outfitting home garage for welding

[skot]

couldn't find any info on this.
what steps should I take to safely weld in my attached garage? I have a 2 car garage and wanted to start doing some welding and fab work in it. I'd hate to burn my house down by over looking some safety issues. my fear is I'll have some sparks fly, roll under the drywall and catch the insulation on fire. I'd like to put my welding table against the wall.

is there any steps to setup a home garage for welding. I've never thought about any of this in other shops I've worked at. but this is my home and I'd hate to lose under such circumstances.

thanks
skot

 

[ZRX61]

First rule is ya don't leave the home for an hour after ya stopped welding for the day...Just in case.

& make sure any sparks don't set anything too important alight while you're in the garage. 5gal bucket of water & a couple of fire extinguishers should have ya sorted.

Seal the drywall joints etc well...

 

[rickairmedic]

I will add to this in an attatched garage make your welding table portable so you can move it to the middle of the garage when welding and then back against the wall when done. I also dont leave the garage for at least a half hour after I am done welding on a project.


Rick

 

[fomocoforrester]

In addition to the "one hour before leaving rule" I have a hand spray bottle of water that I just give a squirt with where any sparks may have gone and could be hiding, eg in the rubbish bin or between the bench and the wall.

 

[Jackfre]

Fire isn't your only issue. Smoke/odors are a big issue in attached garages. I seem to recall a few discussions on this topic with my wife. I used mig and tig and did zero flux core and as little stick indoor as possible. A good ventilation system is your friend

 

[DanCo]

keep any dry wood away from your work area. keep a fire extinguisher on your welding cart, a bucket of sand? try to weld near the opening of the garage, have a fan to blow air out of the garage.

 

[5lima30]

I plan on doing welding in my new detached garage. In the area where I weld I am going to put metal roofing on the interior walls. You could also use Hardie panel siding on an interior wall. I used to weld over a piece of the Hardie panel and it was very fire resistant. IMHO I believe that the hardie panel is safer than drywall.

 

[GarageEnvy]

I setup my welding stuff toward the front of the garage and usually open the garage door. If I don't have the one in front of the welding area open I usually have one of the other vehicle doors open. I haven't done it yet but I plan on a metal backsplash along the wall where my table is. I had my garage all done in 5/8" type X sheetrock too. Obviously you want to try and keep your flammables as far away as possible. Honestly, I worry a lot more about the grinding than the welding. With the welding I do, the sparks are fairly contained. Of course, with the way I weld, the sparks from grinding are everywhere.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Ventilation. Fire prevention. Fire suppression. Line-of-sight issues.

In my case I added an $80 attic fan to my ceiling, lined the wood parts of the wall with aluminum flashing, and keep both ABC and water extinguishers on hand. I weld with the doors shut, but also have standing welding curtains on hand. I have a tiled floor so I also put welding blankets down on the floor. Get the 3M half-face masks with the welding filters and all the other protection gear. The grinding part of your welding will damage car paint jobs, over time.

 

[Killer95Stang]

Ditto on the portable welding table. I just started MIG welding in my garage about a week ago. I make sure to roll both cars out of the garage and park them just outside of the garage. This makes for a good barrier from the flashes, so my neighbors won't complain. I also only weld in the center of a clean garage. Not having towels, boxes, papers or any other flammables around will help.

 

[Grinder Bill]

Metal clad walls, fire extinguisher, good housekeeping, fire blankets, spark containment, 15 minute firewatch after welding (Miller Time...).

 

[PCO6]

^^^ I've always considered it to be "Lincoln Time".

 

[clutchee]

Also take into consideration where combustibles items maybe....

Gas jugs, carb cleaner, brake parts cleaner..........

If you want a cheap way to control sparks, shower curtain hung up will melt but also keep them from going places you don't want.

 

[reznunt]

If you want a cheap way to control sparks, shower curtain hung up will melt but also keep them from going places you don't want.

why not just hang a welding blanket? it won't melt lol

 

[6768rogues]

Ventilation, non-combustible surroundings and fire suppression. I built a non-attached garage because of fumes and the risk of fire. I always hang around and do something, even if it is cleaning up, for an hour after welding or grinding and I consider that to be my fire watch duty.

 

[e-tek]

If you want a cheap way to control sparks, shower curtain hung up will melt but also keep them from going places you don't want.

Ya - not very cheap if they keep melting!!!

Get a dedicated metal container for flammables (paint, thinner, etc) and KEEP BRAKE CLEANER contained! (Do not use or store brake-cleaner anywhere near MIG welding - the radiation turns it into a KILLER! )

 

[UncleJoe]

Read this http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm then read it again.

