aluminum welding killing my eyes???

Date 10-30-2009 17:21

Chris,

Are you getting flash burn in every case or are your eyes just sensitive to the process?
Flash burn feels like you have sand in your eyes if that's happening all the time you have to do something different and fast.
Check the gasket in you lens sometimes if the filter and cover lens isn't in just right you can get some arc thru the edges etc.
Bottom line is you only get one set of eyes, it could be that your eyes are susceptible to intense light.
My brother in law is very sensitive to the light and is limited with certain weld processes due to that sensitivity.

By Eric Carroll (**)

Date 10-30-2009 18:34

I used to have a guy that worked for me that had baby blue eyes that were very sensitive. He always wore sunglasses and couldnt run big flux core or a alum. spoolgun because he said it was too bright and he couldnt see what was going on.He ended up wearing shade 5 cutting goggles under his hood with a 13 lens in it when we had to run big wire.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 10-30-2009 19:18

I have thought that as well, I make sure the lense is in there and there is no light coming in at the edges. I don't feel like i have sand in them they feel very very dry at around lunch time at work and usually after lunch they really start to just hurt. I have used like an eye moisturizer and that will make them feel better but I know I can't be useing that stuff all the time.

Now shade 5 cutting goggles and a 13 lense thank god my eyes aren't that sensitive but am starting to think because the light is so dam bright and intense I may have to find another job really soon here. I think I maybe getting flash burn from the light coming in from under my shield because when wearing the respirator under the shield I can still see light and some times I'll get a little arc burn on my face so this maybe the problem now I'm thinking. I'm gonna try cutting up a old glove and tape the leather on the bottom part of my shield and see how that goes but either way I'm gonna have to get outta this place.

I thought about trying to go work at Northrope Gruman shipyard and they do fluxcore there but it will be carbon steel not stainless or aluminum so the light won't be maybe bouncing off everywhere. I don't know all I can do is give it a try.

I have to clean the aluminum with the end brush this is also something that is causeing more small flakes of metal to get in my eyes. The same company I am at I was welding carbon steel and I'd use that wire brush to clean the metal and when I'd use the brush I'd get alot of metal in my eyes but when I'd just use a sanding pad to clean the metal I didn't get much metal in my eyes. Maybe because the sander through heavier chunks of metal that hit the floor faster i just don't know. We also have portable vacumes that we use to vacume the boats out from grindin dust and I make sure i use these as well before i start grinding and welding just to try and not make it so dusty in there.

Glad I started this thread as someone told me I should. Glad that I'm not the only one out there with really sensitive eyes.
Well I always wanted to try pipelining and stick never hurt my eyes so this maybe my calling LOL

Thank you all for the comment I'm thinking I gotta get outta this aluminum now

Thanks
Chris

By rlitman (***)

Date 10-30-2009 21:27

Have you considered tinted safety glasses that fit closely on the bottom and have shields on the sides?
Using moisturizer all the time probably isn't the healthiest, but a few drops of saline couldn't hurt.

By scrappywelds (***)

Date 10-30-2009 21:38

Wear some dark tinted safty glasses under your hood. I ran across some lightly tinted cover lens for the inside of your hood one time on the web shade 2 & 3 I think. If when you are welding and you stop if you see that yellow / blue ghost, you need a darker lens. I weld with an 11 on carbon and stainless. Your respirator sound like it is to big for your hood, also try a peice of flame retardant cloth draped over the back of your hood. As far as the eye drops they ar mostly just sterile saline solution.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 10-30-2009 21:57

Chris I talked to a guy at school that says he uses a #14 lense when doing aluminum tig, pretty sure that's what he said.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 10-30-2009 23:09

thanks guys yeah the respirator fits really well under the shield. There's no way I'm gonna not use it and breath all that aluminum dust in no way in h*ll.
A 14 maybe to dark to see but think I'm gonna put a piece of leather over the back of the shield and try a piece in front of the shield to drape down more and cover my kneck and see if that helps block the light from coming in. I tried asking the boss a couple weeks ago to get a transfer but not a chance. I may have to go to the president on this one. Man I wish this dam economy picks up for more jobs around

Thanks
Chris

By tazmannusa (**)

Date 10-31-2009 01:46

I have been building small aluminum boats in the garage as a hobby, you do get more reflective flash from the aluminum, what I have found that helps the most is a lot of light, very bright ones above where your workin. I can weld all day outside no problem but if I weld in a dark shop its a killer on my eyes and yes my eyes are blue too, white shirts are a killer allso. I dont power brush, I use hand brush so I dont glaze the surface or have to dig the wires out of my chest but then I'm not building on a scedule eather
Tom

By chris2698 (****)

Date 10-31-2009 02:20

I'm building 47ft boats, they have to be x-ray welds so you must clean the crap outta the aluminum. Covering up is an absolute must

By Chevy_welder (*)

Date 10-31-2009 03:29

just to help you out on does flash burn everyday, get a spoon put on the freezer about 10 mins and put them on your eyes until it gets warm about 2 or 3xs, it will help you alot to go sleep i didnt believe it until i tried

By 803056

Date 10-31-2009 05:25

Welding aluminum produces very intense UV. The UV ionizes oxygen producing ozone. The ozone is actually toxic to the body if the concentration is high or long. The fumes produced by welding aluminum, well, we all know that isn't doing us any good at all.

