Do MIG welder's stink?

[deereman75]

As I learned yesterday, stick smokes really bad if you are welding galvanized. I had even ground of the visible galvanizing off, but it was still burning green, and left white powder all over it. Good thing I was outside, and had a big fan blowing.

 

[Rob-D]

As I learned yesterday, stick smokes really bad if you are welding galvanized. I had even ground of the visible galvanizing off, but it was still burning green, and left white powder all over it. Good thing I was outside, and had a big fan blowing.

Galvanized gives off very toxic fumes, never weld it without a mask and good ventilation.
Read the owners manual, I always weld with good ventilation. I use MIG outside in the summer with shielded gas. What I do is turn up the pressure so that it isn't as affected by low wind. Use your head, if it's blowing like the dickens then you have to use fluxed wire. Most times I can get away with shielded though but make sure you always have good ventilation regardless of the fumes. It's the ones you don't notice that do the damage.

Rob

 

[deereman75]

Galvanized gives off very toxic fumes, never weld it without a mask and good ventilation.
Read the owners manual, I always weld with good ventilation. I use MIG outside in the summer with shielded gas. What I do is turn up the pressure so that it isn't as affected by low wind. Use your head, if it's blowing like the dickens then you have to use fluxed wire. Most times I can get away with shielded though but make sure you always have good ventilation regardless of the fumes. It's the ones you don't notice that do the damage.

Rob

I know all about the hazards of welding galvanized. Thats why I wore a resperator, and ground all the visible galvanizing off. It seems that even of you grind all the visible stuff off, there will still be bits of it left that will smoke. There also might have been some inside. Now I only wore the mask when grinding it, I didnt think there was any left. (and the mask wont fit under my helmet) But since I was outside and had a big fan blowing, I didnt smell anything.

 

[Rob-D]

I know all about the hazards of welding galvanized. Thats why I wore a resperator, and ground all the visible galvanizing off. It seems that even of you grind all the visible stuff off, there will still be bits of it left that will smoke. There also might have been some inside. Now I only wore the mask when grinding it, I didnt think there was any left. (and the mask wont fit under my helmet) But since I was outside and had a big fan blowing, I didnt smell anything.

That's good, I hate to see people doing severe damage to their health that will affect them throughout their life. I've seen enough of that before OSHA started restricting some bad stuff.
When I was a kid I worked for a company that had us cleaning commutators with trichloroethane, we used to laugh how it made the skin on our hands white.

You can get a mask relatively cheap from Airgas that fits under your helmet, I use one and it works really well.

Rob

 

[grsthegreat]

If any of you have a package from 7018 rod, read it. This is a quote from the MSDS paperwork on rods

Welding fumes and gases cannot be classified simply. The composition and
quantity of both are depended upon the metal being welded, the process,
procedure and electrodes used. Most fume ingredients are present as
complex oxides and compounds and not as pure metals.
Other conditions which also influence the composition and quantity of
the fumes and gases to which workers may be exposed include: Coatings on
the metal being welded (such as paint, plating, or galvanizing), the
number of welders and the volume of the work area, the quality and
amount of ventilation, the position of the welder's head with respect to
the flume plume, as well as the presence of contaminants in the
atmosphere (such as chlorinated hydrocarbon vapors from cleaning and
degreasing activities.) When the electrode is consumed, the fume and gas
decomposition products GENERATED ARE DIFFERENT IN PERCENT AND FORM FROM
THE INGREDIENTS LISTED IN Section 2. Decomposition products of normal
operation include those originating from the volatilization, reaction or
oxidation of the materials shown in Section 2, plus those from the base
metal and coating, etc., as noted above. Reasonably expected
constituents of the fume would include: Primarily-complex iron oxides
and fluorides. Secondarily complex oxides calcium, manganese, aluminum,
chromium, nickel, silicon, molybdenum, magnesium and titanium.
Monitor for the materials Identified in Section 2. Fumes from the use of
this product may contain: manganese, fluorspar or fluorides, barium,
chromium and nickel compounds, calcium oxide, copper, silica, amorphous
silica fumes, lithium, strontium, cobalt and antimony trioxide whose
exposure limits are lower than the 5 mg/m3 PEL for general welding fume.
Gaseous reaction products may include carbon monoxide and carbon
dioxide, Ozone and nitrogen oxides may be formed by the radiation from
the arc. One recommended way to determine the composition and quantity
of fumes and gases to which workers are exposed is to take an air sample
inside the welder's helmet if worn or in the worker's breathing zone.
[See ANSI/AWS F1.1 available from the "American Welding Society", P.P.
box 351040, Miami, FL 33135. Also, from AWS is F1.3 "Evaluating
Contaminants in the Welding Environment-A sampling Strategy Guide"',
which gives additional advise on sampling.]

