Welding Station and Fire protection.

[penright]

I can try and take a better picture tonight, but I thought I would start discussion. My building is a sheeting attached to girts with insulation between. Here is what I am talking about.



That is the back wall to the left. I have a work bench there. The right has the same window but it will be to the right, against its pole. That the side I want to put a welding area. I am more concerned with a cut off saw sparks. I am texting the guy who built the building to see what he has. My thought is sheet in metal from the ground to the top girt. My concern is the window. I have seen grinder sparks melt into glasses, I am sure it will do windows as well. May not have thought through that like I should, but it is what it is, now what can I do.
I did plan on building a welding table with backs, but I was just afraid it would not be enough. Any experiences with welding tables that you would like to pass along?


Second part of the question is what have anyone done about having a fire extinguisher? When I was racing we kept a small one in the shop and when we went to the track I would set it out where it was visible to all. I never had to use it, but someone pitting next to me did. Just thinking out loud.

 

[aircommuter]

I would use some of the same metal you have on the outside. For the window get a piece glass with a frame and install it so it can be removed for replacement like a storm window for the inside. I build a lot of steel buildings and I quit using that method in favor of insulated panels, metal on both sides, foam filled. Inside, outside, and insulation done at the same time. Not for every budget , but if one is paying for labor they go up much faster.

 

[Ign]

Steel sheeting to the 8' level. The window will wind up with black specks. MANY of my windows are like this.

If you're going to be doing hot works in this shop, just give up caring about appearances now. It's a shop, not a showcase. All your beautiful white vinyl-backed insulation will look like a chain smoker's walls. Your lights will have to have the haze wiped off them periodically. Your windows will get spotted, hazy and speckled. But NOTHING is worse than sawdust so it ain't that bad.

 

[astroracer]

OSB would work as well. You have a reason to worry about the cutoff saw, put that on a roller cabinet and just move it so it doesn't throw sparks at the insulation. I have all of my heavy use equipment on roller cabinets. makes them easy to move, both for working and for cleaning.
Mark

 

[lotsoftools]

I put up some extra pieces of metal siding at my last shop. Just on the wall behind where I did my grinding.

 

[penright]

For the window get a piece glass with a frame and install it so it can be removed for replacement like a storm window for the inside.

Good Thought.

If you're going to be doing hot works in this shop, just give up caring about appearances now. It's a shop

Good Point.

You have a reason to worry about the cutoff saw,

Can I say I have learned from previous experience at the old house and leave it at that ..... I will add there was no loss of life or major property damage, other than a patch of dormant Bermudagrass.

I have all of my heavy use equipment on roller cabinets. makes them easy to move, both for working and for cleaning.
Mark

Thats a thought, maybe a folding back and sides like a coleman stove.

Thanks everyone for some ideas. I am still open for more.

 

[rburke65]

If you are eluding then I would vote for the metal on the walls and just a pressurized water extinguisher.

 

[Boilerhouse]

Welding/grinding/cutting or any hot work in general is a high risk task for producing fires. The safest and best place for an extinguisher is next to an exit door. Also have at least one that is easily accessible next to the welding area. I would probably have at minimum a 2 gallon pressurized water and a 5 or 10 lb ABC dry chemical.

 

[crewchief888]

as suggested previously, if you have any leftover outer skin panels, that would be a good place to start.

my other suggestion would be some corrugated "tin" around the welding/cutting area, it's a lighter gauge steel, easily cut with tin snips.

my local lowes has it in 4x8 sheets, dont remember the cost per sheet.

i think i'd put up some OSB or plywood, then cover that area with the tin.

 

[matt_i]

Couple of thoughts. Unless your window is polycarbonate like glasses-lenses, the sparks will not melt it. Can etch it over time yes, but will take a lot more abuse.

If using thin sheet metal sticking out at all, pay close attention to burrs and edges. Cut large radiuses on any corners and use the aluminized duct tape to protect the cut edges you might be close to. The edge of the metal can be razor sharp and make quick work of you or even your clothes.

 

[csp]

It's not sparks melting into the glass that pits it. It's shards of the cutoff blade and steel thrown at the glass at high velocity that pits the glass.

I sold my abrasive cut off saw years ago after getting a stationary band saw as well as a porta-band.

 

[LXCam]

If your concern is only the cut off saw. Throw that POS away and get a band saw. It'll be cheaper than trying to fire proof the insulation and no worries about the window at that point.

 

[matt_i]

I have actually melted tiny places of steel in the lenses of my glasses (much to my dismay, just bought new lenses 2 years earlier), this was using a Metabo angled cutoff device with a 6" thin abrasive wheel, and I was not using a face shield.

The abrasive cutoff does deserve a place in my shop, but like the others its not as a stationary tool. And then you can successfully use it to cut outside easily.