Controlling Hazardous Fume and Gases during Welding

[chuckorlando]

I went about a month with bad spots in my vision from one of them helmets not darkening. So I would say no, it wont help if it aint dark.

I was getting about a year from one of them then buy another. My 4yr old still uses one. I love my Miller helmet. Man it is just so much better feeling and working. So soft AHAHAHAHAHA

Hope I don't sidetrack here but related to welding safety. Im using one of the infamous HF auto darkening helmets to do occasional TIG welding. I was told the filter glass protects regardless of whether or not its in the "darkened" state. Hmmmm doesnt make sense but anyone have a credible source to either confirm or debunk this????


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[churchjw]

Thanks Ray for posting about the helmet. I have the blue one just by accident. Did not know the difference. The other question is about something that was posted earlier. What is the specific danger is there in TIG with stainless? I know in general fums are bad but is there something specific about stainless?

Jeff

 

[Walltoddj]

Ray just so you understand I bought the $200 Hobart it lasted about a year and died. I've done DC Tig, Mig, and Stick with HF helmets and I have only had the one problem the helmet quit. That is why I always check the helmet before I start welding my fluorescent light sets it off.


Todd

 

[Ray C]

Thanks Ray for posting about the helmet. I have the blue one just by accident. Did not know the difference. The other question is about something that was posted earlier. What is the specific danger is there in TIG with stainless? I know in general fums are bad but is there something specific about stainless?

Jeff

Stainless has very high chrome content. Small amounts of chrome are needed by the body (same as cobalt and iron) but, the amount you get by ingesting weld fumes is thousands of times more than what you need. A brief exposure that causes symptoms is considered an acute overdose that will pass in brief time. When metals enter the bloodstream, the body processes them the same as it would calcium and much of the excess gets stored in your bones and released slowly. This is considered chronic exposure and lasts a long time -and during that long time, the metals damage nerve tissues. Same thing with lead overexposure. It causes nerve damage and brain tissue damage. Such overexposure is treated with chelation therapy which is an induced medication that kicks your renal system (kidneys) into high gear. You'll be given IV fluid with vitamins to keep you hydrated while you urinate nearly constantly. This helps flush things out rapidly. Before the days of renal stimulants, they'd put you in a steam room, make you drink all you can and sweat it out. Need to watch that though as water intoxication will happen when you drink more than a couple quarts of water in a short period of time...

Ray

 

[Ray C]

Ray just so you understand I bought the $200 Hobart it lasted about a year and died. I've done DC Tig, Mig, and Stick with HF helmets and I have only had the one problem the helmet quit. That is why I always check the helmet before I start welding my fluorescent light sets it off.


Todd

Todd,

It's good that you brought it up. These are serious matters.

Yeah, I have both the Blue flame and the all-black (cheaper one). I used them interchangeably for a long time w/o a problem but one day, I got semi-flashed with the black one. I figured it was shot so I tested it with a sparker and it was working fine. Went back to the TIG and bingo, it was acting up again. WTH??? It occurred to me I was TIGging at low amps on a tiny piece of carbon metal. When I TIG, it's usually aluminum which is always AC and that helmet never failed me. I put 2+2 together and realized it can't trigger on just bright light. It needs a flicker. Old too soon, smart too late... I read the label inside the helmet and it says "Not for TIG". The Blue Flame says OK for use on any arc process.

We live, we learn... Fortunately, after the first semi-flash, I was being careful and not training my eyes on the arc as I carefully experimented...

Ray

 

[TOOLMASTER]

nickel poisoning

Thanks Ray for posting about the helmet. I have the blue one just by accident. Did not know the difference. The other question is about something that was posted earlier. What is the specific danger is there in TIG with stainless? I know in general fums are bad but is there something specific about stainless?

Jeff

- - - Updated - - -

Toolmaster:
Do you have any pics available?

Daryl
MN

hose connects to line outside to a filter..mostly to keep bugs out

 

[sniggler]

This is a great thread on a serious and personal topic. As a field welder (ironworker) in construction i have had training on safety up to the eye balls and ultimately it pays off because you learn how to protect yourself and how to recognize hazards.

Welding outside in the open with a breeze you can use your own judgement as to when to put on a respirator for welding and torch operations. For any long term heavy welding a respirator is a must. For any material with paint or contaminates a respirator is a must. We deal with renovations that have old lead painted iron this requires special measures. The main ways lead get into the body are fumes from hot work (welding and torch work), dust from grinding and you going hand to mouth, its on your cloths you bring it home to your family it is really bad for your kids.

At work safety officers will worry about my fall protection all the time but watch me weld in a cloud of smoke with no protection oblivious to the hazard.

I say this is a personal topic because no one can protect you against yourself.

of coarse when you know the hazards of fumes from hot work and you are in a supervisory position the obligation to protect your workers shifts to you, it can be very hard to get some people to protect themselves.

everybody's got to eat their peck of dirt before they die, but try not to eat it all in one day or when you don't have to.

Bob

 

[churchjw]

Thanks, I may have to rethink my welding set up. I don't do a lot of welding my first gas bottle lasted over a year. But over time every little bit builds up.

Jeff

 

[roygpa]

Not exactly the same, but I use a 12 volt bilge blower on a 12 volt power supply to remove ABS fumes from the room when using my 3D printer. The blower is powerful, explosion proof being that it was designed to remove gasoline fumes, and didn't cost all that much. I connect a cheap aluminum foil type dryer vent hose to the blower and blow the fume right out of the window. My wife used to complain about the smell and now she doesn't. Bet it would work for welding fumes/ small paint booth too.

 

[TOOLMASTER]

has anyone else noticed the smell of burning elastomer on steel tubing lately?