How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Welding Techniques, Theory, Machines and Questions.

Moderator: Harold_V

User avatar
steamin10
Posts: 6712
Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 11:52 pm
Location: NW Indiana. Close to Lake Michigan S. tip

Re: How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Post by steamin10 »

I have been reading this adventure, and think back to when I started welding stuff back on my dump truck. I welded in shorts, and sleeveless shirts and all that stuff.

Early on, I duct taped some jean denim for a light shild under the hood. Big help. Blue geans of heavy cotton, and denim snap front shirt with long sleves were standard wear, as I was running a tug boat anyway, so sun blocking became the norm, and it worked for theoccasional wleding spriints.

I eventually got several sets of greens from steel mill jobs, and that became standard fare for heavy grinding and fab work. Various shileds or even welding helm with the lens up were good for heavy grinding, and since I wore galsses all the time, flash was not a problem until I worked at Blaw Knox building M-60 tanks. There sutck in a crane with a hundred welders running you got BBQ'd in the cab, unless you wore sunglasses, and dark side shields. All welding would stop, before we made moves with the cranes, but eyedrops and ointments were regular fare for some, sensative to flash. I always thought it was poor protection choices, and did not have mny problems.

Working around melt furnaces, and pouring glowing steel and armor, we had 'heat' glasses that were blue. Glass blowers wear a similar eye protection against the over bright light.

For the occasional welder, even in hotter climes, you cant beat cotton. It soaks up sweat, is insulating from radiant heat, and wont burn well, unless its fluffed. I smeared a bit of RTV on my chin flap, to stop the edge fuzzing, and just tossed it for another piece when needed. I was too cheep to buy all the store gear, and just used what was handy that worked. Only when I got some serious welding repair jobs did I get professional gear to look the part. Then it paid many times over.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
User avatar
BadDog
Posts: 5131
Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:21 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Post by BadDog »

Yes, me too. Cotton/Linen/Denim for me in most all cases. I have jean shirts that start off life as outer decent looking layers in cold weather, usually from there to yard work shirts (also for cool weather), and finally to grinding/welding, before they end their life as disposable shop rags. Jean pants legs make good hood drapes when you split the seam. And if welding beneath a chassis, make a good slip on when combined with welding gauntlet (sealed by cuff). And I have a heavy canvas "drop cloth" (way heavier than cheap ones for paint) that I have been known to mist down to dampen to lay under when welding (or heavy grinding) overhead. I have very little in the way of true "leathers" now, though I used to have a couple of full upper body sets.

I'm not as poor as I once was, but I'm still just as cheap, and I hate to throw out anything until it's done providing it's service...
Russ
Master Floor Sweeper
User avatar
SteveHGraham
Posts: 7788
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
Location: Florida

Re: How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Post by SteveHGraham »

I ended up with a cotton Tillman 9230, and it works perfectly. I decided to go from a large glove to medium, thinking it would make it easier to feed wire, and it made no difference at all. The glove seems a little tighter in places, but that's about it.

I ordered an Ove Glove. It seems like a nice product, but I don't know how people get their fingers into them. The fingers are very tight. I could never feed wire with it, because the tight fingers make it stiff. I also noticed that when you hold the glove over your eye, you can see light through it, and that's not encouraging. I think it will be fantastic in the kitchen, though.

Yesterday I tried a fillet weld, and my right glove got hot much faster than usual. It seems like the vertical part reflects heat back at me.

I am still welding in shorts because it's hot. I suppose I may eventually regret that. The table comes between the UV and my legs, but there are slots for warm items to fall through.

I wish I could get the shade on my helmet to go below 9. It's hard to see anything but the immediate area of the weld. I am told that will change with experience. If not, I'll have to find a super-bright light with a flexible neck.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
User avatar
BadDog
Posts: 5131
Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 8:21 pm
Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Post by BadDog »

If I can't see adequately beyond the pool, I use a halogen work lamp. Once you get it (and you) positioned right, it will help illuminate the material so you can track the joint. However, you can get the work area too bright, which can make the puddle harder to read, and even trigger your hood (I know how you hate to be triggered). But a nice bead is not much use if you can't track the joint.
Russ
Master Floor Sweeper
User avatar
warmstrong1955
Posts: 3568
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2010 2:05 pm
Location: Northern Nevada

Re: How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Post by warmstrong1955 »

I Agree with the lighting comment!
That's also why I started using an auto darkening helmet.
As I got older eyes, I started having a problem focusing.
I'd get all set up, and after I flopped down my hood and started an arc, I had a delay from when I got focused on the arc & puddle, and where I was going. Wasn't a problem with the TIG really, just stay out of the throttle for a second, but with mig & stick when it's off or on.....
That little delay, would sometimes have me welding off track toward Oklahoma or Limpopo, instead of where I was supposed to be going. :roll:
No damage really....just looked stupid...and sometimes ugly.

Bill
Today's solutions are tomorrow's problems.
User avatar
SteveHGraham
Posts: 7788
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 7:55 pm
Location: Florida

Re: How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Post by SteveHGraham »

My hood is auto-darkening. It's just too dark! Maybe if I scratch off the little "9" on the dial and change it to a "7"...
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
User avatar
GlennW
Posts: 7284
Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:23 am
Location: Florida

Re: How Bad Will TIG Fry my Hide?

Post by GlennW »

Just for a reference, I just welded a steel part using about 40 amps and remembered this thread, so I looked at my lens and it was a 10. The weld area was very clear and defined.

I have 9, 10, 11, and 12 lenses. 12 being for heavy aluminum.

Perhaps you have too much light behind you when you are welding as that can completely wash out your vision.

Just for an experiment try draping a towel over the back of your head to eliminate any light behind your mask.

If you detour through here on your way to your new place, you are welcome to stop by and play with my welder. Just don't blow anything up, or burn anything down!
Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
Post Reply