I'm going to school for welding

>>1169981
yes, uv light is dangerous, the fume is dangerous, the heat is dangerous, but if you have to ask you might want to be super careful, and just remember, wear everything all the fucking time

>>1169984
Okay thanks man I don't plan on fucking around I take this very seriously

>>1169981
>My brother said that half the stuff you learn from the safety orientation won't be followed at some jobs
He's right.
So much safety measures are downright ignored for the sake of productivity it's fucking ridiculous.

t. welder

>>1170000
nice digits.

That's true for all industry though. I spent 5 years disposing of highly hazardous chemicals. Safety programs and procedures were largely ignored until there was an incident, or a suit saw potential for liability.

I welded for about 10 and I seem to be doing ok.
Rule of thumb just make sure that, 1.) The area your in is well ventilated (If not make it ventilated or follow inclosed space protocol. 2.) don't look directly at others when their about to weld, arc flash sucks dick. 3.) At the very LEAST wear thick longsleeves, jeans, work boots, gloves and welding helmet. I prefer wearing a leather jacket because I've found some UV can get through simple cloth and something to cover my head (Bandana, welding cap, or backwards baseball hat will do) , because smelling burned hair sucks. Bonus.) get in the habit of checking how hot anything is before grabbing it. 3 quick taps should get you enough warning.

>>1169981
In principle, yes, but in practice it depends on exposure. Tacking and low-amperage TIG are typically fine without skin protection. For general welding, gloves and a densely-woven cotton long sleeve shirt and pants should work (for UV at least, something heavier would be appropriate for blocking spatter if you have to deal with that). For high UV activities like spray MIG, you'll probably be wearing leather and/or reflective gear anyway to deal with the heat. A regular welding helmet will block UV just fine, but be careful about reflected light getting behind it. It's less of an issue for skin, but eyes are a lot more sensitive.

>>1170034
My father got rated for Hazmat work at age 48. In his first job in the field he complained constantly how the 20-somethings on the crew wouldn't take any of the containment and scrub down procedures seriously, wearing their bunny suits to lunch, etc. Six months later, they were all dead, including my dad. Same rare cancer.

Anyway, the saying is there are no old welders. None of it is going to kill you right away (unlike the shit my dad was working around). But each insult adds up as you age. I take it seriously, and I don't mind young assholes laughing about it. I'm an old man now, and I plan to live a lot longer.

Just to add to what some have already said;
Fumes and dust will fuck you up. If your shop doesn't have fume extractors set up a fan, near where your working, facing away from you so it sucks up the fumes and blows them away. Even then, if you're doing lots of grinding or plasma cutting put on a respirator or at very least tie a bandana around your face to filter some of it out. If you're applying any significant heat to stainless, alloys or galvanized material ventilation is crucial. In my three years of welding I've known two people to take ambulance rides because of fumes.
People will often tig or mig weld without gloves or sleeves. I've even seen people tacking things up with no hood, they just close there eyes and hold everything in place with bare hands. That's how you get skin cancer. FR cotton or leather sleeves are great for mig, tig and some stick welding. They are much cooler than wearing a full jacket during the summer.
My advice is to get in the habit of putting on safety glasses and gloves before you enter the shop. A pair of driver's gloves are great for steel handling and anything else you do around the shop that isn't welding. Also have hearing protection ready at all times.
Don't wear any synthetic clothing, it will melt instead of smolder. Jeans are fine but frayed areas will ignite like kindling.

>>1170181
^ this

Not all clothing is UV resistant, and it will fade your clothing too. Get some quality UV resistant stuff.

>>1170153
I have a lincoln auto darkener. I can see the light around the edges of the mask reflecting. It's bright but not causing any noticeable issues. Should I be concerned about it? any ides for a fix?

>>1170187
you're probably OK.

>>1170000
well really who the fuck is going to wear all that leather when it's 40C and you're in a shop with fans(if you're lucky) AND you're working with shit that creates even more heat?

>>1170208
>i'm hot
>fuck this leather stuff
>wait now i'm on fire
>put me out put me out
>now take me to the hospital so i can get diagnosed with skin cancer

Yeah I kno rite

>>1170211
have you ever welded? you don't just instantly catch of fire. UV is an issue and will basically give you sun burn but that's what sleeves are for. full gear is unnecessary 99% of the time and can actually be a detriment to safety

>>1170223
>have you ever welded? you don't just instantly catch of fire. UV is an issue and will basically give you sun burn but that's what sleeves are for. full gear is unnecessary 99% of the time and can actually be a detriment to safety
Sure, and heatstroke isn't conducive to safety either. But let's face it... most guys who toss off the sleeves because they're too hot would still do it if you guaranteed they'd have cancer in 20 years because they can't think about more than the next hour's comfort. They're not overheating, they're just comfier with flash so bad it's peeling two layers deep.