MIG welding and angle grinding results in metal vapors.
Aluminium alloy vapour and fumes from zinc coatings are poisonous. Exposure can result in heavy metal poisoning (welding shivers) - flu like symptoms that can persist for a few days. The zinc coating should be removed from galvanised steel before welding, and wear a proper charcoal welding mask when you go anywhere near zinc.
It doesn't stop there - the fumes from flux cored gasless wire and ARC welding are nasty. Stainless gives off chromium, MIG and TIG arcs give off ozone. Welding should be carried out in a well ventilated area.
This stuff is cumulative. Professional workshops normally have extraction systems. A DIY approach might be to leave the garage door open when welding. For prolonged welding It's a good idea to wear a vapour mask.


It goes on to state stuff thats really scary. Bottom line.... keep fresh air circulating while welding.

 

[Shield Arc]

If welding for a living was easy, they'd have little Girl Scouts doing it!:laughing:

 

[dstig1]

That's good, I hate to see people doing severe damage to their health that will affect them throughout their life. I've seen enough of that before OSHA started restricting some bad stuff.
When I was a kid I worked for a company that had us cleaning commutators with trichloroethane, we used to laugh how it made the skin on our hands white.

You can get a mask relatively cheap from Airgas that fits under your helmet, I use one and it works really well.

Rob

It was probably extracting the oils from your skin which is why they turned white. Acetone does a nice job of that too. That aspect isn't particularly hazardous, IMHO, just irritating (chapped hands). Trichlor is/was used as a de-greaser, so that would make a lot of sense. It's the rest of the hazards it has that are the issue...

Edit: You can get masks at Menards/Home Depot/Lowes/Sherwin Williams/etc. in addition to welding stores. Often in the paint depts, or a safety section. All you need is a particulate filter, not a Gas & Vapor carbon cartridge for basic welding. They come in a variety of styles, some fit under helmets better than others. There are filters specially designed for welding that don't clog up as quickly (welding fumes are notorious for plugging up filters quickly) but most any particulate filter will do for occasional use. Most of the time you will find P100 filters, which is the highest category. The other common one is N95. Either will work for most common stuff, unless you are getting into Chrome-VI (SS) or something unusual, then P100 is always a safe choice. You can even use the disposable type (not the rubber facepiece style) in a pinch as they carry the same filter approvals (the standard covers all approved respirators, so they are all tested pretty much the same way - there are exceptions, of course but they are not much of an issue for anything a hobby/farm welder will do). They just tend to plug up faster and are sometimes less comfortable. As long as you can get a good tight seal, any approved mask will do the basic job.

 

[grsthegreat]

For the occasional use, id highly recommend the Hobby Air unit. I have one and love it. I brings in outside air and runs it through a garden style hose 50 feet to a 1/2 face mask. All you breath is outside air while welding, cutting or painting.

I mounted mine permanently on top of my air dryer and ran a 4" flexible duct to the outside.

Its not cheap, but i do like my lungs. Don't want to think about going thru retirement hooked to an oxygen bottle.

 

[DiskDoctr]

Welders and toxins? Here's a general tip.

1. Never "snort" if your nose runs or seems stuffy. Always blow your nose well after a welding session.

2. Rinse and spit after welding. Yep, just like using mouthwash.

3. Milk. Helps with lots of bad stuff. No, you don't bathe in it, you drink it Milk is actually one of the treatments for metal poisonings (like welding galvanized)

4. If you're welding in a spot or position that will put fumes in your face, act like you are swimming. A slow, steady exhale while the arc is going.

5. When you taste metal, step outside and get some air. Slow breaths in, fast exhales.

f course respirators and full protective gear is better. But we all have times when those are not available or convenient. It beats welding with your tongue out

I hate grinding dust. The taste sticks with you.

Hope this helps.

- JC

 

[IslandTractor]

Welders and toxins? Here's a general tip.

1. Never "snort" if your nose runs or seems stuffy. Always blow your nose well after a welding session.

2. Rinse and spit after welding. Yep, just like using mouthwash.

3. Milk. Helps with lots of bad stuff. No, you don't bathe in it, you drink it Milk is actually one of the treatments for metal poisonings (like welding galvanized)

4. If you're welding in a spot or position that will put fumes in your face, act like you are swimming. A slow, steady exhale while the arc is going.

5. When you taste metal, step outside and get some air. Slow breaths in, fast exhales.

f course respirators and full protective gear is better. But we all have times when those are not available or convenient. It beats welding with your tongue out

I hate grinding dust. The taste sticks with you.

Hope this helps.

- JC

Good and practical advice. Thanks.