Welding Tips and Tricks

was laying a beab wearing my carhartt jacket yesterday (I know not "proper" attire) and ran out of stick and poped my helmet up and my sleve was on fire!!

got a nice black mark on my sleeve now along with a bunch of black dots that make it look like ladybugs laid eggs all over my sleeves...

just thought it was something that was sort of funny and figured ide post it.
Peter.

Drowstiq.

Being on fire during stick welding and/or torch cutting has touched many of our pasts. The first time, a peculiar smoke scent was noted. Curiosity lifted the helmet and the flames were creeping up one leg. One of the legs of the coveralls had cuffed itself and collected molten and slag debris. Those coveralls needed cleaning too ...but luckily they were cotton and were easy to extinguish.

Often it is another worker that notes the flames or smoldering.

Memories.
Alexa

Been on fire many times, myself. Stick, MIG, Flux-core, torch/plasma cutting, carbon arc gouging. My nose is now finely attuned to the smell of hot cotton!

There's a company called No-Burn that sells a line of fire-retardent chemicals for the consumer, including a fabric treatment. I've never used it, but I've heard good reviews.

A buddy of mine and I were welding wall panels in a coal bunker, on a swingstage, when the stage started jumping and I heard cussing. I lifted my hood to see him batting out the fire in his shirt pocket. The pocket was mostly gone, and the only thing holding his half burned pack of cigarettes in was the melted safety glasses. I told him, "You've been welding too many years, when you can be on fire for that long and not know it!"

Steve S

Otto Nobedder.

Yes.
Under a pipe, the molten sneaks into the ears.
Sizzling eggs.
Tank the heavens for ear wax.

Alexa

I've got two bald spots each about the size of a quarter from some careless buttwipe with a carbon arc gouging rig.
I have to thank God that I had decided to wear a full leather that night instead of my normal bib and sleeves. It was warm out that night
so I don't have a good answer as to why I chose the full jacket. Divine intervention I guess. Molten slag burning hair and skin does not
feel good! Burned damn near to the skull. Now for the best part. Company nurse refused to treat me cuz her shift ended in 15 minutes.
Shop general foreman took me to the ER in his own car. I was out three weeks due to infection. When I returned both the nurse and the guy
who burned me were gone. I did get a good sized burn check though.

I've had a few fires over the years...

I was converting my 1957 school bus into a camper. The welding sparks kept landing on the plastic toilet. My genius idea at the time was to put a rag over the toilet to protect it from sparks. Next thing you know, the toilet is on fire. Not such a wise idea after all.

On another occasion, I bought a cheap Chinese OA set and the regulator failed. I smelled something burning and then saw 10 feet of flame rolling off my gas cylinder. I snuffed out the fire by throwing a 5 gallon bucket of water on it. It always pays to have a bucket of water sitting around.

Getting sparks in your shoes or boots is not fun either. Now, I always wear loose pants that fit over my foot wear.

As you make a few mistakes in life, hopefully you get a little wiser each time. (SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY!)

I do have numerous pairs of denim jeans with mysterious holes in the front of the legs just above my boot tops! hmmmmm.

Immolation.

I've refused to wear lace-up boots (and refused jobs that require them) after a blob of molten steel from cutting 1" plate landed "just so" to roll between the tongue and the lace binding. By the time I had that boot off, I had a third-degree burn the size of a quarter on top of my right foot. Still have a hell of a scar, that is heat and cold sensitive.

I only wear Wellingtons now; It eliminates that "trap" zone, and I can get out of them in a hurry if something burns through my pant leg and gets in there!

Steve S

Wow - glad to know it was not something that is one in a million!
It sounds like if I want to keep on doing this I should find soem good burn creem

Peter.

I've got so many burns on my left arm from FCAW and 6010s. Today was my first time being on fire.

I go to a welding school, and it's too f'ing hot here to wear the leathers if you aren't doing overhead. Normally I have flame resistant coveralls on but I wasn't at home last night so I only had my work pants and a flannel shirt. Went to finish a root pass that I had stopped midway.. must have flung the stick too hard or something. Felt my arm getting too hot too damn fast. Put up my hood and my left arm from elbow to shoulder was on fire. Wasn't too bad, mostly stuck to all the fuzzy balls on my sleeves. Think some of my classmates crapped their pants when they saw me fly out of my booth on fire.

I will obviously not be welding in flannel any time soon.

badnewsfl wrote:I've got so many burns on my left arm from FCAW and 6010s. Today was my first time being on fire.

I go to a welding school, and it's too f'ing hot here to wear the leathers if you aren't doing overhead. Normally I have flame resistant coveralls on but I wasn't at home last night so I only had my work pants and a flannel shirt. Went to finish a root pass that I had stopped midway.. must have flung the stick too hard or something. Felt my arm getting too hot too damn fast. Put up my hood and my left arm from elbow to shoulder was on fire. Wasn't too bad, mostly stuck to all the fuzzy balls on my sleeves. Think some of my classmates crapped their pants when they saw me fly out of my booth on fire.

I will obviously not be welding in flannel any time soon.

=====

Badnewsfl.

Of course the best is leather, but for decades the rule of thumb has been NO SYNTHETICS ... only 100% cotton and wool.
Make sure you keep us updated on your inflaming episodes.

Alexa

My welding jackets come from the 'Salvation Army' thrift store 'used leather jacket rack'.
I purchase jackets that are extra large and loose fitting with lots of ventilation.
My favorite one is a $10 tan 'suede leather' jacket.
I removed the lining and insulation. Nothing but leather.

About 18 years ago (the last time I was making my living welding) my boss and I were building some working pens in NC TX during a "blue norther". 45 knot winds, temps in the 30s -- ugly day. We were almost fighting for the stinger just to get close to the warmth of the arc. Both of us were wearing Carhartt gear and a spark from the 7018 landed on Kenny and set his suit afire. I started slapping at the fire to put him out and succeeded before he got burned. He decided to take a break and handed me the stinger. I was working close to the arc, trying to get all the warmth I could, and it wasn't 2 minutes before I felt Kenny slapping me on the back. A spark had swirled around in the wind and lit my back on fire. He got me put out before the fire got through the Carhartt suit, so there were no injuries...except to the clothing. We gave it up for the day, shut the SA-200 down and headed for the house. Some days you just don't weld. Not outdoors in Texas, anyway.

i think everyone who's been welding for any length of time has set himself on fire. i've burned out the pocket's on more than one carhartt jacket and set fire to more shirts and pant-legs than i care to admit. i used to have a mustache and burnt half of it off while preheating a column splice on a windy day. some of the joy's of welding!!