Welding safety (Rookie Mistakes) protect yourself...

nope. I don't know anyone who does.

 

Stay away from wal*mart flannel too.. that **** catches fire easier then you'd think

 

When you weld TIG it has a very unique odor, i dont know how to discribe it...
maby some one else can help me out on this one or maby im just crazy
As for the respirator you should use one when welding galvanized because the galvanized caoting has ?zink?, i think its zink and is VERY BAD for you.

-Chris

 

I know the smell you're talking about all too well. A combination of hot metal and the Argon. Not terribly unpleasant though.

Welding galvanized in a closed or unventilated area can be VERY dangerous. The fumes from the zinc are poisonous!!! Don't inhale that ****. Same goes for lead. Though slightly off the topic of welding, we do encounter this metal often in the automobile hobby. When using it as a body filler, we heat it up and breathe the fumes...no good. Even when stripping panels, lead was often factory seam sealer, and when hit with an abrasive wheel or sanding disk, it's turned to a dust and can be inhaled. Lead is a powerful neurotoxin, and it's effects are ***ulative, which means that even though the lead you take in today may not be enough to cause damage, and the lead you take in tomorow isn't either, it's all adding up inside you until one day, the level of lead is high enough to cause serious irreversable damage. Respirators are cheap enough that we should all wear then when in the presence of dust or fumes

 

I only read the first couple of post and had to tell my story. Same deal went out to look over the plymouth floor notice I didn't hit a couple of spots the night before thought I would weld'em up real quick. The shorts thing wasn't so bad only a few tacks. The slag that popped up and landed on my Homie Slipper (cotton house shoes) burned thru and bedded itself between my toes. I didn't know I could move so fast. Luckily I had a bottled water to pour over my foot. I had about a 1/16 to 1/8 inch hole between my toes that wouldn't stop itchin for a few days.

 

Yeah I don't know anyone that uses one either.

I've burnt the hell out of myself a lot and usually it's just as everyone else, not wearing a helmet when tacking. My new welder gets way ****in hotter than the old one so anything left exposed gets burned.

My father in law uses those big *** 640 volt welders all day at his job, he comes into my shop and uses my 175amp 240 volt and treats it like it's some kinda toy welder by playskool, doesn't use a helmet, or goggles, or any damn thing. Doesn't even act like it's hot, no gloves, nothing.. freaks me out. But if you've ever used one of those industrial welders then you know how hot and bright they are.

I use a helmet for everything now, sunburns ****. Ya look really ****in stupid when it's winter and you look like you've been out at the beach soaking up some rays... but only from the neck up.

 

Those little bee-bees can get in the cuff of your jeans, ****ies or in my case, the khakis I used to wear when I went straight from work to welding cl***.

O/A torches cause sunburn too.

 

Good advice. Just last weekend I did my first "dance of the firey crotch" around the garage. I figured some old jeans would be enough protection from hot rollers, until one settled into a fold in my jeans (sitting down while using my MIG). Nothing serious, but it was a good wake-up call. I need to get me some decent welding clothes.

 

I hear ya!
Right now my arms look like a needle junkies.
I built a car port for my bro over the weekend and was weldin' the framework. Now I have little "dots" all over my arms from welding in the wind (standing on a ladder) without sleeves on. Yeah, I know better than that, but I figured I'd just tough it out. Stupid, I know.
Nothin' like havin' a bunch of tiny burn spots on your arms.

John

BTW: Welding with shorts on......WTF!?!?!?

 

LOL -- welding with shorts is one of those good newbie mistakes . . . this weekend I was doing a one handed pump shuffle trying to get gas out of a place it didn't need to be (long story, don't ask) when the hose came off the pump and I squirted fuel into the crotch of my shorts. Needless to say, the "boys" were a bit on fire from $3/gal ****tail I introduced down there. Thankfully . . . I wasn't welding.

 

I keep an old denim work shirt in the welder cart for this very reason. A lot of the time I put it on backwards when I get ready to weld... especially if it's under the car and I'm welding overhead. I really need something more flame-resistant, though... like leathers or something.

I need to be better about the shorts thing though... I've been lucky so far, but....

 

Actually, you are incorrect on some things here.