I took some of the magnetic paper they sell at staples and with my word processor I made a 2x6 magnetic sign with bright letters "No Brake Cleaner" It is attached to my welder as a constant reminder.

Welding is great fun but it can kill you or someone your working with. You might also want to learn about what heat and galvanized metal can do. Nasty stuff

 

[Zeke]

Grinding sparks are far more apt to find their way into something that is combustible. While I may weld with the doors shut to keep drafts down, I always open things up when grinding and try to throw the sparks out to bare concrete.

I have to admit that my stationary grinder on a pedestal has some **** sitting around below it. I need to sanitize that area.

 

[jay50]

I move my welding table outside during nice weather.

 

[35mastr]

Good house keeping is a must. Do not clean any parts to be welded with brake cleaner period. It will put you in the hospital. I prefer to do most of my welding outside the door. For just assembling and tacking I will do it inside.

Thats one of the reasons I prefer Tig. Dont need to worry about all those pesky sparks that fly.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I weld in the center of the garage, or center of the one bay when the car is in the garage. I have a portable welding table I roll out.

 

[DoyleDee]

I use my carport.. and didn't ever think about brake cleaner!!! Thanks guys

 

[Steve from Socal]

My welding table is not quite portable so I tiled the walls around the table with ceramic tiles.

Steve

 

[R6 Racer]

I really like the tile idea!
After doing it, are there any things you would do differently if you had to do it again?

Steve

 

[Steve from Socal]

The only thing I would consider doing the next time is continuing the tile to the end of the wall and down the side. I thought about that and I am happy with the results. Perhaps the next time.

I have not been able to use the welding table since the tile work as it has become the storage area for half the stuff in the garage while I do the drywall. I am but a few small pieces of drywall from being done! This has been a though remodel. I have no place to store the bulk of the garage items and my car in the garage is half way through a new injection system( not running) Tomorrow should start the beginning of the clean up and return to shop work, in contrast to work on the shop! Here is a picture of the welding area from the other direction.

Steve

 

[Thruxton]

Thank you all for the advice about brake cleaner. You guys may have saved a life with that one. And I am going right out to buy a lottery ticket, right after I change my pants.

 

[Grinder Bill]

Just a couple constructive comments...

The tile will do the job but likely won't survive a poke with a steel bar or tube, which is not a problem if you're well coordinated while wearing a helmet and gloves (and have spare tiles)...

And for those who didn't know about the phosgene gas issue with brake cleaner, you really should study up on some of the essential welding safety items such as welding galvanized/plated metal and the nature of welding gases... i.e. Argon is heavier than air, displaces oxygen and is not removed from the lungs by normal breathing. A little education might save a lot of grief...

 

[csp]

It's the chlorinated brake cleaner that you have to worry about. I haven't seen any recently on the shelves in auto parts stores that wasn't Non-chlorinated and safe in regards to gases emitted.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I never thought about using tile, definetly different.

 

[Jack Olsen]

Tiles are a lot more durable than people think. Mine have survived a lot of impacts with very big pieces of steel. The V-block in this picture fell off of the bench and left a small chip, easily touched up -- but didn't crack the tile.

And the brake cleaner concern is good -- safest just to not use it with welding projects. But the specific problem is with chlorinated brake cleaner -- a lot of what's sold now is specifically non-chlorinated. But still, it's good practice to get out of the habit and find another (non-chlorinated) cleaner.

 

[Thruxton]

Just a couple constructive comments...

The tile will do the job but likely won't survive a poke with a steel bar or tube, which is not a problem if you're well coordinated while wearing a helmet and gloves (and have spare tiles)...

And for those who didn't know about the phosgene gas issue with brake cleaner, you really should study up on some of the essential welding safety items such as welding galvanized/plated metal and the nature of welding gases... i.e. Argon is heavier than air, displaces oxygen and is not removed from the lungs by normal breathing. A little education might save a lot of grief...

I totally agree with studying up, but neither of the welding manuals I have used, nor the welder owner's manual, mentioned this. But working with galvanized is an issue about tin which I have known about since I learned, maybe 4 decades ago, what "mad as a hatter" means, which means I also know about milk. That argon is heavier than air is totally irrelevant to the phosgene issue, and you would really have to have an anesthesiologist's cup over your face to breath enough in to suffocate you, unless you are welding in a tank, and there are other issues with that. That said, I obviously didn't read enough, or study enough, and it is obvious that I needed to do more "studying up". I am the granny, so to speak, that you don't need to teach how to **** eggs in some things mechanical, but I sure missed the boat on this, and that's why I am so thankful it was posted here.

