Things to know in welding?

[Vegaman_Dan]

Know your environment.

A good clear space with ample elbow room.

Working height that is comfortable to you. The commercial welding tables are too low for me to work at.

Combustibles near by. Those sparks you're creating while welding and grinding are bits of molten metal, and they would like nothing more than to land in those rags in the corner you thought were far enough away, smouldering for hours until they finally light up.

Welding blanket. I have one and don't use it nearly as much as I should.

Ventilation. While I like welding in front of an open garage door to the outside for the ventilation and light it provides, the light breeze it might bring also can affect your weld if the shielding gas is disturbed.

Vision: Autodarkening helmets are great! But so are bright lights in the work space to help. Make sure you have not only a helmet for you, but for anyone whom is in the space with you. Keep the kids and pets out of the space. This is not the environment for them unless you're teaching them to weld too. Trust me, the dog's attention to detail while laying down a bead is terrible- he wanders all over the place.

 

[marinepride]

Journeyman/welding instructor here. Any help you need just ask.

 

[The mean fish]

To expand on the "hot" warning...

Get yourself a good set of welding gloves and wear them, you'll be tempted to do quick tacks or welds using regular mechanics gloves but don't. By the time you feel the heat through the gloves it'll be too late and your fingers will be burnt. Get a good set of leather welding gloves, I've gotten used to wearing a much thicker glove on my holding hand and a lighter glove on my normal trigger hand for MIG welding. Even the lighter glove can handle some heat but I know I can grab some hot stuff with the thick glove and be ok. If your gloves get wet don't expect them to help against heat.

A good auto-dim helmet is worth the money.

 

[kerrynzl]

Eye damage is cumulative and unfortunately the auto-dim technology is way behind the 8-ball .
No matter how fast an auto-dim helmet is, it still can only re-act [after the Arc flash ]

What we need is a remote controlled auto-dim helmet with a controlled delay in the Arc.
Pull the trigger and the helmet will dim a nano-second before the arc flash.

Bluetooth or wifi technology would help here.

A patent has been lodged at the patent office,but I don't know of any available on the market place yet.

 

[Tinner]

Don't weld if you're a candy ***.

 

[ratdoggy]

Don't weld on something right after using brake cleaner on it. It makes Phosgene gas and they used it in WWI
https://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/weldhlth.html

 

[Engine]

Be especially careful when preparing to cut or weld on tanks or containers that have held flammable materials or gasses.

I have personally known one man that was killed when he was cutting an opening into a fuel tank on a farm. It was many years ago and I don't recall all the details, but he apparently thought it was properly ventilated, but unfortunately it was not, resulting in disastrous consequences.

 

[Hot Chop shop]

Depends on how much welding you want to do... Are you looking at a career in welding? Or to just stick two pieces of metal together to fix a fence?

If you're like me and wanted to learn to weld to make a Stevo bench then all you need to do is grow a sweet mustache and watch this video start to finish a few times:

Then start welding some small things before you even think about attempting anything that you expect to end up square or level... Then if you enjoy welding invest in a welder with shielding gas and read everything on Jody's website weldingtipsandtricks.com Then spend hours a week laying down beads in hopes of getting that stack of dimes look.
Good luck!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[laser3kw]

Don't weld on something right after using brake cleaner on it. It makes Phosgene gas and they used it in WWI

^^^^^ needs to read this entire thread ^^^^^^^
all ready been refuted

 

[ratdoggy]

^^^^^ needs to read this entire thread ^^^^^^^
all ready been refuted

It's still a good point and who is going to remember what every ingredient can do. Better to stay away from it. I'm sure welding on acetone is still not a good idea

 

[MagnumForce]

If you can jump it, you can fill it.

A pretty weld does not always equal a good weld.

Learn how each article of clothing you are wearing smells while burning, because it doesn't matter if you are wearing a full hooded helmet and leathers over everything, a spark is getting somewhere and burning the hell out of something.

The worst is taking a spark up the nose, smell that burning hair for days.

Plenty of other cliches here, but honestly just pick up a welder and weld, slow down but don't linger in the puddle, try to stay 45 degrees to where you are working, if you can set up something to let gravity help you, do it. The list goes on and on, it isn't rocket science honestly but it does take a lot of time to be good.

