blade that creates a friction spark, think what might happen if it gets sucked into your DC and lands in a nice pile of sawdust?

[cabinetman]

I really don't know if it was a dry blade problem or hit something in the wood. I have found all sorts of stuff in wood. One of the most interesting was a lead wad from maybe a 38 cal.