>>1170208

you get used to having a camelbak hose stuck in your mouth and never pissing because it all just comes out your pores.

wear the PPE.

>>1170226
oh i know full well how much getting burned can suck. really though it's a non issue unless you're welding for long periods at a time and really if you're doing that you should be in a shop with a lot of fans or even AC so wearing the gear is less of a issue. if you're just doing some quick welds there's really no chance you're gonna get burned and the gear becomes pointless as it'll take longer to put it all on then actually make the welds

>>1170187
Some folks use binder clips to put a sheet of denim or canvas on the back or their hood. It's mostly to prevent glare on the inner lens while working outdoors. An old instructor of mine, who used to work on ships, would wrap a bandana around his neck to keep the reflections of the arc from burning him while he welded in tight spaces.

>>1170242
*nod*
fully agree.

>>1170208
I wear a leather coat with the back cut out and it's perfectly fine.
Almost all the other guys in the shop do the same.

>>1170181
>Jeans are fine but frayed areas will ignite like kindling.
Can confirm.
I literally caught on fire last week.

>>1170268
if you're sitting splatter can also land in your lap, burn through the jeans then burn your cock. i haven't been able to fap for 2 weeks now.

>>1170271
Yeah, when I did aluminum TIG big ass balls of liquid filler landed right on my lap and almost burned through all the way to my dick a few too many times.

>>1170274
Burned my ass plenty of times but this was a first. Got myself a leather apron now and it'll be on whenever I'm welding while sitting

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If this thread had been created just a day earlier, I might have spared myself a sunburn.
Lice and learn, right?

>>1170418
why would you even weld in a t-shirt in the first place
why would anyone think this is a good idea

>>1170428
I'm in Mississippi, and it was particularly humid this last week. I figured if I started catching sparks or slag, I'd revise my t-shirt plan.
Ended up less spattery than one would suspect and no sleeves were needed to protect from physical crap hitting me.

>>1170439
Didn't you start feeling unnatural heat on your arms after like 5 seconds of welding?

>>1170441
No? Should I have?
I was welding on and off for 8 hours that day. The sunburn isn't even that bad. May not even peel.

It was a mig welder, if that makes any difference in UV exposure.

>>1170444
Maybe it's because I have canadian babby skin but if there's a part of my skin exposed when I'm working I definitely feel some heat. I'm doing MIG these days too.

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>>1170445
I feel your pain.
Despite being in Mississippi, I'm originally from the Pacific Northwest, where it's always cloudy and raining. I'm pasty as fuck and avoid going outside as much as possible because of my bitch skin.

I may have just not noticed any sensation of heat because it was the first time I had been welding, and I was pretty excited. Laid down about 8 pounds of welds, and am no better at it than when I started.
Fun stuff.

Will be doing more practice, but will take advantage of long sleeves next time.

>>1170445
I'm Canadian and a ginger, I never feel shit till it's too late. It's just like regular sun burn, don't know you're burning till you're burned

>>1170447
What were you welding? If it was just scrap then I had the same issue. Could never make decent welds on scrap because I don't give a fuck about scrap. Once I started having shit I needed to repair and I really didn't want to fuck up I started making better welds

Nothing makes me focused better then having a few grand on the line. Things still go to shit if I get frustrated tho. Oddly enough I've also found I do better in tight spaces which is where most seem to have a hard time.

Really though don't focus on the way it looks just make strong welds that'll hold. If you want it to look good you can always take a grinder to it later

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>>1170458
Some of it's scrap, some of it is a set of crucible tongs--pic related, work in progress.
I seemed to he doing better on the scrap than the actual piece, but it's all holding pretty well. Maybe because there was more pressure to do it right on the actual project.

I will go over my welds after a bit more practice. There's no reason not to beef the tongs up, and tons of reasons *not* to skimp on the job.

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>>1170428
I weld in a t-shirt all the time. I wear leather on my support arm and an FR cotton sleeve on my right.
>>1170418
>>1170439
West TN here, I feel your pain. It gets hot and humid as hell here. Welder's tan is not a good look. Half the bicep and half the forearm is sun kissed, while the face, hands and wrists are white as a ghost.