 

[1grnlwn]

Just remember that a spark that will role off your arm and not burn will somehow land on a glass surface, stick, and burn into the glass ruining the surface. This can be expensive if it is not yo glass!

 

[CJCar]

The worst is taking a spark up the nose, smell that burning hair for days.

A spark in the ear can be much worse! My experience was oxy/ace (torching exhaust off, laying on my side under car) but I'm sure welding sparks can be just as bad.

I now wear ear protection when I'm welding/cutting in awkward or confined spaces.

 

[Jarr3tt_G]

Always Clean your metal good with a wire brush.

 

[laser3kw]

A spark in the ear can be much worse! My experience was oxy/ace (torching exhaust off, laying on my side under car) but I'm sure welding sparks can be just as bad.

uh- huh!
itchy ear plus smell of burnt hair

 

[Kevin54]

]Don't weld on something right after using brake cleaner on it.[/B] It makes Phosgene gas and they used it in WWI
https://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/weldhlth.html

^^^^^ needs to read this entire thread ^^^^^^^
all ready been refuted

^^^^Needs to read the article on the web that brought this to everyone's attention in the first place, as it happened to him^^^^

uh- huh!
itchy ear plus smell of burnt hair

Earplugs!!!! My dad had a torch backfire when he was welding, and it popped up a hot piece of slag that made a two pointer right into his ear canal. It took almost a year to heal. And as funny as it may sound, when my dad blew his nose, he had to stick his finger in his ear. It burnt his eardrum pretty bad. But miraculously, he regained all of his hearing back on that side.

 

[Major Ramifications]

After welding, the metal is hot
Don't touch it

Bob

I was going to say the same thing. The guy teaching me laughed his *** off as I burned my fingers.

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

An hour spent doing prep is worth 3 days of cursing a botched/rushed job.

 

[NASTYZEN]

If you can jump it, you can fill it.


The worst is taking a spark up the nose, smell that burning hair for days.

Nope!

Had a buddy torch off a muffler clip that went not so well...

Working one of my first jobs after high school at my buddies Dad's muffler shop.
Car on hoist, buddy proceeds to cut off said clip using an oxy-ace torch by first cutting off the 3/8 stud with the nut on it at one end of the U.
I guess it had pre-load and shoots into his shirt pocket...burns thru....bounces down between his shirt and belly...he pulls on his pants to keep it from burning his belly...remember,this is a pretty big piece of hot metal. Was yellow when it disappeared in the pocket....
The thing burns his ***** during the frantic welders dance,then burns through his underwear and down his pant leg into his non tied boot and burned the **** out of the top of his foot.
He burnt the end of his ***** bad enough that he had to take pills to keep from getting an erection for 3 weeks to give the healing a chance.....so the scab wouldn't pop off.

 

[laser3kw]

^^^^Needs to read the article on the web that brought this to everyone's attention in the first place, as it happened to him^^^^

this is brake cleaner widely available at any parts store.
it does not contain chlorinated solvents like triclorethlene, will not produce phosgene. It is safe in that respect. But it is still flammable and should be used with care.

this is brake cleaner that does have chlorinated solvents like triclorethlene.
how many here knew the difference?
The larger point here is that alot of work in the garage has danger associated. Everyone is responsible to know the hazards. If you don't know what is in a product you can not guard against the danger.
Obviously, if you are on this site reading this, you have internet and can look it up.

 

[catsteve]

Always Clean your metal good with a wire brush.

Or grab a flap disc sander.

Again expanding on the hot theme: the glowing red metal is obviously too hot to touch. shortly after welding it will turn to a nice dark grey steel colour. at this point it will still melt your skin off.

 

[xyster101]

I too just picked up a small MIG welder and have been playing. Thanks for the resources. I too have burned myself a few times both with sparks while wearing shorts and bumping metal that was hot.

+1 to long sleeves, pants, boots and thick gloves.

