Value your life? Weld? Read this!!

[1\4elliptic toy]

I know this is a no brainer but I bet we have all done something similar at some point. Please take a second to read this. I was shocked at how bad this
was.

http://www.brewracingframes.com/id75.htm

 

[Meat_]

It's a good thing I weld outside... and have never had no fancy welders...

I'd be dead.

 

[BroncoMama]

Holy monkeys, that is way too scary!

 

[RockMonkey]

Whoa, I've used brake cleaner to clean parts prior to welding dozens of times. I have noticed strange smells after welding, but never died as far as I know. Thanks for the heads up!

So, should I use carb cleaner instead?

 

[muleskinner]

Whoa, I've used brake cleaner to clean parts prior to welding dozens of times. I have noticed strange smells after welding, but never died as far as I know. Thanks for the heads up!

Same here, I have always hated that smell.

 

[RockMonkey]

Same here, I have always hated that smell.

Yeah, it's nasty. I use C25 gas which is 75% argon. That article was on a bike forum, so I bet they're welding aluminum with 100% argon gas. You think the 25% CO2 keeps it from producing death gas?

 

[Herzog]

Wow... Thanks for the heads up!

Edit: here's the article rehosted because it was really slow.

 

[GOAT]

Whoa, I've used brake cleaner to clean parts prior to welding dozens of times.

Same here. It has been a while though.

I was using some cleaner that praxair recommended and ran out. Picked up the brake kleen and welded away After reading this in article another forum, I've been using purple power and water.

 

[bobdog]

Yeah, it's nasty. I use C25 gas which is 75% argon. That article was on a bike forum, so I bet they're welding aluminum with 100% argon gas. You think the 25% CO2 keeps it from producing death gas?

I don't think the C25 will make a difference. I have been made ill stick welding while someone on the other side of the shop sprayed brake clean, so even no argon makes some kind of bad gas. I would always wait untill the cleaner has completely evaporated and then wait some more before welding.

 

[bobdog]

They are also probably using a helium/argon mix, not pure argon.

 

[solidfrontaxle]

Argon, helium, etc are inert. They don't influence the formation of the death gas, and I highly doubt CO2 would as well.

 

[1\4elliptic toy]

It say's in the article that heat and argon are the 2 magic keys to create the deadly mix.

 

[Herzog]

From what I'm reading in other areas Argon has nothing to do with it. It's the heat and or UV light from the arc that turns the Trichloroethylene in to Phosgene.

Edit: also found a similar thread on Pirate saying somewhat the same thing. They are also claiming that non-chlorinated brake cleaner will not have this effect.

 

[reddman]

The highly flammable brake cleaner is safe to use, it contains no tetrachloroethylene. It also evaporates 11 million times faster than the stinky, less flammable chlorinated stuff. Chlorinated is crap.

 

[Tacoma]

Wow. I've met that guy, that sucks to hear he's all messed up from that.

 

[EROK81?]

That's crazy one puff of that did so much damage to him.

 

[Caleb]

I've always heard this. I've always avoided using any kind of cleaner unless it's made for cleaning the material before welding. I've also heard that welding galvanized in an area that's not ventilated properly will make you sick (I've actually had a minor affect of this).

 

[Herzog]

I've always heard this. I've always avoided using any kind of cleaner unless it's made for cleaning the material before welding. I've also heard that welding galvanized in an area that's not ventilated properly will make you sick (I've actually had a minor affect of this).

I've always heard to drink Milk or take Calcium pills before or after welding galvanized steel... I guess it's pretty much an old wives tale though. A little reading shows that it's just zinc. While you can certainly poison yourself from excessive amounts I'm hearing that it's not as bad as some of the other fumes you could be breathing while welding.

I agree though, it certainly makes you feel a little weird after. Definitely not good either way.