>>1170445
>I definitely feel some heat
That would be the IR and visible light thermally warming your skin. If you're picking up enough ionizing radiation to feel warm, you have more to worry about than sunburn. And like sunburn, it only starts to feel like it's burning after you're already burned.

However, it is good practice to cover up if you're feeling the heat of a weld like that, since there will typically be UV involved too.

Any good resources for steel prices? I'm looking at building a table, but the prices at HD and TSC are fucking outrageous. 30 bucks for a 3 foot section of 1-1/4 X 1-1/4 X 1/4 angle iron.

I'm looking around online but no one is listing their prices.

http://www.albanysteel.net/services/steel-service-center/#Bars-Hot-Rolled-Angles

>>1171084
Local metal supply?
Scrap yard?
You're not likely to find better prices online after shipping is added.

>>1170034
I know Im late to the party, but it sounds like you might know your shit.

How would one safely dispose of a strong nicotine (pg) solution? I quit vaping but I still have a bunch of the nicotine base left from making my own juice. Dont want it in the house, otherwise I would just let it sit til the potency is gone.

>>1171189
I'd just throw it out.

If you're concerned, bring it to an HHW collection. You county probably has one.

Otherwise a pharmacy may take it for disposal free of charge. I'd ask.

>>1170034
I think it depends on how big your company is for the most part. Usually the big corporate behemoths take safety seriously because the bean counters say so. Plus, with the HR rules and shit, you can't just call your underlings pussy faggots when they want to do the safety stuff. I work for a big multinational and they are pretty insistent on safety. I get paid hourly anyway, so if I need to spend some time to put on all the PPE I don't seriously mind or anything.

>>1170774
So, utterly stupid question: have you guys considered applying suntan lotion before suiting up, something UV A/B rated?

>>1171084
just search for local metal supply stores. prices on metals change all the time so you'll have to call them up. if you're just buying some angle iron be prepared to get fucked hard, those places want you buying a decent bit and not wasting their time with a single 4ft piece of steel

>>1171329
that'll just make you sticky and you'll be covered in dust, metal flakes and all kinds of other shit floating around a shop

since this is apparently the only welding thread up. anyone try the Lincoln 3350 lids? just picked one up today for half price($300) and the guy at the shop claimed they are great. apparently when they darken they have a blue tint rather then the traditional green. not sure how i'm going to like that as the videos i've seen it looks kinda bright but you can apparently see your work much better. nothing to weld atm so haven't been able to try it yet. not a huge fan of the headgear, seems kinda cheap and took me an hour to get to get it adjusted somewhat comfortable

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>>1171329
I don't like the idea of greasing my arms up to catch sparks and molten bbs.
>>1171333
Plus this.

Just get some sleeves.
>>1171351
I just ordered one for $240 shipped. Did he tell you that $300 was half price? On Lincoln's website the msrp is $308-$332.
>they darken they have a blue tint rather then the traditional green
They do because they display more natural light. People who use passive hoods pay top dollar for "cool blue" lenses. These filter out different light than the standard green and makes it easier to distinguish the arc light from the glowing metal pool.
> not a huge fan of the headgear
The old headgear is about the same as a harbour freight. The new headgear is very comfortable once you have it adjusted.

>>1171375
Canadian dollar is worthless. most places i checked wanted $500-600 and the cheapest i could order online was $400 but then there was shipping and tax so still came out nearly $500.

i dunno in the videos the view did look great but that blue tint seemed like it would be hard on the eyes after a bit. really can't judge it till i actually try the thing tho.

biggest problem i'm having with the headgear is the tilt. that pin type stopper they use is just a tiny bit off for me. i end up with the helmet either not going down quite far enough(plenty of light coming through the bottom) or it's down too far and the lens is damn near hitting my chin. i'm sure once i play with it more i'll get it figured out but it was really annoying me

>>1171084

You aren't going to get better prices than at a metal yard you can actually get yourself to, even if they're kind of overpriced. Steel is so cheap and heavy that shipping almost invariably kills any savings you'd get by buying online, at least for plain mild steel.

Odds are that no yard has their prices listed unless they're also heavily into online retail (which is rare). Steel is a commodity, and the price fluctuates accordingly. You'll have to call them up to get an exact price.

>>1171331
>if you're just buying some angle iron be prepared to get fucked hard

Haven't experienced this, personally. I normally only buy full 20-foot lengths and random offcuts out of the surplus piles (which are priced by weight), but I know the yard I go to only charges $0.50/cut.

Hell, one time I went to buy just a small 2ft section of angle iron, paid for it at the counter, and the guy pulled a 5ft remnant out of the rack. Just gave it to me after asking if I could use it or if I needed exactly 2ft.