Welding on Galv. metals is definitely okay. Modern auto body guys do it all day long when they are repairing any panels.

Wearing a respirator is a good idea, but can be overkill and inconvenient if you are doing out of position welding. A simple carbon "dust mask" (Looks like a painters mask, but black) works very well.

Another thing that needs to be addressed... lenses.

ALWAYS REMEMBER that there are minimums for what you should wear, but it's ultimately up to your sensitivity level. Just because it says a minimum of 10 in some book doesn't mean you should necessarilly use a 10!

I do spray and flux welding all day long. I use a 13. Even when I am doing standard wire feed at lower settings? 13. I have sensitive eyes. Running wire at 11 or 12 gives me a migraine.

Also, wear safety gl***es UNDER those hoods guys. You'll be suprised when you do and you notice how much you haven't even realized that you blink in order to stop sparks and stuff from getting in your eyes, even under the damn hood.

Lastly, I don't think I'm probably the only one in the whole forum who rocks cuffed pants all the time. haha Well, uncuff them when you weld if you can.

(This is all coming from someone who welds on HEAVY machinery for Caterpillar Paving for 10 hours a day for a living. lol)

 

A lotta fellers complain about electronic helmets but I love mine. I got one of the better ones and I learned the only real trick to it is to hold it up to a light bulb for a few seconds before starting otherwise it takes it too long to darken with the first bit of welding.

So I look retarded when I throw on my helmet, put it down, and walk right up to and stare into a shop light. But it charges it just enough until I get to the welding arcs.

I think it's a 10, I forgot. I only have two helmets I use, they come in two highly technical scientific levels:
1) Not so dark
2) God damn dark as ****

 

brings back memories of working with my uncle as a teenager. holding a couple parts for him yelling "Tim your on fire again......"

old running shoes are another no-no. Am I the only one who has caught his shoes on fire?

remember all this wonderful advice goes just as well with the torch.

 

haha

Yeah, certain helmets are better about that arc start sensitivity.

At work we get Speedglas 9002X's. They have a 4 setting adjustable sensitivity rating, along with 9-13 (iirc) and a post weld sensitivity setting too.

I always run almost FULL sensitivity and then 13.

Problem is, my hood "flashes" on and off whenever someone is in the shop using machinery with the safety lamp on top that pulses, which is annoying. We just get used to it though. haha



One thing about working for a multinational billions of dollars a year company though... you get the best equipment they can get for you.

 

The big issue with the fumes from TIG welding (and plasma cutting) is the presence of chromium in many grades of steel - especially as more and more of it is recycled from God only knows what!

Good points made on lead and zinc - though your body will shed the zinc. It takes some time for your body to get rid of zinc, and lead really doesn't go anywhere.

When I first learned to TIG, a co-worker and I were practicing in the shop at work ............... me in a wife beater, and him in a sleeveless T-shirt! Ever seen skin turn purple from a burn? Not cool at all!

Another co-worker decided to try TIG welding aluminum. He figured he needed to keep the aluminum cool (?) and had wet paper towels on the part he was welding. Didn't even notice the water on the welding bench ..... and happened to stick the tungsten to the filler with his elbow in the puddle of water! Didn't know that boy could move so quick! Of course, this is also the guy who sets himself on fire on a regular basis while welding, cutting, or grinding

I've been known to do some welding in the home shop with no sleeves, and pay the consequences. Last time, I figured I'd just grab my buddy's green welding jacket for protection. I weigh in at about 165lbs, so his 3X jacket still left a lot of me exposed when the front hung down! I keep a long sleeve shirt hanging in the garage now, just in case.

As far as BBs and such, I haven't suffered too many burns from welding - most of mine have been from cutting. Things like "It's just a quick cut, I won't need gloves for this". DUH! Ever catch a white hot ball of molten metal? I had one, just now healed up, that I caught in a bent finger ........... burned myself in 3 places in one shot! However, when I weld, I've taken to wearing a bandana on my head ................... for some reason my bald spot tends to attract a shower of sparks every time I weld, no matter the position!

Lots of things that can go wrong when welding, and they are all so easily preventable.

Tim D.

