Gary Simpson

MIG Welding Safety

Gary Simpson
Duration:   5  mins

Description

MIG welders have made the process of welding metal easy for even the novice car builder, but before you turn on the welder make certain you’re aware how to safely use it. Metal fabricator Gary Simpson takes you through important MIG welding safety considerations, equipment and processes to ensure your time in the shop is enjoyable.

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One Response to “MIG Welding Safety”

  1. teripetecisco

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All being safety is key. First off, There's more than one option, when it comes to welding hoods or helmets. This is an auto darkening welding helmet that I use. The bigger thing is, is like I said auto darkening. Well, it's clear going through untill the arc is created. And then the shield will automatically darken, based off the settings on the sensitivity to the sheet or the welding shade that I have selected on this welding helmet. There are different variances and varieties of auto darkening, welding helmets as well as there are fixed lens, welding helmets. Obviously the auto darkening one is a Ben's of example, but affects lenses, how I learned how to weld. Other than that, gloves you're working with hot molten steel. I mean, this stuff is hot. You don't want all that, slag or, you know, spatter to be rolling up on your hands. So a good pair of welding gloves is, I mean vitally key, rather than burn yourself up, you know burn up a, you know, a dead hide, you know, when it comes to thicker materials, I mean, sometimes you really need to have the bigger meatier gloves that are, you know, double lined and insulated ,like these ones are. You know, it's a little bit trickier to see but, you can see that these are completely insulated. All the fingers are insulated but, when it comes to articulation of your fingers, I mean sometimes it's easier just to have the single layer, leather. These are pig skins. They also offer several other different varieties of different leathers in your gloves, too. It's all on preference. You know, when you get more comfortable with it or the more you're used to it, the more you're gonna select one size or variety of glove. These are, just sleeves. These cover up my bare skin from the ultraviolet rays that you're creating when you're establishing the arch. Covering your skin up, I mean, is vitally key. And if you don't like wearing sleeves or having long sleeves on, you can use sunblock. I like to make sure that there's another layer of protection between me and whatever's hot and get a fall on top of my skin. But again, that's preference alone. You know, it, everybody's a little bit different on that. When cleaning or preparing your metal, removing paint, russ, any of those items. You know, a good pair of safety glasses is key. You know we got two eyes, so make sure you keep them. Another safety concern, is electrical hazards. It is always important to make sure you have a good solid ground. The way to detect if you have a good ground is, if you're welding and you pull the trigger and it establishes an arc. If it does not and the wire rolls out and doesn't establish an arc, you don't have your metal grounded properly. You wanna work in a clean well ventilated area to make sure that you're not going to be, breathing in any kind of neurotoxin, or gases that you may be creating while molting the metal welding as is galvanized steel creates a neurotoxin, when the coding itself is being burned off. And that is very common on all reproduction sheet metal panels that you're gonna find. And so you wanna clean that off, before welding. It's also important to have a clean, safe, dry environment for welding. You don't wanna become the ground. And, as well as, making sure that you have any kind of open containers, anything that's flammable, so rags and you know, solvent, including your clothing, you know, making sure that you have a good pair of leather boots on. Is very key. You don't wanna be playing hotfoot in a shop. So avoid items like polyester and nylon and your clothing. They are not gonna serve you any good because that slag is just gonna burn straight through it. These are some important tips to remember before starting to weld.
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