Welding Jackets

[bczygan]

What do you use?

Got a half jacket with a welder, that is too small for me.

Just bought a regular leather jacket at a thrift store for $6. Slick satin like lining inside and a black suede outside.

Will this work? Should I remove the lining? Any other alterations to make?

Bill

 

[Musicinabottle]

Kill any pockets or places that will trap sparks and molten globbulations! I have a regular leather welding jacket. Leather is thick and no lining. I also have a full length leather apron that I use far more than the jacket. Jackets great for doing over head welds. Otherwise, I just use the apron and the green cloth slip on sleeves.

 

[Handyfarmer]

I have a leather apron, and wear kevlar sleeves, many times,

 

[Old Man Roger]

It's hotter than the African plains here in south Florida..lol So I cut away everything but the sleeves and collar. The collar is just to keep the sleeves from sliding down.

 

[doojus]

I've always used one of these, fire resistant cotton.

https://www.bakersgas.com/REVWF2110-ST.html

 

[bdbecker]

First, you'll want to be 100% certain its real suede. Fake suede is usually water resistant, whereas real suede will stain if water contacts it. Seeing as how you purchased the jacket for welding, I'd assume you're not worried about a few water spots and can test it in this manner. As far as the liner goes, I'd be tempted to remove it, especially if its a synthetic satin material. What do the sleeve cuffs look like? Also agree with making sure the pockets won't catch spatter.

That being said, I'd keep the suede jacket for date nights and pick up a green $20 FR cotton jacket from your local weld supply house. It'll be cooler than leather, and its purpose built for the task.

https://www.weldingoutfitter.com/co...-36c-9-oz-flame-resistant-cotton-36-inch-coat

 

[3 Gun Shooter]

What kind of welding are you doing? I wear one of the Miller fire resistant coats MIG welding and cutting. For TIG just a long sleeve shirt. I have leathers for overhead, I bought them 50 years ago, still work fine for overhead and heavy cutting.

 

[MoonRise]

Fire-resistant cotton welding jacket and a leather welding jacket.

Weather and welding position usually determine which one I wear.

The cotton one has burn holes in it, the leather one doesn't.

As to your leather jacket from the thrift store, it's NOT a welding jacket.

 

[zmotorsports]

I have a set of full leathers but they are hot as hell especially in 100-degree days so I only weld with those when doing a lot of overhead welding. For general purpose welding I just use a long sleeved welding jacket that I get from my local welding supply store, just whatever they have on sale that fits me. I've used the Miller ones as well as their house brand and both work the same. They are a little cooler than full leathers but only slightly.

 

[L.Cheapo]

I wear the blue Miller Indura jacket. I like it. Bought it when I bought my 211 and got the rebate on it.

 

[oldwino]

I use a lightweight Tillman (flame resistant cotton) jacket that I like. Not too hot and allows good movement. Under $30.00

 

[bczygan]

Looks like it fits....




The leather shoulder and arm covering I was given. Prostate by Praxair.

I know the apron goes under.

Bill

 

[rlitman]

...Just bought a regular leather jacket at a thrift store for $6. Slick satin like lining inside and a black suede outside.

Will this work? Should I remove the lining? Any other alterations to make?

First, as asked above, is it real leather? The label should indicate what it is. Synthetic suede (like amara) is machine washable. I really like the stuff on my mechanics gloves, but it isn't ok for welding.

Next, the lining has got to go. Thermoplastic fibers (polyester, nylon, etc.) will not only burn, but can also melt and then fuse to your skin. BAD stuff. Cotton will burn, but that's only a small fraction of the danger from synthetic fibers. So, a cotton shirt under something FR is fine, but no polyester shirts (or underarmor, etc). Got it?

With the lining, the cuffs and any fabric collar has to go. Pockets are a problem, and should really be stitched shut. The zipper is probably assembled on a synthetic fabric tape. Metal snaps are ok. I'd figure an hour with a seam ripper (while watching a TV show with the SO) would have it down to just the leather.

Finally, real welding leathers (if you really want leather to weld in) will be stitched with kevlar thread. When one berry hits the thread on your thrift store jacket's seam, it's going to open up, and you'll be unpleasantly surprised.

I've got a Tillman leather welding jacket. It's nice in the winter, but that's about it.

 

[Old Man Roger]

Bill you related to Edward James Olmos? LOL

 

[NUTTSGT]

I have just a basic welder's jacket, bluish-green, that was about $25.

 

[bczygan]

Bill you related to Edward James Olmos? LOL

My wife Julie said, "Oh my God, it’s the mad welder."

Bill

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I'll shop for some of the things you suggested.

 

[bczygan]

Next questions:

Hat?

Gloves?

Suggestions.......

By the way, I will be going to class for welding at the end of the month and will be doing MIG, stick and torch.

Bill

 

[zmotorsports]

Next questions:

Hat?

Gloves?

Suggestions.......

By the way, I will be going to class for welding at the end of the month and will be doing MIG, stick and torch.

Bill

Personally I don't wear a hat. I don't know if it's my pointed head or what but with a had or anything on my head it is hard to keep my helmet positioned properly. As for gloves, I'm a Tillman fan. I have heavy ones with the a heat shield on the back side for MIG welding and the lightweight gantlet style ones for TIG welding.