 

I've found that standard goggles work best for me when O/A welding, is this safe? My auto-darkening helmet is really designed for MIG/TIG/ARC, I think, as it's often hard to see what I'm doing puddle-wise when I'm running it. Another thing I've found is that it's hard to juggle the torch, rod, striker, hammer, and dolly when doing hammer-welding and have accidentally burned myself with the rod a few times. Honestly, though, I've burned myself more often with sparks from the cutoff wheel or grinder than I have welding. Prolly cuz most of the welding I do is O/A on thin sheet and I adjust the torch to the smallest flame I can get. I managed to lay down my first reasonable (as in able to be hammered flat enough for a small amount of filler to be called done) bead on 22guage last week. I figure once I can run perfect beads on 22g everytime, I'm ready to start doing bodywork with 18g...

 

Whomever told you to use your hood for O/A welding and cutting should be kicked in the nads. hahja

Use a shade 5 goggle.

 

Noone told me, I figured I'd try it and it ****ed. I just saw the 'this all applies to torch guys' post above and thought maybe I was going about it wrong. I hate the way the hood steams up anyhow...

 

I like the old"bread of slag in the shirt pocket" trick. nothing like a burning ****** to get the old blood pumping.

and Mig welding while sitting=funny little crotch on fire dance. lets just say I have an "interesting" scar in a hidden place.

 

Just a little update to illustrate that skin related "Flash-Burns" are nothing to **** around with...

Up untill a day or so ago, my burn was still giving off a lot of heat....
Also, bending that leg was painfull up untill yesterday...

This was nothing like any sunburn I've ever had. It felt "Deeper" if that makes any sense...

It's blistering now and is just now starting to look normal again. Although, as I sit here the are that got burned actually looks like it got bleached...

I have a welding jacket and I think I'm going to look for some ****ies to weld in too.

This ****ed...

And just for a little background...

This was NOT my first time welding.
It wasn't even my first time welding in shorts.
In fact I've probably welded more in shorts than in pants.

This was just the first time I'd welded in the position I was in with my knee in that close a proximity to the weld.

Live and LEARN...

I'm a ****.

 

the sizzle in your ear is the worst......my neighbors must laugh at me all day.

 

bear with me . if my text turns all the first letters of every word to a capital it is not done purposely. i am working to resolve this issue with the host site.

please reread what you have posted regarding welding safety and think about what you have written. its a badge of honor to get a flash burn or light your socks on fire but lets be serious for a moment. welding in a confined space like many are doing create enviroments that are potentially life threatening. i had friend burn his garage down and lose his life because he felt the issues were not that dangerous , it couldn't happen to me. im attaching a link to I-CAR.COM. http://209.103.220.181/advantage_search/FMPro this organization is instrumental in setting the standards for auto collision repair on todays automobiles. their link to worker safety for welding and the handling of automotive repair materials should be reviewed by all if your intending to use these materials and processes. pay particular attention to the bulletin regarding the relationship of parkinsons disease to the inhalation chromium that is in the mig welding wire. for those of you that weld professionally please take a look at the new data. i dont mean to be overreactive because of past expierences . but after welding in the confined interior compartments of an auto on a daily basis for over 30 + years. i wish this info was available to me sooner. every once in a while i get a slight uncontrolable trembling in my fingers that lasts for a second on two. its got me thinking. dont make my mistake.

larry

 

On a related note, dont forget the silica dust produced by grinding wheels is now linked to some kind of respiratory desease similar to asbestosis, I read that several Lawyers have filed lawsuits on behalf of hundreds of guys at shipyards that breathed the stuff for years.

I think i'll take up woodworking....

 

I'm not saying this is safe, but its HOTTER than HELL in Houston 5 months out of the year. I don't put my shop time on hold for Mother Nature, and you cant MIG with a fan on ya so heres what I do.


I weld in shorts, t-shirt, and flip flops all the time. Yeah slather on some SPF 45 and get with it! The splatter doesn't bother me at all. However, when welding in old tennis shoes which I do quite often as well. I stick my whole foot and shoe in the sink and get 'em soggy. Yeah you can hear the sizzle as the splatter hits your shoes, but it doesn't go through and roll around all trapped burning up your feet.