Cotton welding jacket

[Aquaticbob]

So I just picked up a welder (going to do mainly flux cored, and once I got a bottle MIG), and I have everything I need except sleeves. All of the stores I could get a welding jacket from are either closed on weekends, or out of stock because of the holidays. Anyway, I have a 100% cotton dress shirt that I haven't worn in who knows how long, and I see that there are the cotton jackets however they say they have been treated, whereas my dress shirt isn't. I'm just wondering how bad of an idea it would be to use this old shirt, or if it will be alright.

TL;DR

Use old 100% cotton dress shirt for welding jacket? For flux cored welding

 

[jayrush13]

So I just picked up a welder, and I have everything I need except sleeves. All of the stores I could get a welding jacket from are either closed on weekends, or out of stock because of the holidays. Anyway, I have a 100% cotton dress shirt that I haven't worn in who knows how long, and I see that there are the cotton jackets however they say they have been treated, whereas my dress shirt isn't. I'm just wondering how bad of an idea it would be to use this old shirt, or if it will be alright.

TL;DR

Use old 100% cotton dress shirt for welding jacket?

I just use an old sweatshirt or long sleeve t shirt unless your doing over head welding you won't get that much spatter

 

[neophyte]

Most of the "fire resistant" labelled organic safety materials have been treated somehow or other. I forget of the top of my head what the chemicals used usually are. Generally when welding or other work were fire is an issue you just want to avoid anything that burns really easily, or which melts. Natural fibers such as cotton wool and leather are usually preferred to most synthetics since if they burn they'll do so slowly.

 

[skulldrinker]

As long as its preshrunk go ahead. lol

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[Aquaticbob]

As long as its preshrunk go ahead. lol

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Unsure if it's preshrunk, but it's definitely shrunk now!

I'll go ahead and use it then, worse comes to worst I know how to stop drop and roll

 

[JoeFin]

I wear FRC all the time working in an oil refinery

But when I'm welding I put on my Nomex

 

[Farmall450]

I honestly just use a carhartt coat.

 

[CWP1616L]

Let me just mention something real quick: Make sure whatever you're wearing while welding has NO fabric softener on it. The fabric softener makes the fabric flammable and I'm speaking to you from experience.

 

[zeekh]

I generally wear a flannel shirt. Not saying it won't catch fire. I sometimes weld with short sleeves. Again, not smart

 

[ford33]

I wear a heavy cotton long sleeve shirt. The dress shirt likely is too thin to permit much protection from hot embers or possibly UV light protection. I don't wear polyester or wool. I also have a Lincoln welding jacket but sometimes it is too warm to wear it comfortably.

 

[lotsoftools]

You can also starch the heck out of the shirt and iron it to make it "repel" the sparks a little better.

 

[PCO6]

Cotton dress shirt - OK. Tie optional.

For quick jobs, especially during the summer I like using Lincoln welding sleeves ...
http://www.kmstools.com/lincoln-electric-lincoln-leather-welding-sleeve-18040

 

[Heavy tech]

I honestly just use a carhartt coat.

Me too, but they WILL catch fire. Trust me.


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[Aquaticbob]

Cotton dress shirt - OK. Tie optional.

For quick jobs, especially during the summer I like using Lincoln welding sleeves ...
http://www.kmstools.com/lincoln-electric-lincoln-leather-welding-sleeve-18040

Well I didn't catch on fire (yet), and it worked well for the practicing I was doing. The white shirt wasn't so great though, I need a black one. Too bad my black shirt is one I still wear, might be time for a new dress shirt

 

[purplezr2]

I did a school science project on fabric flammability, as far as untreated fabrics I would go with Wool.

 

[Outlawmws]

I'll go against the grain a bit here; a thin cotton shirt will catch fire more easily, only it probably won't be flames but smoldering that you may not notice until you are already burned. once a welding helmet goes on, you have VERY little awareness of anything except what little you see through the window, especially as a beginner.

Many hardware stores, have a small welding section and many have at least gauntlet gloves, the sleeves and bib for the sleeves, all leather.

The may also have a fire retardant long sleeved shirts, and that plus the gloves is probably enough for upright bench type welding.

I've set too many bits of cloth on fire to be complacent about it, Rags, my pants, shirts... not a good idea...

 

[Aquaticbob]

I did a school science project on fabric flammability, as far as untreated fabrics I would go with Wool.

Yeah, but it's also the itchyest of the fabrics . I'm looking at ordering up a black FRC jacket since I'm almost always in a heated area/I'm always warm. I'll have to go down to my local welding supply and see what they might have in stock

 

[neophyte]

You can fire treat the shirt with Borax.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5602322_fireproof-borax.html

 

[Aquaticbob]

You can fire treat the shirt with Borax.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5602322_fireproof-borax.html

Interesting! I'm not gonna treat my shirt, it's white, and when I'm welding at the right angle it seems to really reflect the light/seem much brighter. For that reason I'm not going to use it much anymore because I'd rather have a black shirt that isn't going to do that, so may as well buy an already treated shirt, like outlaw suggested

 

[innealtoir]

Interesting! I'm not gonna treat my shirt, it's white, and when I'm welding at the right angle it seems to really reflect the light/seem much brighter. For that reason I'm not going to use it much anymore because I'd rather have a black shirt that isn't going to do that, so may as well buy an already treated shirt, like outlaw suggested

Either just buy a normal welding jacket or jean shirts. If you are *super* concerned, which you probably shouldn't be you can starch your jean shirts and that will help out a lot with burn issues.

 

[crewchief888]

I'll go against the grain a bit here; a thin cotton shirt will catch fire more easily, only it probably won't be flames but smoldering that you may not notice until you are already burned.

I've set too many bits of cloth on fire to be complacent about it, Rags, my pants, shirts... not a good idea...

a thin shirt, no matter what is made of, wont stop sparks and will probably be burned up in no time.

i too have been smoldering more than once

i find FRC greens in the thrift stores around here on occasion. some are much better quality (thicker) than others.

 

[bart1]

Do not use flannel. The fuzz all over it will light you up like a candle [/experience]. Heavy denim or carhartt should be good.

 

[JoeFin]

i find FRC greens in the thrift stores around here on occasion. some are much better quality (thicker) than others.

FRC is mainly to prevent ignition in a "Flash Fire" and that is why you'll only get limited success in it preventing a "Cheery" from burning through.

Nomex on the other hand is inherently flame resistant and I have yet to get it to burn while welding

But cotton, wool, or any thing else ends up full of pock holes in no time at all.

This is what I have - and I can attest they are light and airy compared to your typical leather welding coat

 

[crewchief888]

Nomex on the other hand is inherently flame resistant and I have yet to get it to burn while welding

But cotton, wool, or any thing else ends up full of pock holes in no time at all.

the better "quality" greens i've got have proban fibers in the material weave.
pants and jacket both have a seperate tag sewn into them with the proban name.
on my lightweight (less expensive) jacket the tag only states the material has been treated with FR.

theres a noticable difference in both the weight of the material, and burn through ability.

 

[Farmall450]

I generally wear a flannel shirt. Not saying it won't catch fire. I sometimes weld with short sleeves. Again, not smart

My shop teacher has a nice year round tan from TIG w/out sleeves.

 

[RivennHewn]

I had some Paypal funds, and bought this Lincoln shirt off Ebay

It's a heavy shirt, not a jacket. Easy to wear all day, and the chicks dig it.

 

[PCO6]

^^^ I have one of those and love it. I didn't know about the "chicks" part. Thanks.