A "WOW I Can't Believe That Happened"

steamloco76

steamloco76

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I was using our trusty Staples table top shredder to devour a large pile of receipts, junk mail and old bills this morning. Emptied the bin several times. You really have to shake the plastic bin around before removing it so the stuff in the shredder settles enough to allow you to remove it. On the last empty the bin only had a small amount of shreds. I opened the bin, banged the side around, then closed it to shred another couple envelopes. I then grabbed the handle, started to open the bin and BOOM!!!!- May face is engulfed in a small explosion!!!.

Apparently the air to shred dust mixture hit the exact perfect combustion mixture as I withdrew the bin. Must have been touched off by the hot motor.

I now have shorter eyelashes, eyebrows, goatee and a bit of a trim on the front of my hair! No injuries, though the noise scared the stuffing out of my poor dogs. Had a minor fire in the bin to extinguish so i drowned it in the sink.

I knew silo's, dust collectors and the ilk could blow up from a proper air/dust mixture, but a paper shredder ??

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
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Please PM me with precise proportions of paper dust and air --- I may be sitting on a veritable arsenal of scrap paper, and there's lots of stuff I'd like to blow up!
 
I would like to know if this is a prototype and if it can be carried in a holster IWB or does it have to be open carry? :)
 
jkc said:
Please PM me with precise proportions of paper dust and air --- I may be sitting on a veritable arsenal of scrap paper, and there's lots of stuff I'd like to blow up!
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Well, unless your mix of bills, unwanted come-ons, credit card offers, store receipts and personalized catalog order forms is exactly the same as mine, you are going to be S.0.L.

Man I hate the smell of burning hair....
 
Now I have a good excuse to give my wife for not shredding the recipes and bills etc. "Honey I could over heat the shredder and blow up the house, and dogs"." Norm just do it in the garage"
 
And holster.

I wonder how many have taken the shredders out to the garage and started on the backlog?
 
steamloco76:

Hey, on the bright side, you don't have to visit the barber this month.

Glad to hear this was not more serious. Paper dust (like flour dust) is a great fuel, as you discovered. The instructions that came with my shredders say that the cutters should be oiled once in a while. I've complied but I think the combination of paper dust and traces of oil are probably a bad idea based on your experience. I'll keep the water spray bottle handy for the next time I'm shredding junk mail.

Chris
 
I'm surprised you needed to drown it in the sink. I'd have thought it was already wet enough around you....*s*
 
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