Your constructive comments therefore, in spite of my hurty feelers (damn I hate it when I should know something, and don't) are an absolute dead bullseye, and remind me not to be such a smart-*** know-it-all, so take my comments above in that light. Again, thanks to all.

 

[Grinder Bill]

Martin; please don't take my comments personally... we all need to stay current with issues that may affect our health. In my trade we must take courses every year to maintain our safety and work tickets, and to be updated on changes, additions and deletions. The Argon comment relates to TIG welding, in which you are exposed to a continuous stream of pure Argon whenever the pedal is down and for 45 seconds afterwards. Plenty of opportunity to poison yourself...

 

[Falcon67]

I'm going to build a real welding table sometime soon, but for FWIW and giggles I used a 2x3 piece of while laminated commercial countertop as a welding bench for years. I used 2x3 metal shelves as back and side shields. Sure it got scarred up but never had a fire issue with mig work. Laminate is pretty tough stuff.

 

[Thruxton]

Martin; please don't take my comments personally... we all need to stay current with issues that may affect our health. In my trade we must take courses every year to maintain our safety and work tickets, and to be updated on changes, additions and deletions. The Argon comment relates to TIG welding, in which you are exposed to a continuous stream of pure Argon whenever the pedal is down and for 45 seconds afterwards. Plenty of opportunity to poison yourself...

No, I certainly DID take them personally, which is why I am so fortunate I read this thread. In spite of all I think I know I can be a real dumb-***. I just got back from my shop, where I actually READ the label on the brake cleaner can, which specifically mentions the phosgene risk. What you and others teach me is that I need to keep learning, and paying attention. As a "hack" I don't need to get a ticket renewed, but maybe I should. Again and again, thanks (and I don't do TIG, but if I did maybe I would have known that, and if I ever do, I will remember).

 

[LK44E]

When it comes to safety you should always know where a reference is. I use American Welding Society mostly.
http://www.aws.org/technical/facts/

 

[JohnJL]

Read this http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm then read it again.

Holy cow.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Anther thought empty your trash cans and make sure your garbage is out of the garage. I always blow sawdust etc from shop before welding my shop sees all kinds of activity from welding, woodworking, car repair, etc. Also take used oil cans out of garage. they shouldn't be left inside anyway. keep paint, solvents and rags out also

 

[babzog]

No, I certainly DID take them personally, which is why I am so fortunate I read this thread. In spite of all I think I know I can be a real dumb-***. I just got back from my shop, where I actually READ the label on the brake cleaner can, which specifically mentions the phosgene risk. What you and others teach me is that I need to keep learning, and paying attention. As a "hack" I don't need to get a ticket renewed, but maybe I should. Again and again, thanks (and I don't do TIG, but if I did maybe I would have known that, and if I ever do, I will remember).

I'm with you on this. As a non-professional who doesn't need to take refresher courses (or any courses beyond required for self-interest), the fact that something could be dangerous is not always apparent. ie: brake cleaner and heat. How about petroleum products and compressed oxygen? Without having taken the welding course I did, I never would have known the lethal combination those two provide. Never would have occurred to me without formal training, information passed on from a mentor or some other educational source. How many people simply pick up a torch and fire it up after watching someone else do it a few times? I'm a bit more paranoid and tend to seek out information first so I don't kill myself, but a lot of people are much more hands-on and just try stuff until it works (and 99% of the time, they're fine).

I guess what I'm saying is, a lot of hazards and safety precautions may be patently obvious to the professional (because they're taught or the information is made available through a regulatory process) and completely oblivious to the weekend warrior or casual hack (for lack of some form of formal education or provision of information).

 

[toyotadriver]

I'm starting building my new shop building. When I finish it (not certain when that will be) I plan to have 3-4 feet of corrugated tin for wainscoting on the lower portion of the walls to make the lower part fire resistant. Should look pretty good too!!

 

[Tom Hintz]

I also weld in an attached garage. i got a couple welding blankets to cover close up stuff, have a mobile metal table that I can put in the best place to weld, I bought a transparent welding curtain to cover the overhead door opening so I can weld there without flashing anyone that happens by and of course a couple good fire extinguishers, one at each exit. I did some research on fire safety for a woodworking book that I wrote and all of the fire guys told me to stress putting the extinguishers by an exit, not where you expect the fire to start. They say they find lots of burned up extinguishers that lit up with the first thing that caught fire!