WES 4 Posted April 5, 2009 I'm putting this under hot work because thats when I first started feeling sick in the head! An empty fuel tank, and an empty wallet found me working in a very cold shop yesterday when I lit up the propane forge in my 16x24 shop, cold enough to feel the need to keep the windows and door closed without even thinking about it, and after an hour and a half of forging out some decorative stuff I felt exhausted and wishywashy in the head. went in for lunch, and then back out to the projects I was working on when I found mself not being able to keep a straight line of thinking and I guess my wife came home and coersed me into the car an took me to the emergency room thinking I had a stroke or something. Well after running a few test It was determined that the carbon monoxide got me bad, close to 30% level in my blood,. So I spent 4 hours on 100% oxygen to get me down to 5% CO and was then sent home with a raging headache. This morning found me still a little grogy but able to function and feel really embarassed. So watch out this winter and spring with the enclosed shops. CO poisening is NO fun! WES Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Stephens 308 Posted April 5, 2009 Wes, Ouch! That was a close one. I keep a Carbon Monoxide detector in my shop. Even though I open the garage door all the way when I'm forging, I'm a little paranoid about that stuff. You can pick them up for under $10. Cheap insurance. I'm glad everything turned out okay! --Dave Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cwilliams 0 Posted April 5, 2009 Really close call Wes, glad you came out OK. I agree I also have a carbon monoxide detector, cant be too safe these days. Chris Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
B Finnigan 5 Posted April 5, 2009 Thanks for posting your experience here. My wife and I got CO poisoning from a kerosene heater so I know how sneaky and insidious it is. I am very happy to hear that it was caught in time and that you are OK. It needs to be discussed much more on the forums then it is. Instead everyone gets hung up parroting the infamous zinc fume fever. Being pulled back into reality is good for everyone. Get well! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Ouellette 4 Posted April 5, 2009 I'm glad to hear that you're alright. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WES 4 Posted April 5, 2009 Thanks guys! and I mean that. I'm uasually always careful about everything I do in my work, and I have no excuses. It's very hard for me , when you stand 6'4 and weight 320 and are in pretty good shape, to think something like this could put you down, but it will sure humble you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dee 1 Posted April 5, 2009 it doesnt take too much to be beaten by science somedays. im glad that you listened to your wife and that things came around in the end. i agree that everyone needs to be careful of this kind of thing. we need more bladesmiths in the world, not less. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brian Madigan 13 Posted May 8, 2009 That was close. The first thing I think of now when I feel unusually tired or groggy is CO poisoning. I had a detector, but then found out my brother was disabling it to run his wood stove in the winter!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alan Longmire 1,790 Posted May 8, 2009 If you ever see me in person, ask me about the "Body Farm" as described in Patricia Cornwell's novel of the same name. I was a grad student at the eponymous institution while she was writing it and went on a few cleaning parties to retrieve the bones, etc. Suffice it to say if you care what kind of corpse you leave, CO poisoning will not make a pretty one. You end up dark purple and you don't quite decompose the same as you would otherwise. That's enough for this forum, in person and in person ONLY I can elaborate. It will cost you decent Scotch and a strong stomach. Be careful with carbon monoxide, folks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chele 0 Posted September 7, 2009 I'm putting this under hot work because thats when I first started feeling sick in the head! An empty fuel tank, and an empty wallet found me working in a very cold shop yesterday when I lit up the propane forge in my 16x24 shop, cold enough to feel the need to keep the windows and door closed without even thinking about it, and after an hour and a half of forging out some decorative stuff I felt exhausted and wishywashy in the head. went in for lunch, and then back out to the projects I was working on when I found mself not being able to keep a straight line of thinking and I guess my wife came home and coersed me into the car an took me to the emergency room thinking I had a stroke or something. Well after running a few test It was determined that the carbon monoxide got me bad, close to 30% level in my blood,. So I spent 4 hours on 100% oxygen to get me down to 5% CO and was then sent home with a raging headache. This morning found me still a little grogy but able to function and feel really embarassed. So watch out this winter and spring with the enclosed shops. CO poisening is NO fun! WES Hello Glad your ok..I use a fan to blow the heavy propane fumes out the door as its very heavy and will stay still.CD I worry about but exsposion more. Chele BladeSmith Black Dragon Forge Mountain City TN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DGentile 3 Posted June 11, 2012 If you ever see me in person, ask me about the "Body Farm" as described in Patricia Cornwell's novel of the same name. I was a grad student at the eponymous institution while she was writing it and went on a few cleaning parties to retrieve the bones, etc. Suffice it to say if you care what kind of corpse you leave, CO poisoning will not make a pretty one. You end up dark purple and you don't quite decompose the same as you would otherwise. That's enough for this forum, in person and in person ONLY I can elaborate. It will cost you decent Scotch and a strong stomach. Be careful with carbon monoxide, folks. I've seen my share of death... but never one from CO... sounds nasty enough... I would buy you a scotch, but not to hear that story the single malt would be just for the drinking pleasure... CO is bad... and closed shops & forging = bad idea. The CO-Detector is a must if you work in a tiny closed shop with only limited venting.... had one in my first two shops. Also what helps is to install proper ventilation.. doesn't need to be fancy... but some sort of fresh-air "intake" and one blower creating sucking the air out... best would be to install a hood with a vent over your forge. can be made cheaply and will be a lot more pleasant than any CO poisoning. Had one myself, albeit not as bad as yours when I was doing a smelt at a friends shop years ago... the place was hugh and the ceiling very high up WITH a vent... but it smoked so heavily the fan obviously couldn't cope with it... by the time we were done, we both felt like having had a few drinks too much and a nasty headache / muscle-pain the following day.... the doc said it wasn't too bad, but close enough to be "serious". watch out for the stuff... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragoncutlery 26 Posted June 12, 2012 when i built me new shop i put in over 1.5 foot of over hang with full vented soffet and at the peak on both sides are screened vents plus if things get smoky a whole house blower fan to send it out the side wall that coupled with a drafty door works wonders Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
