A bit of unnecessary excitement today. Routing out a pattern, and
lunched the bearing on the router bit. No biggie, was about to just
call it quits for the day, and head back into the house. Then
remembered I had most of a cup of coffee left, and decided to sit and
finish it.

I had smelled something like smoke when I shut the router off, but
figured the neighbors were burning something again. Then saw what
looked like a little whisp of smoke. Looked again, nothing. Then
another. Couldn't see anything smoking. But, then finally looked
higher, then on a shelf was an old master, with some sawdust on the end.
And a black spot on the sawdust. And, a very thin stream of smoke.
Apparently the bid had tossed a hot piece of something when it died.
Had a bottle of water, for cleaning brushes, and proceeded to use some.
And, some more on a black spot I saw below where the master was. Just
in case. Sat for awhile looking for more smoke, but didn't see any.
And, again after I went to town and back.

I don't know what would have happened if I had came back in the
house. It could have gone out. It could have smouldered until I went
back out. It could have blazed up. I don't have a huge amount invested
in the shop and tools. Maybe $2,000 would replace shop and all, maybe a
bit more. But, $2,000 you don't have now, and probably won't for a long
time is a lot bigger than $2,000 you've got in the bank.

So, I'm wondering about a smoke alarm in the shop. I'd have to
have a battery operated, and the cold would sap the battery. No prob
about that, I could just check it every time I went out.

And, I probably won't be able to hear it inside the house. No prob
there, the noise would probably set the dog to barking, and I'd wind up
opening the door to holler at the dog, and hear the alarm.

But, then I got to thinking, all the dust in the shop would either
set the alarm off all the time, or kill it entirely. So, I'm wondering
if any of you have an alarm in your shop, and how do you get around the
dust problem?

The only thing that immediately pops into my mind, is make a cover
of some sort for it. Down side would be I'd probably forget to take the
cover off some time or another.

Next thing was keep it in a box when I was working. Basically
same, probably forget to take it out of the box.

The best thought so far, is make a box for it, paint it red, label
it SMOKE ALARM, and hang it right in front of the door, so it'll be very
hard to miss or forget. Then I could take it out of the box, and hang
it somewhere, maybe on the box itself.

That, and get a pump sprayer of some type to keep in the shop.
Maybe one of those little 2-5 gallon garden type sprayers, pressurized
with a hand pum. I've seen the smaller ones for arount $5.

Any successful thoughts?

JOAT
People think that professional soldiers think a lot about fighting, but
serious professional soldiers think a lot more about food and a warm
place to sleep, because these are two things that are generally hard to
get, whereas fighting tends to turn up all the time.
- General Friit

Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 30 Nov 2003.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofal...OMETUNESILIKE/