Welding in cold weather
 

I broke something on my snowplow. I parked it in my garage and
started to weld. No matter what I tried, my helmet glass kept fogging
up. I even turned on a torpedo heater to no avail. I finally had to
take it off and just weld with three pairs of sunglasses and avoid
looking at it as much as possible. How in the heck do the
professional welders weld in cold weather?

One other thing. Since I was welding indoors, the whole garage filled
with smoke and now I have a horrible headache from it. Its too cold
to open a window. What do welding shops use?

By the way, it's weird to have a mild sunburn on my face on December
23. Welding without the helmet gave me a mild burn. I wont complain,
it's better than being a winter paleface.

This was just an hour of welding, so I just tolderated the bad
conditions.

Dan

Welding in cold weather
 

a. warm the helmet and lens first, your warm breath on the cold glass is
what causes the fogging.
b. use a MIG instead of stick welder, there's no smoke.

steve


wrote in message
...
I broke something on my snowplow. I parked it in my garage and
started to weld. No matter what I tried, my helmet glass kept fogging
up. I even turned on a torpedo heater to no avail. I finally had to
take it off and just weld with three pairs of sunglasses and avoid
looking at it as much as possible. How in the heck do the
professional welders weld in cold weather?

One other thing. Since I was welding indoors, the whole garage filled
with smoke and now I have a horrible headache from it. Its too cold
to open a window. What do welding shops use?

By the way, it's weird to have a mild sunburn on my face on December
23. Welding without the helmet gave me a mild burn. I wont complain,
it's better than being a winter paleface.

This was just an hour of welding, so I just tolderated the bad
conditions.

Dan

Welding in cold weather
 

wrote in message
...
I broke something on my snowplow. I parked it in my garage and
started to weld. No matter what I tried, my helmet glass kept fogging
up. I even turned on a torpedo heater to no avail. I finally had to
take it off and just weld with three pairs of sunglasses and avoid
looking at it as much as possible. How in the heck do the
professional welders weld in cold weather?

Was the lens cold too? That will make condensation. Take it intot he house
and keep it warm


One other thing. Since I was welding indoors, the whole garage filled
with smoke and now I have a horrible headache from it. Its too cold
to open a window. What do welding shops use?

Open the doors and ventilate. Weld shops have ventilation. They often have
high ceilings and lots of space

Welding in cold weather
 

On Dec 23, 11:47 pm, wrote:
I broke something on my snowplow. I parked it in my garage and
started to weld. No matter what I tried, my helmet glass kept fogging
up. I even turned on a torpedo heater to no avail. I finally had to
take it off and just weld with three pairs of sunglasses and avoid
looking at it as much as possible. How in the heck do the
professional welders weld in cold weather?


Scott Anti-Fog Cloth:

http://store.bobscycle.com/browse.cfm/4,13605.htm

It's a dirtbike trick. I've tried every type of no-fog product
imaginable for motorcycle goggles and that is the best. It should
work just great for a welding shield. Your local motorcycle shop
should carry it. Fog the lens up with your breath and then wipe it
dry with the cloth. It will not fog again.

The sunglasses are a seriously bad idea.

Welding in cold weather
 

"The Reverend Natural Light" wrote in message
...
On Dec 23, 11:47 pm, wrote:
I broke something on my snowplow. I parked it in my garage and
started to weld. No matter what I tried, my helmet glass kept fogging
up. I even turned on a torpedo heater to no avail. I finally had to
take it off and just weld with three pairs of sunglasses and avoid
looking at it as much as possible. How in the heck do the
professional welders weld in cold weather?


Scott Anti-Fog Cloth:

http://store.bobscycle.com/browse.cfm/4,13605.htm

It's a dirtbike trick. I've tried every type of no-fog product
imaginable for motorcycle goggles and that is the best. It should
work just great for a welding shield. Your local motorcycle shop
should carry it. Fog the lens up with your breath and then wipe it
dry with the cloth. It will not fog again.

The sunglasses are a seriously bad idea.


does a Darwin Award for opthalmologists exist ?

i'll bet that poster has undetectable corneal or retinal
damage - if the intensity of the welding was enough to give
sunburn, you can bet those sunglasses were next to worthless.

actually might have even done MORE damage, since the pupils
would've been dilated due to the darkness of the tinting -
(vs. them constricting and the natural tendency to look
away from harmful things).

usually consumer sunglasses are NOT even close to blocking
the harmful emissions from welding. they're not designed for
it !

that poster needs to seriously see an eye doctor to
make sure no damage was done. if there was damage, perhaps
early detection will mitigate/treat whatever harm was
done.

Welding in cold weather
 

Welding in cold weather
 

"S. Barker" wrote in message
...
a. warm the helmet and lens first, your warm breath on the cold glass is
what causes the fogging.
b. use a MIG instead of stick welder, there's no smoke.

steve

Be careful with that MIG. Unless you are using flux cored wire, it may be
difficult to get good penetration and fusion without preheating the metal.
And even with FCAW, I'd heat it up first with a torch, otherwise it doesn't
do as well. Steve's right about the smoke part, though.

The other Steve

Welding in cold weather
 

"John Barry" wrote

Also, consider that the "sunburn" is almost certainly uv-radiation burn,
and can result in permanent damage. DAMHIKT. One reason that welding
helmets cover as much epidermis as they do.

John

Dontcha just love it when you see guys welding in a tee shirt, and some
without gloves, too! That's gonna hurt in the morning ................