 

[rlitman]

Next questions:

Hat?

Gloves?.

Hat, depends on what you're doing. If you'll be getting sparks in your hair, then you probably want a beanie. I sewed my own from a pair of nomex thermal underwear I got on eBay. One of the legs became a dust catch bag for my grinder.

Gloves, depends on the process. I like kidskin, but that may be too thin for some things.

 

[Old Man Roger]

I like a durag under my helmet, one with a padded rim.

 

[L.Cheapo]

Looks like it fits....




The leather shoulder and arm covering I was given. Prostate by Praxair.

I know the apron goes under.

Bill

What an odd name for a clothing line. Fitting for Praxair, I suppose.

 

[bdbecker]

Hats - I like the traditional welding caps with the neck protector bill on the back, but a lot of guys I work with wear beanies without the bill or the doo rags - its really a matter of personal preference.

Gloves - Tillman has the market cornered. I'd say a pair of MIG gloves and a pair of heavy blue gloves would have you set for quite awhile. If you get a hole in them, replace immediately.

The only other suggestions I'd offer are to always wear ear plugs and safety glasses, and get a bottle of SPF 50 sunscreen. The ear plugs not only help preserve your hearing, they keep the molten hot BB's from getting into your ear canal. Safety glasses are just an additional layer of protection for the only two eyes you get. Sunscreen on any exposed skin, especially your neck (front, back, and sides) and ears - those UV rays like to bounce all over the place and always seem to find a way to burn you.

 

[trackwelder]

I just wear a hooded sweatshirt and position myself away from the slag. Sparks don’t hurt anymore.

 

[bczygan]

What an odd name for a clothing line. Fitting for Praxair, I suppose.

Prostar!

Darn auto correct on the phone!

Bill

 

[MoonRise]

Gloves?

Tillman. Pick the size/style that fits you and the task(s).

I've become rather fond of the Tillman elk-skin 750 gloves. Flexible enough for me that even though it is a 'stick' glove I use it for MIG too. It is not really flexible enough as a TIG glove though, especially for feeding filler rod.

Although I do have a nice pair of Miller (branded, don't know who actually makes/made them) MIG gloves.

Hat?

I picked up a couple of beanie types. Flame-resistant cotton IIRC.

 

[neophyte]

What do you use?

Got a half jacket with a welder, that is too small for me.

Just bought a regular leather jacket at a thrift store for $6. Slick satin like lining inside and a black suede outside.

Will this work? Should I remove the lining? Any other alterations to make?

Bill

Most leather stuff I’ve seen for welding specifies kevlar/nomex thread, chrome tanned leather( i think), no lining, or a lining made out of something natural and not highly flammable like 100% cotton or wool.
Any type of synthetic fiber lining could be very highly flammable, and should be avoided at all costs, or at least a sample taken and tested.
Regular leather might be ok, just not as durable.

 

[plinker]

I got some gloves from Matco, nice denim lined blue leather, not sure of the OEM, they are a bit thicker then I'd like for MIG welding though. I use the hat thing that came with my Speedglas when doing overhead or thick plasma cutting, otherwise I dont use one.

I do wear ear plugs when plasma cutting as it's quite noisy and my hearing is bad enough already.

 

[JUNK-MAN]

I usually just wear an old sweat shirt I have hanging by the welder, of course I also wear leather gloves and a helmet. At work we also have a big green welding jacket, I wear that sometimes but its 3x and I wear a 1x or large. The idea was that it was big enough that everyone could wear it but its way too big and makes it hard to move around hence why I usually use my old shirt, I haven't lit myself on fire yet, but I have burned through it a few times.

 

[rlitman]

I usually just wear an old sweat shirt I have hanging by the welder, of course I also wear leather gloves and a helmet. At work we also have a big green welding jacket, I wear that sometimes but its 3x and I wear a 1x or large. The idea was that it was big enough that everyone could wear it but its way too big and makes it hard to move around hence why I usually use my old shirt, I haven't lit myself on fire yet, but I have burned through it a few times.

Sweat shirts are VERY dangerous around sparks. Almost a decade ago, we read about a high school student who had a horrific end due to an errant spark igniting the fluffy interior of his partially opened sweat shirt.

Sweat shirts are made from polyester. That by itself not only burns easily, but melts onto your skin. I cannot think of a worse way to go. And the fuzzy interior is incredibly easy to start burning, as it lights up like lint (if you're not aware, lint lights more easily than gasoline).

 

[bczygan]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I was in class today and went to the bookstore and bought a Miller blue jacket for $30.

Good to go.

Ran some beads on some really sweet Miller equipment. Then tried some lap joints. Learned a bunch. Got a little better with each try.

Bill

 

[crewchief888]

i wear plain old FRC "greens"

or FRC HI-VIZ "oranges"

i find them used in the area thrift stores $3-$4 each, for jackets or pants.

also have a buddy that "appropriates" them from a local steel mill sometimes.

 

[bczygan]

i wear plain old FRC "greens"

or FRC HI-VIZ "oranges"

i find them used in the area thrift stores $3-$4 each, for jackets or pants.

also have a buddy that "appropriates" them from a local steel mill sometimes.

90 plus degrees today, and a leather jacket, convinced me to grab something for Thursday!!!

Bill