DANGEROUS Situation - Shop Vac in Reloading room

B

bobznew1

New member
For some time now I've been threatening to do some cleaning in my basement, which also doubles as a reloading room (and sometimes a woodworking shop - I have a table saw, belt sanders, all the stuff needed to create lots of sawdust and wood shavings, hence the need for the cleaning). It's been really dirty for some time. I typically have to wade through wood shavings and a bit of sawdust on the way to my reloading bench which is on the other side of the basement (and a long ways away) from the woodworking equipment. The basement has been so dirty in fact that my wife has plainly stated that she will not go down there, for any reason.

I have a 6HP shop vac which I've connected via vacuum hoses to another 20 gallon industrial container with a "Dust Deputy" cyclone mounted to the top. The purpose of this second container is to take the dust load off of the main vacuum. It works like a gem. When I built the setup though, I didn't ground the Dust Deputy with a grounding wire, as has been suggested. So when I'm cleaning, there is often an electrostatic cling inside the cyclone. It usually dissipates quickly once turning the vacuum off.

The other night I started vacuuming the floor. I vacuumed every single piece of wood fiber, sawdust, shavings, etc. that was on the floor. I was pleased with my progress - my setup was working as designed, with the second container catching 99% of the matter, keeping the main vacuum clean. I only had to stop vacuuming a couple of times when a large piece of wood would enter the Dust Deputy and start knocking around. The electrostatic cling didn't seem to be causing too much of a problem other than a little sawdust clinging to the inside of the cyclone.

After finishing the vacuuming, I took a look at the floor, which was now absolutely spotless. I was truly proud of myself for finally doing what I have procrastinated doing for so long. I then took a look at my vacuum system, which had performed without a hitch. It was then that I realized the inherent danger in what I had just done; and when the thought came to mind I was truly horrified at my thoughtlessness, and I cringed as I thought about the likely outcome:

Now that the basement floor is clean, it is quite possible that my wife will now go down there and see, for the first time, all of the reloading supplies that I've spent money on, and then ask just how much it all cost.

How could I be so stupid???
 
It's the reason for owning a big gun safe or one of those flammable liquids cabinets or something else that keeps things "out of sight and out of mind". You can also buy boxes and label them "Sam's Stuff" and "Oliver's Stuff" and "John's Stuff" and so on, and put your supplies in there and keep them in a corner. The fact you are referring to Sam Colt, Oliver Winchester, and, of course, John Browning need not to be explained.
 
Owwww!!!!
Coffee through the nose!!! It burns!!!

My wife also asks me how much money i have invested in guns and reloading supplies and equipment. My response is, and always shall be that i will not tell her. Simply to avoid the ensuing fight/ argument that is sure to accompany it.

I do need a gun safe though.
She may not know what rifle is what, but she sure knows how to count!
 
Once I figured out I'd been had....I got to thinking,there may be enough joke to circle like a boomerang;
I don't know about the static in an ungrounded vacuum,but I have experienced being struck by small lightning bolts at the sandblaster booth.
I don't know if those could make enough heat to ignite the oxygenated wood dust in a vacuum,but if they did things might get interesting real fast.
Of course,any Blue Dot,Bullseye,Nitro 100,etc would add to the fun.

Which brings to mind a time I discovered a shop fire before any damage was done,just some smoke.
There are those who just cannot stand to let a nice,new band saw blade last more than a day.We had a dual range high speed band saw that was being heavily used for wood.It needed cleaning.
Enter the electrician with a piece of steel conduit.He "friction cut" the conduit,which makes sparks.(And is hard on a 6TPI skip tooth blade)That saw smoldered for hours before my "something is burning" nose alarm went off.

This next thought probably does not apply,odds are your vacuum turbine blades only see filtered air...but on Mom's old Kirby,everything went through the turbine. Mom used to get cranky when she'd vacuum up a CCI Magnum Rifle Primer.(Approaching 50 yrs ago)
 
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The only dumb thing you did was telling her that you did it. That can have undesirable repercussions on multiple levels. :eek:
 
I have to admit, I have bought and “sneaked in” reloading supplies, as well as, firearms bought without mentioning it to my wife. Just when I thought, I don’t need anything more, then something comes along that I see and cannot resist.


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Cowards! You just have to learn to live with no fear.

I run it straight up. I call myself a risk taker.

You might as well be in trouble for something you did as being in trouble for something she thinks you did.