Steve

Welding in cold weather
 

wrote in message
...
On Dec 24, 8:06 am, John Barry wrote:
wrote:
I broke something on my snowplow. I parked it in my garage and
started to weld. No matter what I tried, my helmet glass kept fogging
up. I even turned on a torpedo heater to no avail. I finally had to
take it off and just weld with three pairs of sunglasses and avoid
looking at it as much as possible. How in the heck do the
professional welders weld in cold weather?

One other thing. Since I was welding indoors, the whole garage filled
with smoke and now I have a horrible headache from it. Its too cold
to open a window. What do welding shops use?

By the way, it's weird to have a mild sunburn on my face on December
23. Welding without the helmet gave me a mild burn. I wont complain,
it's better than being a winter paleface.

This was just an hour of welding, so I just tolderated the bad
conditions.

Dan

Also, consider that the "sunburn" is almost certainly uv-radiation burn,
and can result in permanent damage. DAMHIKT. One reason that welding
helmets cover as much epidermis as they do.

John- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

To avoid future self punishment I would suggest Rain-X anti fog and a
fan.

And put the fan where it sucks the air away rather than blowing on what
you're welding. A MIG will tolerate just about NO wind. Stick just a
little more.

Steve

Welding in cold weather
 

believe me, if he burned his eyes, he would have known it that evening. it
is very painful and only relieved by putting cold potato slices over the
eyes. But yes, you are right, the sunglasses are not the proper protection.

s



"Dr. Doom" wrote in message
. ..


does a Darwin Award for opthalmologists exist ?

i'll bet that poster has undetectable corneal or retinal
damage - if the intensity of the welding was enough to give
sunburn, you can bet those sunglasses were next to worthless.

actually might have even done MORE damage, since the pupils
would've been dilated due to the darkness of the tinting -
(vs. them constricting and the natural tendency to look
away from harmful things).

usually consumer sunglasses are NOT even close to blocking
the harmful emissions from welding. they're not designed for
it !

that poster needs to seriously see an eye doctor to
make sure no damage was done. if there was damage, perhaps
early detection will mitigate/treat whatever harm was
done.

Welding in cold weather
 

Agreed, the MIG doesn't penetrate like a stick especially if you're using
5P. BUT that being said, plenty of snow plow repairs have been made
successfully with MIG. Pre heat is a good idea. Especially if just coming
in from the outside. AND if you're welding the high carbon cutting edge,
then stick with special alloys is really the only way that will last.

s


"SteveB" wrote in message
...

"S. Barker" wrote in message
...
a. warm the helmet and lens first, your warm breath on the cold glass
is what causes the fogging.
b. use a MIG instead of stick welder, there's no smoke.

steve

Be careful with that MIG. Unless you are using flux cored wire, it may be
difficult to get good penetration and fusion without preheating the metal.
And even with FCAW, I'd heat it up first with a torch, otherwise it
doesn't do as well. Steve's right about the smoke part, though.

The other Steve

Welding in cold weather
 

"S. Barker" wrote in message
...
Agreed, the MIG doesn't penetrate like a stick especially if you're using
5P. BUT that being said, plenty of snow plow repairs have been made
successfully with MIG. Pre heat is a good idea. Especially if just
coming in from the outside. AND if you're welding the high carbon cutting
edge, then stick with special alloys is really the only way that will
last.

s

People can get all in a wad over the topic of welding. Lots of things WILL
work, and even a bubble gum or gorilla weld that lasts is a "good" weld.
It's just if you've done it much, you understand that it's better to do it
once and get it to stick (even if it isn't technically exact) than have to
do it again. Or have it break again and cause more damage or leave you
stuck out somewhere. And then either to grind it all off, or gob more on
there.

When I want something to stick, if it is thick enough, I prefer 7018. But
then, I've probably burned 500# of it in my life.

Any weld that holds is a good weld.

Steve

Welding in cold weather
 

SteveB wrote:

"John Barry" wrote



Also, consider that the "sunburn" is almost certainly uv-radiation burn,
and can result in permanent damage. DAMHIKT. One reason that welding
helmets cover as much epidermis as they do.

John



Dontcha just love it when you see guys welding in a tee shirt, and some
without gloves, too! That's gonna hurt in the morning ................

Steve




I was doing industrial nursing for a few years, and took care of a nasty
welding burn. Chunk of
stuff somehow got into a guy's shoe. He had a small but very deep burn
on the back of his heel. He wouldn't
go see the company doc, so I nursed it along. Took long, long time to
heal. Nobody did welding without full shield, leather
apron, etc.

Welding in cold weather
 

"The Reverend Natural Light" wrote in message
...
On Dec 23, 11:47 pm, wrote:
I broke something on my snowplow. I parked it in my garage and
started to weld. No matter what I tried, my helmet glass kept fogging
up. I even turned on a torpedo heater to no avail. I finally had to
take it off and just weld with three pairs of sunglasses and avoid
looking at it as much as possible. How in the heck do the
professional welders weld in cold weather?


Scott Anti-Fog Cloth:

http://store.bobscycle.com/browse.cfm/4,13605.htm

It's a dirtbike trick. I've tried every type of no-fog product
imaginable for motorcycle goggles and that is the best. It should
work just great for a welding shield. Your local motorcycle shop
should carry it. Fog the lens up with your breath and then wipe it
dry with the cloth. It will not fog again.

I'm not sure it's a "dirtbike trick". I've been using smith nofog clothes for
skiing for almost 40 years. Ski shops or sporting goods store should have them.