 

[theknurl]

after 58 years.....

for every type of welding I have a specific type of gloves.....when you turn the tanks off put the gloves on the handle....sign to you that you shut the tanks off

use no oil around regulators.......they will Diesel and hurt people

keep a big CO2 fire extinguisher were you are welding

keep a spray bottle of soap and water around to check hose connections

DO NOT USE BIG WRENCHES on regulators......they seal on the taper.....the standard Victor tank wrench is ~6" long....tell you anything???

with O/A torches that use O-rings......buy extras.....I have been using the same Purox OO torch since I was 14......it seals on tapers, my Victor heating/cutting torch uses O-rings...I change them

when cutting follow the instructions in the Victor book for setting the torch.....the smallest one they make the J28 with a 550J head will cut 8" of steel plate

when brazing with Jet Flux/Gas Flux get used to replacing hoses/seals, it even goes through the seams in the can in comes in.......BUT IT WORKS LIKE NOTHING ELSE

when TIGing AC make sure the ground is good...... the high Freq will teach you a lesson......the starting arc will come out of your little finger

buy a water cooled torch with at least 25' hoses you'll thank me

use pin vises to grind tungstens

ceramic cups ****, Alumina the only way to go

gas lenses.......are for people.........with too much gas????

with thick aluminum and Mg learn to mix gases......always leave a little Ar in there with the He, the weld will be cleaner and its way cheaper than premixed

clean Al & Mg with a 0.006" SS wire brush in a 1/4" die grinder

screw Brakleen, I use lacquer thinner in a quart pressure sprayer

in my old age I have 4 TIG helmets 7,8,9 & 10 each set up with different magnifiers

AC rotary tables ****......use a DC motor, Motorola rectifier, pedal and lamp dimmer switch

for MIG use Tip Dip, Anti-Spatter....and the little can of magic stuff that goes on the felt pad just before your drive wheels
"Lube Matic from Weld-Aid Products,Wire cleaner and lube, reduces wire drag by 60%"
......I've never had a single 'bird's nest' ever

if I think of anything else I'll add it.......If I remember this thread

 

[The mean fish]

for MIG use Tip Dip, Anti-Spatter....and the little can of magic stuff that goes on the felt pad just before your drive wheels

You talking about inside the MIG machine? Explain this deeper for me, sounds interesting...

 

[theknurl]

You talking about inside the MIG machine? Explain this deeper for me, sounds interesting...

Yes, between the spool and drive rollers.....I had to go downstairs to look

"Lube Matic from Weld-Aid Products"

"Wire cleaner and lube"

"reduces wire drag by 60%"

you clamp a piece of felt over the wire with a clothes pin and put this on it

my Father and I have dealt with the same welding company since the early '30s....I get service and advise.....not salesman's BS

the 1st time I went '55...... the owner came out...

"A.B. this is my Son, Noel, you take care of him for me..."
"Certainly, Curt, nice to meet you young man..."

I now deal with his Grandson, Kelly
.....2 countermen have died on me of old age

Sims Welding Supply in SoCal

 

[laser3kw]

when TIGing AC make sure the ground is good...... the high Freq will teach you a lesson......the starting arc will come out of your little finger

oh yea! hot day, you are sweating -zzziiitttt! scream like a little girl!

for MIG use Tip Dip, Anti-Spatter

jar of Vasoline works too.

 

[Professur]

Eye damage is cumulative and unfortunately the auto-dim technology is way behind the 8-ball .
No matter how fast an auto-dim helmet is, it still can only re-act [after the Arc flash ]

What we need is a remote controlled auto-dim helmet with a controlled delay in the Arc.
Pull the trigger and the helmet will dim a nano-second before the arc flash.

Bluetooth or wifi technology would help here.

A patent has been lodged at the patent office,but I don't know of any available on the market place yet.

As I understand it, the auto dark feature is only for the visible light. The UV protection is always there, integral to the lens. Also, the auto dark is always at #3 shade even when off. Enough that even if the lens doesn't darken, there's enough protection to prevent damage. When I first got into welding, I had the same thoughts as you and it took a lot of research before I hung up my large lens in favour of an AD. Even then, the old hat still gets some mileage.

 

[Thumper68]

Best advice that I can off is to practice and then practice more.
I just built 100 feet of dock after not doing much mig for a few years and thinking that I would just jump in and fuse some steel my first few welds were ****. I stopped what I was doing and hit the scrap bin for several coupons and set them up in all the attitudes and joints that I was going to be using and spent half an hour or so getting my touch back. Even so my I had to do more grinding than I would like on the first few welds.