Not logged inAmerican Welding Society Forum
Forum AWS Website Help Search Login
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Working in cold weather-tips
- - By SPARKYCA (**) Date 12-23-2008 21:04 Edited 12-23-2008 21:08
Hi all, and merry christmas. I've been out working in this latest cold snap. Two of the coldest days were -25 C with wind chill close to -40. Some of the coldest days I can ever remember working. Those Saskatchewan winds (as usual ). Just off the top , I can think of two tips that help - use synthetic oils ( 0w-30 ) and keep a spare pair of gloves warming in the truck or welder rad.  Anyone else have some good tips please chime in. Oh , I know , stay home and send the wife to work, I tried that - didn't work.  - WS
Parent - - By OBrien (***) Date 12-23-2008 22:26
Thermal underwear, hot coffee, and a ZZ-top beard.  I hear you about the cold its around 0 here and the wind sucks.  I layer up with warm cloths and have a pretty nice pair of insulated coveralls and stay busy so I don't mind it too bad.  But thats my best advice.  Staying busy helps.  BREAK SUCKS.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 12-23-2008 22:33
I've never been a turtleneck kinda guy but these last few years out in the cold I have learned to layer. Thermals first, a good set, t-shirt over top and depending on how cold a second pair of pant thermals. On top a heavy turtleneck, keeps that cold air from entering at your neck. Then followed by a sweater, work shirt, 800g thinsulate work boots. I've been out in 10-20F temps like that and as long as the wind was not blowing I was warm. Add more layers if need be but then I start feeling like the little brother off the movie Christmas story, "I can't put my arms down".
Parent - - By ZCat (***) Date 12-23-2008 23:03
One word: Wool
Parent - - By hogan (****) Date 12-24-2008 00:15
Cayenne pepper pills will help keep you warm for hours. They also been show to have other medical benefits.

http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Cayenne-Pepper-90k-Hu-Powder
Parent - By ablake32 (*) Date 12-24-2008 02:24
carefull i took those chilli pills and then ate some pepperoni pizza and i was in the bushes with a shovel and t.p. for a day and a half. I was warm, real warm. Freaken screamin i was so warm
Parent - By Root Pass (***) Date 12-24-2008 03:02
The underwear I like is a military surplus flight suit underwear. They are often on ebay and I have seen a pair at almost every Army/Navy store I have been to. They are very warm and very thin ans VERY soft. CWU-44/P THERMAL ARAMID FLIGHT SUIT UNDERSHIRT or something like that will help someone search for them. If you are lucky you can find a pair of the bottoms.
Now If I could find something to keep my feet that warm.
Also I'll give a positive review of Carhartt's Arctic lined stuff. It is very warm in my opinion and I am very pleased with them.

Ebay link to the underwear
http://cgi.ebay.com/USAF-CWU-44-P-THERMAL-ARAMID-FLIGHT-SUIT-UNDERSHIRT-MED_W0QQitemZ400018943815QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item400018943815&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A4%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A0%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A200
Parent - By CHGuilford (****) Date 12-26-2008 14:30
Agreed- wool is great.
A good wool sweater under insulated coveralls can't be beat.  An oversized jacket goes over the coveralls when it gets even colder or during low activity.  Non-cotton long-johns can be worn under all that if needed- (merino wool long-johns aren't itchy, not to me at least, but are expensive).

A good thick balaclava keeps the head, neck, and face warm.  Hats can go over those (I'm "follically challenged" so I don't have natural insullation up top and need the extra).

Boots should be sized so you have room in them with 2 pairs of thick NON-COTTON socks.  It they are too tight, blood can't circulate well through your feet and that is pure misery.  But don't overdo the socks-if your feet sweat faster than it can wick away.  Dry feet are happy feet.

