Saw Storage - Decompression Button Question

Yes, a heck of an experience to have a fire, but I got right on it with 2-3 weeks of long days to repair the damage and be able to get back to work. Had to rewire part of the shop aa well. Just thankful that the whole place didn't go up. Another minute or two being away and that would have been the result. I had it about out when the fire department arrived, and there was no stopping them from flooding the place. Lots of rust to clean up, but the machinery motors survived and hand tools. My sharpening stones all disintegrated from the heat and I lost a lot of jigs for making pieces of furniture. Guess I'll be looking for a used 880 to put in the piston and cylinder from the burned up one, I'm assuming that they might be ok. I'd post a photo of it, but it's just sad.
 
Thanks, Pete, it was for a few days, really got me down...shock really. I figured the best thing was to try and act quick to put it behind. When some fire department guys came by that night at 11PM to check on the place, i was already in there starting to clean up by flashlight. Some realisations too, lessons I guess could be said. Being able to get back to work in the shop was a very sweet feeling. I'd been slacking it a bit up until the fire hit, but getting to work early again these days and feeling thankful. Made some needed improvements on both the shop and myself.
 
The heat was so intense under the steel girders and slate roof that the plastic ducts for my dust system all the way at the other end of the shop melted. Miraculously nothing over at that end caught fire, though wood in every direction and machines close by. Counting my blessings, but it has made me nervous about fire. Never had the place so clean in years.
 
Shop fires are very sad as there is always stuff that can't be replaced.
Sad to hear.

Do you know cause?

I replaced all cables when I built it 2003-2005. Central and cable in as well.
 
Magnus, heat at an electrical circuit connection is the cause that is pointed to. Something sparked before the breaker tripped. The fire department was very through, must have spent a good two hours looking over the wires in the corner where the thing started. They came back the next day to do it again. I could tell that they had done that before. The cops took away some ash samples to look for possible arson remnants, but they came back negative, as I was sure that they would. One of the fire department guys told me that they run across a lot of fires started from loose wires at breakers or electrical outlets where there is dust. Something to be cautious about, periodically blowing away dost where there are electrical connections. There is no end to the fine dust that settles on everything in a wood shop.
 
One of the fire department guys told me that they run across a lot of fires started from loose wires at breakers or electrical outlets where there is dust. Something to be cautious about, periodically blowing away dost where there are electrical connections.

Good info, thanks.
 
Thanks, Steve. Some folks really helped me out. Two brothers I know hauled away all my burned wood and stuff, said they would finish it off in a rice field. An architect brought by a real nice back door that I cut cut down to fit, better than what was on there before that burned up. My neighbour gave me a bunch of planking for the part of floor that I had to replace. Lots of help here and there that people contributed, even a large bottle of sake from a guy down the road. The post master at our little local office stuck his head in and handed me an envelope with a hundred dollars in it. Too nice for words really, I felt like a fool just saying thanks. My wife wrote everyone a letter.
 
Obviously you're well regarded in the community Jay, glad to hear the bright side of things.
 
I think people mean different things by DROP START.

I call that a roll start, Willie. It rests on a log that can take being cut on.

A drop start holding the wrap handle is one thing.

A drop start squeezing the trigger, holding it off the ground by one hand on the pistol grip and the other on the starter cord, is another beast all together.

I haven't got.through the rest of this thread, but I was talking to our industry WA LNI safety consultant about drop starting, and he said it isn't drop starting if part of the saw stays on the ground or a log, such as bar tip on log, drop powerhead for momentum. I'm sure he would want the chain locked.

I almost always leg lock to start a rear handle saw, if I don't its probably the 660 with the 50" bar which is not exceptionally hard to start especially with decompression, but it is quite tip heavy.
 
Glad it is working out, Jay...sounds like you have good neighbors there. Thanks for the tip on the dust and electrical connections.
 
Wow Jay, bad as it sounds I'm so glad to hear it wasn't worse. What a fantastic showing of community, all the neighbours/people helping out. I had noticed your absence of late and had wondered if something was up.

I had a small electrical almost fire the first year I moved into my new place here(five years ago). Shoddy wiring and mice in an outside electrical box(meant for indoor use) on a pole beside my shop was the culprit.
 
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