# So I set myself on fire with panel wipe



## Commadee (Jun 12, 2014)

My cousin wanted his stock car painted no problem 
I painted the inside fire engine red and prepped the outside which is going white
I had panel wiped the outside twice and was going for a third and final time after finishing the panel wipe, I popped out for a ***..struck the lighter.....
I was day glow alight like a human torch just my hands trying to beat the flames against my trousers there must have been thinners on the trousers as well, now I'm really in the crap my hands are on fire and my private parts are like Guy Fox's stag party.
I just kept beating the flames I was probably alight for 10 to 15 seconds 
It's amazing how the mind freezes no rolling on the concrete just beating the flames and screaming like a little girl.
A 20 min freezing cold bath and covering up with cling film then a trip to A & E

23 years painting on and off never had anything like it or even come close before

It was my cousins farm not mine no running water to wash my hand before and no fire extinguisher

Ouch I'm in recovery now with big lesson learned

Your more than welcome to say how stupid I am not washing the panel wipe off first, but it was a momentary lapse of reason to say the least


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## GSD (Feb 6, 2011)

Good grief that looks nasty but could have been far worse you take it easy pal.


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## svended (Oct 7, 2011)

Ouch. I know the pain. Hurts like a *****. 
After eight years on ambulances I've learned to always keep a good first aid kit with burn gel and dressings in ready. Burn gel is something you may never use or think you may never use but it's really worth several times it's weight in gold when you do. 
Also I suggest keeping even a small bucket ready whether it's to put yourself out or to rinse your hands in.


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## Rayner (Aug 16, 2012)

'king hell mate! 

I must of smoked straight after panel wipe 100 times! Not with painting cars but for detailing and I also use it at work. I always have a *** between panel wipe and LSP when detailing and tbh I thought it would just evaporate before I sparked up. I won't be doing that again!

Best of luck to you mate, I've never been burned so can't imagine the pain.


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## MDC250 (Jan 4, 2014)

Dude that looks really painful, hope you heal up quickly.


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## slineclean (Dec 23, 2011)

Hope you a speedy recovery. Thank you for sharing this with everyone ( I don't smoke but I will ensure I am extra careful when using this stuff in future )


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## toddy23 (Jun 16, 2012)

I set fire to a spray booth once,I used to smoke many years ago and bough a snap on zippo lighter and instead of filling it with lighter fluid I filled it with spirit wipe.so I got my new lighter,went into the booth where the spirit wipe was and poured it into my lighter spilling it all over the lighter and for some unknown reason I sparked the lighter up setting fire to it dropping it onto the tin of spirit wipe,this is where I thought oh **** and kicked the spirit wipe tin over and setting fire to the floor I started trying to stamp it out until one of the lads seen me and came in with a fire extinguisher and put it out.my boss knew nothing lol


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## SBM (Jul 4, 2013)

Jeezus! Really feel for you pal! like most I have had a couple of nasty burns but nothing like this! Take it easy and give up the ****. it seems they can kill you in more ways than one

All the best for a speedy recovery

Ben


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## Commadee (Jun 12, 2014)

I must have smoked a million times after being around thinners panel wipe and paint never gave two thoughts to it 
Sometimes I wash my hand in between using the thinners and the *** break and sometimes I have gloves on 
But most times it's just barrier cream 

The panel wipe rag also caught fire the lighter must have hit it on the floor as my first reaction get rid of the lighter, after putting myself out, I found a jug of water and poured it over it...the fire just spread...had to stamp on and had the compressed air blasting at it as well to put it out 

When I use panel wipe I like to check smoothness of the rubbing down and make sure the panels are flat and dust free 
I can feel it better without gloves on even though this is only a stock car lol 
I'll will be more carefull now 

Thanks folks much appreciated 
And nice one toddy23 makes me feel better that I'm not the only fire starter


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## TonyH38 (Apr 7, 2013)

That looks really nasty, hope for a speedy recovery.


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## Rayner (Aug 16, 2012)

toddy23 said:


> I set fire to a spray booth once,I used to smoke many years ago and bough a snap on zippo lighter and instead of filling it with lighter fluid I filled it with spirit wipe.so I got my new lighter,went into the booth where the spirit wipe was and poured it into my lighter spilling it all over the lighter and for some unknown reason I sparked the lighter up setting fire to it dropping it onto the tin of spirit wipe,this is where I thought oh **** and kicked the spirit wipe tin over and setting fire to the floor I started trying to stamp it out until one of the lads seen me and came in with a fire extinguisher and put it out.my boss knew nothing lol


:lol: done that! Not set fire to anything but chucked a fire ball of a Zippo to the floor a few times, including in a car :doublesho always been lucky though. After doing it in the car I started using disposables again. I'm not careful enough to play with fire :lol:

What on earth possessed you to spark it? Lol


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## Hasan1 (Jul 1, 2011)

Hope you have a speedy recovery mate. Sorry for your pain but thanks for posting and highlighting to others the dangers


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## Bartl (Apr 3, 2013)

Hope you have a speedy recovery mate. Thank you for sharing some of the dangers of some of the dangers with chemicals we have in are detailing kits.


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## Clyde (Feb 15, 2012)

Having suffered third degree burns in the past I know how much it hurts. Hope you make a quick recovery.


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

Sheesh, looks painful mate, i have a *** myself after using it, i'll think twice next time. Take it easy.


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## lofty (Jun 19, 2007)

If there was ever a good reason to stop smoking then setting yourself on fire has got to be near the top of the list  Speedy recovery.


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## Flakey (May 5, 2013)

Get well soon mate.


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## Trip tdi (Sep 3, 2008)

I hope you get well very soon looks very painful.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

A good reason to quit smoking!
Get well soon.


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Speedy recover to you... and a lesson to all... appreciate you sharing... Get well soon.


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## andspenka (Apr 19, 2014)

Hope you get better soon mate, it looks nasty but I suppose it could have been much worse.


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## Paintguy (Oct 31, 2005)

Get well soon. Lesson learnt I hope 

On a similar firestarting note: Upol Easy 1 filler used to be amazing for indoor fireworks  

They changed the formulation a few years ago (and made it useless in the process!) so it doesn't do it's party trick any more, but you used to be able to set fire to handfuls of sanding dust :devil:


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## nokia (Mar 3, 2009)

Flippin heck mate. Looks really painful. Hope you recover super quick dude. Take it easy.


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## Commadee (Jun 12, 2014)

Brilliant reason to stop smoking, I've stopped 4 times before the longest was 10 months it's the weekend a few pints and you've got the breaking strain of a kitkat 
But defo think it's time to try again



rayner said:


> :lol: done that! Not set fire to anything but chucked a fire ball of a Zippo to the floor a few times, including in a car :doublesho always been lucky though. After doing it in the car I started using disposables again. I'm not careful enough to play with fire :lol:
> 
> What on earth possessed you to spark it? Lol


Rayner I honestly don't know 
I take *** breaks here and there and just didn't think.....
Seems like I have got away with not being on fire for a good few years 
Maybe bad habits (other than smoking)

Other people on the thread say they do or have done the same 
So hopefully the lessons learned aren't just for me 

It could have been a lot worse and I know now how lucky I was 
There wasn't any other person in sight for miles 
I drove myself to the hospital with packs of ice on me

Thanks folks again for your support


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## Techgeek (Jun 7, 2007)

I done similar lighting a campfire with a gallon of unleaded when totally steaming, I said the words that guarantee disaster "watch this" i ran round in circles on fire head to toe forgetting there was a river 20m away before realising and jumping in. Get well soon. Maybe time for a quick h&s review.


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