Welding Galvanized Material

[Short Game]

....try not to breathe welding fumes.. any of them.. zinc or not..

soundguy

Sometimes I just try not to breathe.

 

[Shield Arc]

I've welded literal tons of galvanized material. Multi-million dollar marine structures. Been poisoned at least a dozen times! Nothing fun about it, one miserable night, but OK the next day. Other than the lack of sleep!
Best thing I've found to weld galvanized material with is Hobart's Fabshield 21-B wire. Grind off the excess galvanizing, and have at it.

 

[Soundguy]

Sometimes I just try not to breathe.

bingo!

soundguy

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Back in my younger pipefitter days we welded galvanized pipe a lot. Never ground off the zinc and never had a weld problem except the fumes. The zinc didn't into the root pass and burned off as you built up. We even gas welded smaller pipe. In fact the welded area maintains a lot of the galvanizing cororrison resistance. Fumes!! I breathed that suff so much that after 35 yrs I am still allergic to the stuff. Earlier, I got to the point I had to refuse to weld it even with respirator and sucker. Now that I am older, and I hope smarter, the medical aspects indicate do not do it, bolt it up or if you need the corrosion resistance make it up of bare steel first and send it out for galvanizing after fab. Once you cut or grind the zinc coating the rust will start any way unless you touch up the zinc coating. That spray can stuff only last as long as it takes to put it on. The hot process (that is how it goes on originally) is just as dangerous and requires a heating torch and a little know how. With the painting systems and powder coating available today galvanizing is probably on the way out. Enviornmental and OSHA rules have shut down a lot of the galvanizing shops and it has become a very expensive system.

 

[grsthegreat]

When i have to weld galv pipe, i wear my hobby air respirator unit. It draws fresh air from 50 feet away and the other side of my shop and pipes it thry a 3/4" hose to my 1/2 face mask. I also use it when plasma cuttiong and painting. There not too expensive and my lungs thank me. I modified mine with a 10 foot intake hose that is perminantly mounted outside my shop and has a hepa filter installed.

available online, ebay, etc http://www.clmcenterprises.com/

 

[Soundguy]

got a link to post for that kit?

 

[chopped]

here I think.
Hobby air, pro air, Fresh air respirator, SUPPLIED AIR RESPIRATOR, Axis, Citation, 3M, Bill Hirsch car care.

 

[Short Game]

bingo!

soundguy

Welded zinc and made green smoke. Never been sick. I might have turned blue though. I rolled with the punches, ducked the smoke.

If I've got a bunch of galv to grind or weld, I put on the mask.

 

[Soundguy]

here I think.
Hobby air, pro air, Fresh air respirator, SUPPLIED AIR RESPIRATOR, Axis, Citation, 3M, Bill Hirsch car care.

thanks for the link!

not a bad price for the half mask OR the hood.

I may pick one up for my shop.

I am planning to convert one of my garage bays into a paint bay, vs painting outside all the time.. if i do that.. I'll want supplied air..

looks like just the ticket..

soundguy

 

[grsthegreat]

thanks for the link!

not a bad price for the half mask OR the hood.

I may pick one up for my shop.

I am planning to convert one of my garage bays into a paint bay, vs painting outside all the time.. if i do that.. I'll want supplied air..

looks like just the ticket..

soundguy

They are a nice unit. I got mine on ebay for even less $$ than some stores sell them for. I especially like the clean fresh air while painting....cant stand to breath spray fumes.