There is nothing to fear but fear itself.
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Thank you FDR.

Damn the Torpedoes (mines) and full speed ahead!
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Reminds me of a story told by the owner of gun shop about a preacher who bought a used shotgun and didn't want to tell his wife. He was trying to figure out a way to get it home without her knowing. On the drive home he decided he couldn't lie to his wife and decided to simply walk in with the shotgun and tell the truth. When he walked in the door his wife saw him with the shotgun and asked, "Honey, did you kill anything?". He simply said no; and continued to the gun safe.
 
And here I was, reading the title, and thinking you vacuumed up a live primer or two! :eek: Let me tell you THAT can be an ...entertaining .. experience! :rolleyes:

My current wife (and I say current because we've only been married 38 years :rolleyes:) never asks how much was spent, or on what. (another reason she's my current wife, :D), if she asks at all, she asks "can we afford it?", and if I say yes, then the matter is closed. And, the other side of the coin, if I can't honestly tell her yes, then I don't buy it.

If I had to sneak guns, reloading supplies, or anything else I bought past my wife to keep her from being angry, then to paraphrase an auto insurance commercial, you didn't pick the wrong policy, you picked the wrong wife!:D

Some time back, I bought a pristine looking Luger, when I showed it to my wife, her response wasn't "what do you need that for?" or "how much did that one cost??" She didn't even ask if we could afford it. Her response was "ohh, PRETTY!!"
As far as I'm concerned, she's the "right" wife!
:D
 
^^^^^^^^
I like that comment.....a lot.

My spouse of 48 years and I reached an understanding years ago.

If I buy a firearm and she likes it, it is either her's, or if need be, we go and buy another for Her.

I bought a shotgun to give to a young man that didn't have one and wanted to go hunting. I gave it to him for Christmas a few years ago. I labelled it from me, my wife, and his mother.

Going home, my wife said she really liked that one, so we circle by the store and get another one, for her.

Back in 1976, I bought a Blackhawk in 357. When I got home, it was her's; and life goes on.
 
My wife is welcome to shoot any firearm I own, she usually doesn't want to shoot anything over a 22RF, so I buy a Rf on occasion and keeps the ?'s down to some extent. Of course, she just got a new kitchen renovation so I'm good for a while.
 
I don't open my safes in her presence - for the same reason. She need not see how many guns have "multiplied" since the last time she looked ;)
 
An old friend of mine had a pot belly stove in his garage for heat , one morning he came to work didn't take off his hat , sunglass or his coat . I said why don't you stay for awhile Joe , he said promise you won't laugh , I promised . He told me he through saw dust in his pot belly stove and a huge flame came out , burned all his facial hair and those hair plugs he had put on his head . I looked down for a second , didn't keep my promise and said , you look like Mr Potato Head . He called me a few choice words and stormed off . Lucky for him he learned the hard way , he sure looked funny though .
 
Dufus,
If that were my case, one for me, one for her, that gets real expensive, real fast.

Nick,
They tend to multiply like rabbits in the gunsafe. Or so i've heard.

Luckily my wife will shoot any, and all of my rifles. But the Savage 110FP is hers.
She just doesn't see the "need" for "us" to have as many firearms as "we" do, much less get more.
 
My wife of 40 years doesn't ask about anything but the large purchases, she rarely says anything about them either.
 
I don't have that problem........my wife sews and quilts.......do you have any idea how much a good Bernina costs? How about another one that quilts.

My spending, 2 progressives, 2 single station presses including feeders, bench primers swagers.........pales.......and then there's the weekly trips to fabric stores........I will never get close to catching up just buying components.:D
 
A scary thought is some guys wife selling all his guns and equipment for what he told her he had paid for them.

But jokes aside, my wife knows what I have spent, and doesn't worry about it.
 
I just tell her it's my life insurance policy. Firearms and reloading supplies are only going up in price.
 
std7mag wrote:

Dufus,
If that were my case, one for me, one for her, that gets real expensive, real fast.
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That is why I favor the big bores. She doesn't want anything to do with those, although she has shot my 375 H&H a few times. Standing of course. I usually load some kittykat loads with cast bullets and let her roar with those. Makes her feel proud, and I am proud of her for wanting to. No women have wanted to shoot anything more, and most of them a lot less than that. At least in my family. Most everyone in my family shoot something. Just a few months ago, the oldest grand daughter started shooting the ARs.
 
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