Welding Glove suggestions

woodlandfarms · Feb 14, 2016

Wondering what everyone uses. I have the standard insulated cow hide gloves, feels like I am welding with mittens. Wondering if in the modern age of Kevlar and such someone has made a more form fitting welding glove. Probably more than my welder but...

Jim Timber · Feb 14, 2016

I just use Tillman 1350's

Oldpath05 · Feb 14, 2016

Guess no one knows this answer. At work where I do high heat output welding, I use what ever the Co. supply's. I've tried the cheaper cowhide Blue-Beast gloves, very stiff, the Pig Skin type is a little better. and when mig welding I grab the hot barrel for cleaning or changing with the cuff.
At home at low heat output welding, I use regular leather work gloves and keep ears open for something better.

sd455dan · Feb 14, 2016

woodlandfarms said:
Wondering what everyone uses. I have the standard insulated cow hide gloves, feels like I am welding with mittens. Wondering if in the modern age of Kevlar and such someone has made a more form fitting welding glove. Probably more than my welder but...

Been reading up on gloves and some welders for tig at least say Kid goatskin gloves work pretty well on small to medium amps
. going to try some out soon

Jim Timber · Feb 14, 2016

sd455dan said:
Been reading up on gloves and some welders for tig at least say Kid goatskin gloves work pretty well on small to medium amps
. going to try some out soon

I have a pair and they're not thick enough to insulate from even moderate heat. They're super supple and comfy, but they don't keep my fingers cool enough in use.

I find the 1350's are soft enough to be very comfortable, but also thick enough to keep me from getting too warm.

sd455dan · Feb 14, 2016

Thanks Jim- the heat Does get intense pretty quick with the general use gloves i am using now.
Do you know anything about the (tig finger advertised on welding web?) wondering if it would be much help? reviews say it may be just fiber glass
At one work place we had a pair of Nomex gloves - but don't see much mention of them on welding sites

4570Man · Feb 14, 2016

I have a pair of Hobart gloves. I like to drag my left hand on the workpiece to support my other hand. I'm cooked after a few minutes of welding. If you hold farther back they work fine, but then my weld suffers. I have another pair I wear when loading the wood stove. Does anyone have any suggestions for protection for my arms? I have been wearing just a short sleeve shirt ( don't give me to hard a time, I'm just a newbie welder ) and my arms get "sun" burned every time I weld for more than a brief period. It seems my mig is more eager to "sun" burn me vs the stick.

Jim Timber · Feb 14, 2016

A buddy asked me about the tig finger, but I haven't encountered one in the wild yet. I also haven't ordered anything from anywhere that sells them. I had a chunk of nomex or Kevlar - something, I had gotten thinking it might be a good replacement option for tig hose covers, but that stuff ended up collecting metal chips worse than my socks. Maybe it'd be ok for just welding, I don't know. That was a long time ago too.

Jim Timber · Feb 14, 2016

4570Man said:
Does anyone have any suggestions for protection for my arms?

They make green welding shirts that are 100% cotton (synthetics will melt and stick to you - bad!), and they have shirts with leather sleeves. I have a set of leather sleeves that had an optional snap in front panel that I never got, but bought those because I was tired of bathing in spatter when working over my head. Those are really hot in the summer though. The shirt version is hotter than my sleeves even with the leather shoulders and collar. It just doesn't breath.

Arc burn is really bad for you too, and I'm still as guilty as anyone for welding in a t-shirt. I know better, and hopefully I don't get cancer and have my skin fall off from it.