That being said, I don't really know how the prices there stack up; I never bother going anywhere else.

Anybody care to throw out a few prices to give me an idea? Just paid ~$25 for a 20ft length of 1x3x0.06 tube. 1x1x0.06 is around $15. 1x0.125 flat bar was under $8.

>>1169987
Also don't let your gut touch the table when welding in class.
It isn't fun.

>>1171460
should i not be resting my arms on the grounded table when welding?

>>1171464
Should be fine.

>>1171466
you're lying

>>1171467
You only make a mistake once~

>>1171467
>>1171469
The voltage of most welding setups is too low to electrocute. High frequency pilot arcs can give a decent (but harmless) shock if they ground through you, but the main current itself won't generate hazardous internal amps unless you do something really stupid.

>>1171481
I wanted him to taze himself...

>>1171375
>>1171333

I was thinking as sort of an underlayer for the thinner cotton etc. shirts, but that's fair.

>>1171351
I have a Lincoln 3350 and a much cheaper solar powered Lincoln auto-darkening mask.
I prefer the cheaper one MUCH more than the 3350. The headgear feels more stable, no settings to deal with, and even though you can adjust the brightness of the 3350, the cheap solar one has magnitudes better visibility both while welding and not.

I honestly don't get the 3350. Over three times the price for an inferior product.

>>1171639
the headgear is what's pissing me off. again i haven't been able to use it yet but i think i'll like the huge viewing area just can't seem to get that headgear adjusted properly. i'm wondering if i could swap headgear from another helmet

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>>1171964
The larger viewing area is a pretty negligible benifet when the entire view gets washed out from the arc and you're fussing with how it sits on your head.
For $250 USD, I expected better.

On the other hand, this $90 model I got from Home Depot and painted for my daughter is leaps and bounds better. Visibility and stability more than make up for the smaller window.

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>>1171991
Basic headgear will fit in the 3350, but the locking bit will need some holes in the mask to fit in. I plan to add some.
Pic related, the little locking holes.

>>1171993
With the new model the locking mechanism is built into the headgear not the shell. My old helmet also has it built into the headgear so might try swapping it.

>>1171991
Tabitha?!

>>1172222
Nah. Sorry, bro.

>>1171991
Jerome?!?!!?!

>>1169981
just dont be a pussy about it and wear saftey gear whenever your in shop, i got slag in my eye last year shit was scorching hot and hurt so fucking bad, now i always wear PPE.

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>>1169981
Aerospace welder here
(F35& f22)
>you can get skin cancer from it?
Yes, but most guys here just wear sunblock.
>safety orientation won't be followed at some jobs
Safety is only followed if production slows because of it.

If you wanna be a welder, become an aerospace welder.
Job is super cushy compared to other welding jobs.
Less than 50 amps most of the time
Can sit down
No super heavy lifting

Cons:
Everything is precision as fuck
No room for error or shitty work
With the f35 entering full production, there will be lots of openings for welders

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Hey, I just learned how to use a MIG gun today.
How'd I do?

>>1173043
Is robot welding not accurate enough for aerospace industry?

>>1173081
>robot welding
HAHAHA

automation is an overblown meme

>>1173081
Welding can be finicky at times. There are many variables that can change between two welds that should be exactly the same. Humans can make on the fly adjustments to compensate for bad fit up, imperfect cuts, or even something as small as the weld seem in square tubing soaking up heat and causing cold roll. Robots move to where they are told to start the weld on their XYZ axis, start feeding wire and then move to where they were told to stop. They can lay down some very pretty and consistent welds if everything is set up perfectly, but they lack the finesse of an experienced welder.
>>1173045
Looks good. Next time put tacks on the radii of the tubing and tie your weld into those.

>>1170223
you're a mong, and I would sack you.

>>1170265
Sounds positively blue oyster bar

>>1173045
Lack of fusuion. Weld won't hold up to much, need more heat

>>1173081
>Is robot welding not accurate enough for aerospace industry?
I often run a Lazer welder or machine welder.
It only works as well as the operator.

>>1173159
>Lack of fusuion. Weld won't hold up to much, need more heat
The machine was a little 115v unit.
It won't go any hotter.

>>1173176
>It won't go any hotter
Shorten stickout a bit, lower wirefeed a bit, go a little slower. Or preheat with a flame.

>>1173181
It was just a handle for a cart.
2 tacks would probably secure adequately enough

Thanks for the constructive criticism.