Eye drops for the dry eyes, a darker filter lens, and complete covering of the all skin and the back of the head is imperative to working safely. A pressurized respirator that blows filtered air across the face and provides a full face mask is a worthwhile investment.

Best regards - Al

By F-17

Date 10-31-2009 15:03

Chris2698,

Since your problem seems to be a health and safety issue,tell your boss you'd like to try a hornell speedglass PAPR welding hood,(enclosed postive pressure air filtering hood that requires no respirator) you'll be completely covered from the arc,be adjustable in shade and flash time.Ive used one for stainless and chrome and I think they are a pain in the A$$ but they work and are better than a respirator.They are expensive and if you demand either a transfer or one of these hoods you may just get your transfer if you are employed by a tightwad.Make sure to get the hood with the swing away front so you can really see what your doing if you need to gouge out your stops,starts.Welding supplier ought to be more than willing to bring one out for a DEMO.

I've got blue eyes and worked aluminum for years,never had a problem but I wear regular glasses and they were coated with U.V. protection,I had more of a problem with arc burn on my neck than anything else when building boats,I wore a hooded sweatshirt most of the time.

You also might try good shaded saftey glasses(almost all have the U.V. protection) and a 10,11 lense in your hood.A iron worker I knew used a 9 in his hood and dark safety glasses in the summer.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 10-31-2009 16:29

Thanks but I know there is no way in hell this company would buy a speedglass with the fresh air system. There about a gran i've looked into them. All I can do is try and go above my boss and ask for a transfer which i plan on working on this week.
The glasses I'm useing I know there UV glasses for sure. I was wearing clear and was getting flash burn really bad until another guy at work told me to try the blue glasses and they have helped a ton.

Thanks
Chris

By Metarinka (****)

Date 11-03-2009 20:55

I get the same symptoms from TIG welding but only if I l repeatedly get flashed by the arc with no eye protection but safety glasses. which happens when we set up new automated machinery and we are trying to fix or find problems while the machine is running.

+1 for having a pair of safety glasses that have UV protection. Have you tried a different welding hood? perhaps an auto darkening hood with an adjustable shade. I have a feeling you could have an old scratched or cracked filter that's letting in some light/ your filter is not dark enough.

I welded aluminum piping for awhile and never once had any trouble with my eyes. I did get the sun burn on the neck and where my gloves met my sleeves a few times.

Also if your boss is being a tightwad about PPE, I wouldn't hesitate to get OSHA involved, but only as a last resort. I don't care if times are rough and the economy is down I don't sacrifice my health so the quarterly numbers look good and I wouldn't want any of my coworkers to do the same.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 11-04-2009 00:36

ok well I did try taking a old welding glove ripping the wrist part of the glove apart and taping it to the bottom of my shield nad that seems to help some with keeping the light out but it didn't a 100%. My eye still felt very dry at the end of the day. i think a sock shield would be great but dam you can't breath in those things.

I still think though it is best for me to get as far away from thi stuff as I can which maybe soon because I heard this place lost a contract, I mean it s*cks probally be outta a job but my eyes will be safe. :)

By DaveBoyer (*****)

Date 11-04-2009 03:17

A point I noticed in this thread is the problem seems to bother blue eyed people more.

From some of Your previous posts, I gather You dont have blue eyes. I don't either, but I probably haven't done aluminum for long enough at a time to have problems from it.

By makeithot (***)

Date 10-31-2009 18:18

Who do you work for If you don't mind my asking. Have built 100 boats and have never had to have one x-rayed just lucky I guess. So i am interested in how they go about that.

By funnymoney Date 11-04-2009 01:58

ALWAYS wear a dark blue or black shirt and i also wear a black bandana, try to cut down on reflection by using welding screens, also try keeping your head back a little further from the arc. As for lens shade try a few different brands some are darker than others. Most of what i weld is mig aluminum and it's definitely the hardest on the eyes regardless.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 11-04-2009 10:10 Edited 11-04-2009 10:15

welding screens?? there no such thing when you're in a boat lol. I'm gonna try buying a few differenty welding lenses and try them out. What I am doing is aluminum mig and that is way brighter then aluminum tig thats for sure

Daveboyer I do have blue eyes and now wish I had darker eyes thats for sure

Thanks for tips guys,
Chris

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 11-07-2009 09:14 Edited 11-07-2009 09:20

makeithot   I believe Chris is working on DOD "boats"   which are a bit heavier built then the average fishing vessel I rekon. Also because they are GOV contractor there of course is more regs and money to be made.

