Today, I was doing some cutting on acrylic and I had applied masking tape to the bottom face to prevent scorching on the acrylic surface from any flames (the irony).
Well, the loose tape ended up catching fire, apparently, because when I turned around and looked inside there were noticeable flames in there and they were not the little ones you get right beside the cutting beam!
Fortunately, the spray bottle was handy so I opened the lid and sprayed it down and even salvaged my material, but I’m now aware that fires do happen from time to time and they aren’t just folklore from the LCC to scare new recruits.
Here’s a reminder for everyone:
- Know where your spray bottle is and make sure it has water in it before starting a cut.
- Do not walk away from the cutter or zone out on your phone/laptop while a cut is going on.
- Be aware of any loose fibers, tape, or other flammable stuff that can light up if a flame touches it, and remove any excess if you can.