Probably the best thing you can do is not wear cotton next to the skin, and make sure outer layers are cut large enough that you don't get bound up.  If that assaults anyone's sense of fashion and good looks- then they should stay indoors. ;)
Parent - - By makeithot (***) Date 12-24-2008 02:30
I'm with the zcat you need wool, plus three fingerd mits with wool inserts. -70 boots, jug O' rum, good sence of humor. Brrrrrrrr Sask is cold.
Parent - - By up-ten (***) Date 12-24-2008 03:05
One name stands out among them all,"Helly Hansen". In this weather the money is well spent and if you ever freeze in them, well, better stay in this winter. I just got back from some -38c(-27f) and any exposed skin would turn white before you knew it. And you might try those hand warmer packets from Marks WorkWearhouse. I gave those a try and was really amazed how hot they can get and they'll last  you 10 hours for sure. On the funny side, a guy decided on sprinkling cayenne powder on his bare toes at the start of the day. Did you know that cayenne powder will blister your skin? Buddy didn't either. Stay warm you guys and Merry Christmas.  Bob.
Parent - - By tigrooter (**) Date 12-24-2008 03:20
nothing gets colder than toe's in steel toe boots.
Parent - - By Superflux (****) Date 12-24-2008 04:00
I keep a hair dryer handy. Great for frosty lenses, frozenated toes and fingers, stuff it down the carharts and it will rock your world. Wolverine composite hard toes with the warming pads form-fitted for toes.
Today -5F and snowing. When does it get "too cold to snow"???? We're finally supposed to get up to the +teens tomorrow.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 12-24-2008 06:54 Edited 12-24-2008 06:56
Root Pass, you could try these, rated at -75 and steel toe. I hate cold feet, keep my feet warm and I'm not to bad.

http://www.gemplers.com/product/A442/Servus-Pac-Boots-10-Steel-Toe-Pull-on

heres some from Canada, Baffin, I've heard these are some good boots, rated at -148F, your feet get cold in those you must be on Pluto!!  

http://www.gemplers.com/product/109839/Baffin-Pac-Boots-13-Safety-Toe

I have a pair of carolina pac boots and they have 800 grams of thinsulate. Even when it got to around zero here in Tn my feet were toasty warm. Spend all day working on equipment walking around wet/muddy jobsites and feet stayed dry and warm. Boots are heavy as all get out though.
Parent - By up-ten (***) Date 12-24-2008 14:29
Felt pac boots rated for -75, -110 are great but finding a boot whose rubber sole won't harden like wood is handy too. Baffin does make a great boot and keeping the feet warm does make the workday that much better. Now, if anyone has the solution for keeping a nose from dripping during the cold weather I'm all ears. My helmet will have small ponds of ice by the end of day and no more room on the sleeves to wipe.
Parent - - By ZCat (***) Date 12-24-2008 14:42
I keep a hair dryer handy, too. It gets a lot of snide comments until they try it, then they want to use it all the time.
Parent - - By Cumminsguy71 (*****) Date 12-24-2008 15:26
Maybe that's a good idea for a new welding helmet design, "The Artic" model with built in drain. Hood is down and has a cup under your nose with a tube that exits from the hood. Places you guys are working though it'd probably freeze up the tube, burst like a water pipe and, eww. I prefer the farmers handkerchief over my sleeve, you know, block one nostrel, blow and so on. Saves the frozen stuff on sleeves, just make sure you know which way the wind is blowing!
Parent - - By 357max (***) Date 12-24-2008 17:08
PAC boots with the wool felt liners. Use at least one size larger so that you can put two felt soles in. Put one in the boot and the second one in the felt liner. Gives 3/4 inch to 1 inch of felt between the ice and your wool sock foot. If there is enough room use the hand warmers in the toes of the boots. If you can't find the felt soles, cut the extra pac liners into soles. Also sew or have your girl/boy friend do it; two pockets on your shirts over the kidneys. Put two hand warmers in the pockets. The kidney is a pump that pumps hot liquid through the body so heat the liquid. Definitely use a face mask, not the eye socket type, glasses fog over. Use the big eye opening type. Keep a couple or so in the warmer, then have them drying while wearing one to "catch" the drips. Leather "chopper" mitts large enough to have a wool mitt with wool fingered gloves inside.
Parent - - By JTMcC (***) Date 12-24-2008 22:57
Lacrosse pacs keep my feet warm, Mr. Carhartt handles the rest.

