Welding Blanket Info

[penright]

Was looking for a welding blanket. Advertising terms are for example medium duty, heavy duty, ....
I will be using it once in a blue moon kind of deal, but when I need one, it would be nice/safe to have one.

What are some points about materials and price.

 

[jubilee]

I use harbor freight blankets. To make them heavy duty, use two or three.

 

[oldwino]

I use harbor freight blankets. To make them heavy duty, use two or three.

Ditto here. can't beat the price

 

[Falcon67]

I use harbor freight blankets. To make them heavy duty, use two or three.

Same, throw over the back fence for a few days to bake the smell out.

 

[tarmy]

Depends on what you plan to have under the blanket...

Concrete or steel...who cares...but if you plan on welding on a work bench...get the best blanket you can afford. The cheapo ones burn through...the good ones don’t from splatter and drippings...

 

[Buckgnarly]

The high end HF fiberglass blanket becomes an itchy mess of fiberglass bits when used under a plasma cutter, I learned that last week. It did not hold up well, though I was doing some serious cutting inches from it.

 

[finn]

I have two from HF. The first one was made in Russia, and is an itchy, scratchy mess. I burned it pretty badly smothering a leaking and burning propane torch canister, but it did its job.

The yellow replacement isn’t as itchy and scratchy.

 

[metalmagpie]

I use Tillman bronze silica 594 blankets. Got two for $40 once. They have saved my **** a lot of times. They aren't that expensive, and they will last forever in a home shop.

metalmagpie

 

[dr_clyde]

Black stallion makes one that is a black fabric that doesn't desintegrate like the HF fiberglass ones.

 

[Fueler]

I tried the HF versions. Waste of money. Lay them over something hot after welding to slow cool and they pretty much burned up. Turned black and stunk to high heaven. A one and done deal.

Ordered that gold version spoken of earlier. No issues so far.

I miss the old asbestos blankets. Could not kill them but they could kill me.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Buy the silicone coated fiberglass. Tougher and doesn't itch. The black is carbon felt. It will take high heat but carbon burns from molten steal. Use a metal sheet on top and it is great. The basalt ones are pretty good and cheap. Leather isn't bad. There are others bUT they're not as common.

Local welding supply is often the best source for welding blankets.

 

[kf4zht]

I have a few. Most are the large, cheap HF ones. I also bought a smaller one - about 16x16, the brand is velvet shield, which always creates interesting discussions in the shop. its a lot thicker and heavier duty than the HF ones. The HF ones get used for general coverage and the smaller better one gets used right next to what I am working on, or the most sensitive part.

 

[readhead]

I used to get leather scraps from an upholstery shop. When you have thirty welders working blankets go fast. It doesn't matter how much you pay none of them last long. I bought FG blankets and used the leather to protect the blankets right under where the welder was working.

 

[Bottlecapdigger]

The high end HF fiberglass blanket becomes an itchy mess of fiberglass bits when used under a plasma cutter, I learned that last week. It did not hold up well, though I was doing some serious cutting inches from it.

[I got one of these blankets too, give a good airing out and shake all the loose fibres out. I didn't think breathing in these fibres would too good for the lungs. BCD. QUOTE]

 

[tcianci]

I use harbor freight blankets. To make them heavy duty, use two or three.

I had to weld shock mounts on my buddys Chevy pickup, I tripled up the HF welding blanket over me and went to town. When I finished with my first bead, I realized that the three layers of blanket were burned through as well as my sweat shirt, my t shirt and a little of my chest. So much for HF welding blankets. My brother was with me and the next weekend he presented my with a nice Lincoln cowhide welding coat.

 

[A**holes Garage]

I use blankets almost daily. Bought the Tillman, Black Stallion and HF. Mainly used as a floor protectant to keep the splatter and slag from burning through my epoxy floor.

Tillman: Very rigid. not very flexible to form or protect around work. Offers the most
protection and durability IMO
Black Stallion: Flexible, can easily be formed around the area you want to protect.
Will not take heavy splatter, will burn through. Has a tendency to start
shredding or deteriorating over time
HF: Thin, flexible. Good for light duty use IMO. Starts to shred and unravel easily.

 

[dogdog]

......yea aboot that... most of them have a disclaimer not for horizontal use... they are just for protecting sparks and slags to roll off the blanket....and all of them have a temp rating...

I have a small square of those carbon fiber blanket for soldering / sweating pipes and it works great. but then again, if I miss use it probably would still fail...

Maybe look for these in a larger piece ?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075PNXSBW/?tag=atomicindus08-20


Something like these ? But I know the small square I have resist heat great but it is not durable like a blanket that you can throw around like your step child.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EAR3QSM/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[brownbagg]

i just use plywood

 

[slip knot]

i just use plywood

This. spray it with water if your gonna be cutting directly over it. works pretty good. been using this for years.