Safety Warning - Sanding Aluminum & Rusty Steel

[Fred Munro]

    Just read an accident report which I thought I'd bring to the list's
attention, since a lot of us do our own work. Even though I know what
thermite is, this probably wouldn't have occurred to me, and I know I have
left aluminium filings laying around on my belt sander.
    First of all, thermite is a mixture of aluminium powder and iron oxide
(rust). When ignited, it burns fiercely, producing aluminium oxide and
molten iron. It was used to weld railroad track rails in situ, amongst other
less savoury uses involving much human suffering.
    Anyhow, on to the accident. Dad had a vertical belt sander he used for
metal working. Son uses said sander to sand a piece of aluminium, loading
the belt with aluminium and leaving a pile of aluminium filings on the belt
table. Along comes dad, using the sander to clean up a rusty piece of angle
iron. An intense 2 foot diameter white hot fireball blossoms and quickly
disappears, leaving behind a cloud of dense white smoke. It also leaves dad
bereft of his hair and moustache and with third degree burns to his hands
and arms. Because he was wearing safety goggles (Igor take note!) he kept
his eyesight.
Be careful, it's a dangerous world out there!

Fred Munro
'94 S4