JTMcC, Ho, Ho, Ho, Deck-a-halls!
Parent - By stanantonio Date 12-25-2008 05:37
I would never do this but a west virginian last year was having trouble staying warm.  Honest to gods truth..  He went down to walmart and bought an electric blanket and sowed him self a suit.  Then plugged it into his welding machine.  I so wish I had some pictures to show you.
Parent - - By jrw159 (*****) Date 12-25-2008 14:05
This sounds wierd as all get out, and I have not personaly tried it, but I know some of the manliest men that have....... Panty hose. They swear by them. LOL

jrw159 :-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!
Parent - By J Hall (***) Date 12-25-2008 14:14
Lacrosse steel toe pak boots... Made in USA.  Man are they nice. If your feet get cold in these, you must not be moving at all.
Parent - - By up-ten (***) Date 12-25-2008 18:48
JUST SAY NO!!! No to pantyhose. Never in a million years. And if you're involved in a jobsite incident and the paramedics start cutting clothes off to find what??? The wife's pantyhose. Think you'd ever live that one down? Jeez jrw, would you slide a pair on?
Parent - By tazmannusa (**) Date 12-25-2008 19:00
AH heck as long as your not wearin a g string and brazzeer with them pantyhose, be ok!
Parent - - By jrw159 (*****) Date 12-25-2008 19:58 Edited 12-25-2008 20:00
LMFAO!!! If I were freezing to death I am sure I would slide them on for a try. As I said, the guys that told me about it could for sure never have their manhood or sexuality called into question, I know some of them well enough to call them family. Just imagine if you will though, a 240lb. steak&potatoe eating, avid hunting/fishing, husband and father of four, that in the days we ran around pulled more kitty to the shack than most anyone we knew, explaining that wearing a pair of panty hose will help keep you warm. LOL

I guess me passing on this info is questionable at best, as I have not personaly tried it. :-)

jrw159
Parent - - By up-ten (***) Date 12-25-2008 20:06
Whew man! Had me wonderin'. Hows everyones Christmas?  Any new machines under the tree?
Parent - - By jnieto (*) Date 12-26-2008 00:32
My wife just got me a pipeliner 200D for christmas!!!
Parent - - By up-ten (***) Date 12-26-2008 03:49
No wayyy! Heck of a woman you got there jnieto. Was it gift wrapped or just a big Lincoln bow on top?
Parent - By jnieto (*) Date 12-26-2008 22:03
No,it was just in the original crate with a big bow on it!!!!
Parent - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 01-04-2009 15:00
Dammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm does she have any sisters lol
Parent - By makeithot (***) Date 12-26-2008 03:49
No new machines but, a couple of new down riggers,flashers and some misc tackle, a chart card for the GPS, a new pool cue and some new frilly stuff for herself which I'm sure I'll enjoy later, now if I could only teach her to clean fish.
Parent - - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 01-04-2009 15:11
so let us know how your test goes
Parent - - By jrw159 (*****) Date 01-04-2009 17:37
Not going to try it, I can live with the cold. Carharts, Redwings, and layers. :-)
Parent - - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 01-04-2009 21:25
You big ol chicken what ya scared of lol i dont blame ya i wouldnt try it either lol
Parent - - By jrw159 (*****) Date 01-04-2009 23:50
Like I said earlier, if I was freezing to death I would throw a pair on, but as of yet it has not been that bad and I have been in below zero weather a few times in CO out on oil rigs and pipelines. So far so good, knock on wood.
Parent - By raftergwelding (*****) Date 01-05-2009 01:06
i'm jus pickin on ya is all sittin here in shreveport bored waiting to go gambling we got done last night so i'm headed home tomorow take a day or 2 off and then hit the pavement again finding work for a week or so then back to brady for a set of mud tanks
Parent - - By DaveBoyer (*****) Date 12-26-2008 02:20
As a gag present My friend's Dad got MANNY HOSE. Sort of like panty hose, but with a little leg in the middle. I don't know if He ever tried them.
Parent - By rig welder6 (**) Date 12-26-2008 23:46
smart wool socks, felt liners, felt insoles, flannel lined carharts, couple thermals, turtle neck or a neck dickie, the mom in law makes mine, three fingered welding gloves, or "ovenmitts" as i have heard them called, with liners if needed.  heavy duty carhart sweatshirt w/zip up neck, if it is really cold, -25 or -30 w/o wind, you might need carhart x-treme bibs, and jacket, i use these last two pcs if it is very windy, but i am used to the neg temps, and lots of snow.  A weed burner w/piece of pipe is a good toe, hand, glove warmer too.
Parent - - By Joseph P. Kane (****) Date 12-27-2008 01:46
Up-ten

