Inspiration from here....

farmerBud · Feb 1, 2004

PineRidge I work with steel for a living and I have gotten what we call 'flashburn' in my eyes from welding with out a helmet.

If anyone reading this hasn't it is a lot like having sand poured in your eyes- the inside of them because all the rubbing you do only makes it worse. If it's real bad it's hard to keep your eyes open they itch and burn so bad.

I don't look at the bead while I weld without a helmet. I cover it with my hand and turn my head with my eyes closed. We often call it the 'poke-n-hope method'.

You do get a nice tan this way. lol See mig welding gives off UVB rays. When you get tan from the sun the deep tan is from UVA rays. The sunburn- or scorching raw feeling is from UVB. Spend enough time welding with a short sleeve shirt on and no helmet you get that top layer of skin scorched with UVB, hence the burn feeling and red skin. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

farmerBud · Feb 1, 2004

I think I understand a fiver is a fifth wheel hook up? It could by simply putting the right pin holder on top I guess. Wouldn't a tractor be right up under the trailer though?

wroughtn_harv · Feb 2, 2004

( I did most of this without a welding shield)

I've been welding about thirty years now. And almost since day one I've seen guys glue it by guess.

I've never understood that. For me the pleasure and fun in welding is about fifty percent project accomplishment and half playing with that puddle without getting wet.

MossRoad · Feb 2, 2004

Yeah, I like to look at the puddle, especially with a torch. Something almost magical about making that thing go where you want it.... if only I could do that consistently! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Henro · Feb 2, 2004

A welding shield or helmet is what we wear to protect our eyes so we can watch the bead. I am typing this thinking you may have been joking? 

Farmerbud,

No I wasn't joking. I value my eyes too much! I hope YOU were joking though.

I certainly hope you don't do a lot of welding without a helmet! Sure sounded like that was what you were saying...when you said:

 That's the V shaped weld you see. I did most of this without a welding shield My boss doesn't care, but I still have to be discreet...


I would encourage you to wear your safety equipment and keep safety foremost in mind at all times...

[Before posting I read the rest of the thread…]

 We often call it the 'poke-n-hope method'.


Until I retired I worked in the steel industry mainly in plant maintenance and engineering. Safety was stressed, stressed, and stressed. So I guess I have become a believer!

I can tell you that the "poke and hope" technique would likely find you in the unemployment line if you continued doing it after being warned by your supervisor in any plant where I have worked. There are potential damaging long term effects of reflected UV...if nothing else...

You might be a young dog or an old dog. I guess I am on the old dog side...even an old dog can learn new tricks. Most importantly, if you are a young dog, try to wear you protective gear at all times. When your old-dog face evolves it may thank you...

Man I know this sounds like a lecture, but it is meant to show concern and nothing more... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

KubotaSteve · Feb 2, 2004

I myself always consider safety to be the most important thing. If you are dead or blind it would make it tough to contribute here!!! My old man used to work at DuPont and they were safety freaks there. He had his streak of 20 some years accident free broken when a bee stung him!!! Dupont considered that an accident!!! Maybe they stressed safety so much because he used to make explosives (dynamite, watergel, plastic, etc.)

PineRidge · Feb 2, 2004

Also please don't forget when welding to protect others from the flash of the arc. Someone standing a mile away can have damage done to his/her retinas staring at the arc. And pets are not excluded. It's just like staring at the sun in comparison. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

farmerBud · Feb 2, 2004

I guess I need to learn to use the smiley face in my text. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I didn't mean that I weld for a living without a helmet. What I do is build what we call 'weldments'- parts of an assembly line. When the the part is checked compared to the print if it's right then it is passed to a welder to weld it together. I tack all the pieces together to make the weldment . I started in this shop as a welder, when I do weld on a job (actually lay a bead) I do wear a helmet.

Yes watching the bead can be fun, but I have gotten (not meant big headed) a little bored with it. It's second nature to me now (if that makes sense) I have been doing it for about 11 years now. I have welded everything from gauge stock to seven inches thick. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Often times we as fitters can hide behind a piece a steel to make the tack. Wearing a helmet all the time isn't need for what I do. So when I built that boom I had to 'be discreet' by not waving the 'flag' (my helmet). Then everyone knows a fitter is welding and that usually means a gov't job. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Which then attracts attention.When I thought I did need to watch the bead I held the helmet in my hand.

My foreman does care how I build a weldment, just not how I do gov't jobs. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks for the concern, but my eyes are safe.

jmc · Feb 3, 2004

Farmbud,

I like it. And your welds look a lot better than mine...

Just a thought about the boom strength. About all the upper reinforcement is doing is reinforcing the pie weld and stiffening up the part of the boom directly under it. The boom's weakest point is where it goes into the female tube, beyond the help of the reinforcement. Did you consider extending the reinforcement about a foot (toward the tractor) in such a way that you could cross pin it in the same hole you cross pin the main boom?

John

farmerBud · Feb 3, 2004

You know I had considered that. I can always build another. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I know it can handle me swinging from the end and I am almost a dainty 300 lbs /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I wonder what the limit is for the hydraulics on my TO30. I don't think I will exceed them.....