Chris I figured you would get a variety of perspectives if you asked. That's one thing the forum can provide about every time. And you are 100% welding screens? In a production boat???   Bwahhaahhhaaaahah Get in there and NAIL it down   that's Al boat work.

My two cents: I have been welding on shiny metal for the better part of my 22+ years, whether smaw, gmaw, a little fcaw, saw, gtaw and even lasers.   I know that the right shade as well as the right setup (i.e. taped on leather, hoods, blinds etc.) can be lifesavers to say the least. How thick and how many amps are you welding at Chris? I have "blue" eyes and at 170 amps or so I have to move to a 13...at 200+ I really need a 14 on AL whether its Mig or Tig.   Aluminum really sux when there is grinding going on because it stays airborne...it gets in the eyes easily. You have eliminated that problem, I think so from what you have told me anyway...you are right in trying darker shades ASAP....When I am welding even on the tiny delicate stuff..I adjust my shade to where I only see the puddle and slightly the joint.   If your burning that wire and lighting up the world, seeing inches around your puddle...well that's bright brother....and hard on your money making orbs in the long run.

One other problem you might want to consider is AL's post:
"Welding aluminum produces very intense UV. The UV ionizes oxygen producing ozone. The ozone is actually toxic to the body if the concentration is high or long. The fumes produced by welding aluminum, well, we all know that isn't doing us any good at all.

Eye drops for the dry eyes, a darker filter lens, and complete covering of the all skin and the back of the head is imperative to working safely. A pressurized respirator that blows filtered air across the face and provides a full face mask is a worthwhile investment."

Good straightforward post AL

I never even realized the ozone part, "that's that burn your nose just a bit smell isn't it??" . As far as the second part, despite the health risks, Mig welding smoke on AL is about as ACRID as Mig welding smoke from stainless....both are bad for your respiratory system in time,,,,but both are irritating too your eyes as well, or at least it is to my eyes.   The idea of fresh air blowing across my ocular sensors if I was laying pounds of wire, AL or stainless, sounds like a great idea to me.   Hmmmm I wonder if thats why Optrel offered those hoods with the built in fans, not quite the same as fresh air, but still. Anyway I am just trying to reinforce what was already said, the fumes are something serious to contend with despite the fact of breathing them in.....simple exposure to them can cause problems. And for some PEOPLE those problems can be way more problamatic then for others....a slight irritation for some....crippling and debilitating for others.

Start with a "dark" shade for a couple of days.....if your problem persists then I would say its the smoke/fumes if you have eliminated all airborne "from grinding this is the edit" particle issues.

Best Regards My Friend
Tommy

By weldwade (***)

Date 11-07-2009 14:36

Chris I used to build Al tanker trailers and I found it impossible to keep all the light out. I used an old cotton Tshirt over my hood when I welded inside the tank. Pulled it over my hood and tucked it in my coveralls. Crude solution but it worked better than nothing. And I guess Im lucky to have Brown eyes?

By tazmannusa (**)

Date 11-07-2009 21:33

Yep Big differance there, I'm working with .100" lot less amperage. You mention you use power wire brush. If you dont mind me askin what brushes are you using? I have been trying to find finer stainless brushes that fit grinder with no luck. the few I have are to coarse- stiff and they tear up the aluminum
Tom

By chris2698 (****)

Date 11-08-2009 02:23

I'd write more but been sick lately but for the wire brush it's just called a stainless steel end brush on the end of a high speed angle grinder we use to clean the aluminum but the fitters have gotten lazy they really haven't been cleaning the aluminum as well as they should. They usually use like a scotch bright type of pad on the end of a 6 inch grinder to clean it when they fit up and then we use the end brush to clean a little more before we weld it out. The end brush is about a inch in diameter and the bristles are about 1 1/2 inch in length the entire the thing is about 3 inches in length that is including where it goes into the chuck of the angle grinder. I don't know what name brand brush it is. When it is running at full speed the bristles spread out to like 2 inches. MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A FACE SHIELD THOSE WIRES COME FLYING OUT YOU WILL BE IN SOME SERIOUS PAIN WHEN THEY HIT YOU'RE SKIN. They go through clothing very easily. The air tools we use are run on air.

By the way I'm gonna go buy a 13 with a gold mirror Monday and give it a try and see if that helps and the shirt over the head I may give that one a try or maybe not the shirt I may rig up like a piece of leather the drape over the back of my shield to block light coming in. Being around some of these old timers at work I have picked up quite a few things from them. I was like what the heck are all these gadgets they got on there hood at first well now I know.