You are right about paramedics and the medical profession.  There WILL BE TALK!  You are not Joe Namath!

I was on a 16 inch XC Pipeline job in Brooklyn NY, where one of the crew was welding, down in a tight bell hole, with his legs sticking straight up.  Another welder dumped a hand full of sand down his pants leg.  He completed the weld, and wiggled his way out of the bell hole.  Now, here he is in the middle of the city street, and he has to take his pants off to clean himself off.  He has no underpants on.  His girlfriend makes him shave down there.  Now everyone knows, and I don't think he will ever live that down.

I used to fly a helicopter ambulance in Denver Colorado.  One day I had to fly a man to the hospital who had inserted a pepsi bottle during some sexual misadventure, and got it stuck.   Now, it was actually a life threatening situation, but it was still the source of much amusement and speculation for several months to the medics and hospital staff involved.

Listen to your Mommy.  Always wear clean underwear.  Those nurses WILL TALK about the skidmarks in your drawers when you have an accident and are brought into the hospital after an accident!

Joe Kane
Parent - - By up-ten (***) Date 12-27-2008 04:13
Talk about a sexual misadventure(well said by the way) the sister-in-law told me about a young couple coming into Emerg one evening. He's very concerned about the tiny puncture wounds to the underside of his sac and she's complaining about a very sore neck. After separating the two for some questioning the story comes out. Earlier that evening the two were engaged in sexual relations with the doggie style position being employed. The family cat wandered into the bedroom and was captivated by the mans sac swinging. The cat jumped up on the bed to take a swat at the swaying and bouncing sac. When that happened, the fella naturally thrust himself forward with such force that it sent his wife headfirst into the headboard. Tetanus shot for him and a neck brace for her. I know this has absolutely nothing to do with keeping warm while working outside but it might keep the guys warm laughing when you tell'em this one.     Good advice there Mr.Kane.  Thanks,Bob
Parent - - By OBrien (***) Date 12-27-2008 04:28
Whats worse?  The fact he shaved or the fact you looked? lol
Parent - - By JMCInc (**) Date 01-05-2009 03:27
I use the sill seal that is put between the bottom plate and the concrete of a foundation and cut it to the shape of my foot, then insert between felt boot liner and bottom of boot. The sill seal is a closed-cell foam and will block all cold transfer for the work day without the bulk of more felt, cardboard or whatever else you can think of to cram down your boot. At the end of the day I take my boot liner out to dry overnight and replace the squished sill seal with a fresh piece. Works every time. Extra cold gets two pieces. My $.02.
Parent - By 357max (***) Date 01-05-2009 14:00
Good idea about the sill seal, I'll try that. ER nurse treating frostbite shares some things to avoid during cold weather; nicotine - cigarettes & chew, caffiene - coffee, tea & pops. She says that those things constricts the blood flow and the blood flow is needed to stay warm. If a person wants hot liquids use broths like beef or chicken or just plain hot water (flavored or not).
The artificial fabrics ie poly (plastic) can be a real mess when a handful of slag makes contact. Probably a good test would be hold a cigarette lighter's flame to the poly and see if it burns/melts before you start welding.
Up Topic Welding Industry / General Welding Discussion / Working in cold weather-tips

Powered by mwForum 2.29.2 © 1999-2013 Markus Wichitill