• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Paul May for "Checkerboard (ver 3.0)" being selected as Turning of the Week for March 25, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Potential fire with Moffat lamp

Joined
Nov 8, 2006
Messages
27
Likes
0
Location
Stillwater, MN
I was rough turning a lot of silver maple this week, and generating huge amounts of long curly shavings. Of course they were flying in all directions, and some made it into the lamp. At some point I began to smell charring wood, then actual smoke. I jiggled the lamp and charred chips, some with glowing red ends dropped onto the lathe ways, and some no doubt into the chip pile below.
I grabbed my water sprayer and wet things down, so no major problem, but this was a first for me.
I have had dust on the bulbs of various lamps brown up, but these shavings were BURNING! It was a wake up call for me to blow out the lamp, including between the metal heat shield and the plastic housing, more frequently, and be aware just where those chips and shavings are going.
Just a word to the wise.
 

john lucas

AAW Forum Expert
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
8,322
Likes
3,577
Location
Cookeville, TN
What size lamp do you have in there. I believe I have 100 watt but would have to look. I've had shavings kind of smoke but never actually char. Of course you could easily switch to the new CF bulbs but personally I don't like the color they put out.
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
5,436
Likes
2,792
Location
Eugene, OR
I have developed the regular habit of blowing out my lamp. I have smelled charring before. Now, I use the curly flourescent lamps in them. Not nearly as much heat. I also make sure the elbow lamps are blown out as well. I do get chips in the top of the lamp.
robo hippy
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
317
Likes
115
Location
Montgomery, TX
Website
www.gulfcoastwoodturners.org
Not a Moffatt Problem

In my opinion, this is not a problem unique to Moffatt light fixtures. It could be a problem with any lighting fixture with a hood on it where wood shavings could get trapped.

So, while shavings trapped around a bulb in a light fixture may be a problem, let's not be led to the false conclusion that the problem is unique to Moffatt lights. - John
 
Joined
May 14, 2005
Messages
75
Likes
0
Location
Kennebunkport, Maine, USA
Website
www.mainebowls.com
Detector

Bob, a similar thing happened to me, only I also saw the smoke coming from an ember in the shavings on the floor. Whew!!!! Doused with water and averted a catastrophe. My 'studio shop' is in the basement below the house. I have a very sensitive smoke alarm directly above the lathe. Even burning one ring with a wire will set it off. That's why I'll never do a turning just before bedtime.

Hope your thread helps some others to also be as 'lucky'.
 
Joined
May 16, 2005
Messages
3,540
Likes
15
In my opinion, this is not a problem unique to Moffatt light fixtures. It could be a problem with any lighting fixture with a hood on it where wood shavings could get trapped.

So, while shavings trapped around a bulb in a light fixture may be a problem, let's not be led to the false conclusion that the problem is unique to Moffatt lights. - John

Not even unique to close-in lights. Sanding dust has a tendency to find lightbulbs at a distance, which is where I put mine. Keep that DC working for you and maybe even give up a bit of that compressed air once in a while. If you're flinging shavings, might want to consider another tool angle so you can let them fall in a more orderly fashion.

The CFLs are available at various color temperatures, for their critics. Not on the discount counter at Wally World, but a decent home center ought to have options. Nice white exterior will show dust well, so they might encourage cleanliness, or at least some attention.
 
Joined
Nov 14, 2005
Messages
47
Likes
2
Location
Juneau Alaska
My wife uses the moffat lamp on her loom and we recently put a Light emitting diode bulb from Costco into it -- use only a few watts and provides her with better light than the compact flouresent. The bulb was about 12 bucks but the low low energy make is look attractive --

I am going to get a couple and try them with the lathe.

Never will be enough heat to cause a fire
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
317
Likes
115
Location
Montgomery, TX
Website
www.gulfcoastwoodturners.org
GE Energy Smart

The problem with high watt compact flourescent bulbs is that they are too large to allow use of the bulb guard on the Moffatt light. The GE energy smart compact flourescent bulb, daylight 6500K, 100 watt, #73444, light output = 1570 lumens, is smaller than most 100 watt compact flourescent bulbs. The bulb guard can be used with this GE compact flourescent light. I found these at Wal-Mart.

I use two Moffatt lights to illuminate the work area of my lathe. Since the 100 watt compact flourescent bulb only consumes 26 watts of power, it is much cooler around my lathe than it was when I used 100 watt bulbs consuming 100 watts of power. - John
 
Back
Top