>>1173197
Still, it's good to make a habit of good practices. That weld looks nice and consistent, so if you get penetration down, you should be in good shape.

Something else to consider. That looks like you pushed the wire, which is usually preferred for mild steel, but dragging gives better penetration, which can help when you have deep roots like that rounded tube. You have to weave carefully to get a flat bead since dragging tends to build up in the middle.

Also, tacks are good at supporting linear loads but bad at twisting loads, so at least three non-colinear tacks is a good idea if you're not going to weld something further. If I'm leaving something small and light-duty just tacked, I usually place four.

>>1173136
Hey it's okay to be a weekend warrior.
Real welders wear leather unless they do only TIG or light duty stuff.

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Gentlemen, advice please.
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offers.htm?articleId=2888
or
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offers.htm?articleId=2890

I know they're cheapy ones but I don't have much money. I have some other Parkside stuff and it's not too bad.

Can you offer any advice?
Inverter that much better?
I just want it to learn arc and weld some basic box lengths. I learnt MIG in college.

>>1173260
They are both on the edge of "too small to be useful" territory, but they're about equivalent on that front (the inverter should be DC vs AC for the transformer, which offers better penetration per amp). Inverters have much finer and broader controls, but you probably won't have much use for going below 75 amps anyway (though the inverter could be modified to run a scratch-start TIG, which would benefit from that). The inverter should give significantly better efficiency, and so be less demanding on your electrical supply for a given amperage, though that's probably not a problem given that they should be 230V. I'd try to look for something that goes up to 120A, and DC would be nicer than AC, but between the two you linked, I'd lean to the inverter for probably being nicer to use with the small rods you'll be limited to. However, if you regard this just as a learning machine to be replaced by something bigger and better once you get a feel for what you'd need for anticipated projects, you might as well get the cheaper one. It should give better practice for maintaining a stable arc.

>>1173267
Thanks, that's really really helpful.

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>>1173043
I'm a welding student interested in aerospace welding. I have 3 years, previous to school, shop experience doing architectural mig and tig. It was high end stuff, like 3,000 per chair kind of stuff, it was precise, but probably not as precise as aerospace specs. We generally had tolerances of 1/16 or 1/32.

Anyway I went to school to refine my technique and get some welding certifications. It's a full time program of 14 weeks, I'm 5 weeks in with 3 certifications under my belt so far. I will be moving to TIG soon. What should I concentrate on as far as materials, thicknesses, and certifications since I am interested in aerospace?

I know I'd be good at structural or production, but I have what it takes to be precise too. I want to enjoy a more comfy environment, and I'm certain I can get a security clearance if needed.

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>>1173273
>shop experience doing architectural mig and tig. It was high end stuff, like 3,000 per chair kind of stuff, it was precise, but probably not as precise as aerospace specs. We generally had tolerances of 1/16 or 1/32.
Holy fuck what I wouldn't do to get that kind of gig.

I'm 100% a precision TIG kind of guy and I weld fucking garbage containers.

>>1169981
Skin cancer isn't what you should be worried about. Lung cancer, burns, and catching crap in your eyes is the real problem. I sometimes wear a respirator but it just gets too hot and fogs my saftey glasses(probably gonna buy that miller forced air flow shield). ALWAYS ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SAFTEY SQUINTS! Especially when using the wire wheel on your grinder(I actually double up with a shield).

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>>1173278
Only thing that sucks is you have to be in a really expensive area with people willing to pay for custom work cause they have so much money to burn. I got really lucky and ended up working for a guy who had really nice equipment, all top tier shit, and he was a good guy.

The drawback was I couldn't afford to live anywhere near there, even though he was paying a pretty fair wage. So, I decided to go get some certs and move to a more reasonable area.

Keep your eyes peeled, I'm sure you can find something better! I moved around shops a bit and ended up in that shop within 2 years of starting welding, I got lucky, hope it doesn't run out.

Pic is literally a custom hanging from ceiling bed frame / sex swing. No telling how much they payed for this thing, a lot of labor went into it.

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>>1173308

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>>1173309
Filing away

>>1173308
Gotta love custom work.
Spent today practicing on copper and redoing some design work. Have about 10 people interested in copper stills and it's faster to TIG than to solder the large joints.

>>1173210
>dragging tends to build up in the middle

Did not know that. Dragging has always been easier for me so that's what I do but never could figure out why my welds build up like that. Gonna have to try pushing a bit I guess

>>1173260
Don't know shit about inverter machines but from everything I've read they don't tend to last as long and are expensive enough to fix that you might as well buy a new machine