New Welding Gear???

Date 01-31-2014 01:03 Edited 01-31-2014 01:07

Well, tired of burning up hundreds of dollars worth of Underarmor, Patagonia and REI thermals, burning holes in brand new pair of jeans the first day you use them and I reached my breaking point.

On our way back from that horrible state next to Indiana we ran thru Indianapolis and I found the Southside Harley Davidson dealer and decided to stop in and browse. The lady that helped was awesome and I think I blew her mind when I told her I didn't even own a Harley but needed a pair of chaps for.....wait for it......welding. "Uh, welding??" She says. "Yep" I say, "tired of scars on my thighs, near misses with my man junk due to molten hot metal"

Due to my odd positions required to actually weld on these things and throw in the wind factor and wrapping your legs around the leg to hold yourself somewhat stable and well, you get the picture.

I picked up this pair of Harley chaps a few days ago and have worn them twice and WILL be wearing them more. They are very comfortable, flexible and yes, you can even do a split in them! Ask my helper. Long enough to cover my boot laces, an added bonus not having to replace those every few weeks! In the last two days they have been tested well. Molten spatter dropped on them, of course ol' sparky is a constant. They have been shoved thru tight places to get your leg in position so you can stabilize yourself. Raked across brackets and tin clamps that would have cut a lesser material. Wind proof, slightly insulated and they have it all!! Compared to the "chaps" (I use this term loosely) offered by welding supply people who, "know welding" they are 1000 times better. I'm thinking our welding supply outfitters don't know welding as well as they think they do.

I'm betting that I am one of few who would actually find the cost beneficial to actually buy them for work. Not sure if you others out there ever find the need but I will wear them on a daily basis. If you do find the need, they are a thigh saver!!! Maybe Harley should consider making clothing for welders, real gear worth a darn that actually works not the cardboard doo doo we find at the LWS.

By Paladin (***)

Date 01-31-2014 02:10

Try to put the melted metal in the weld joint, not on you. And I've learned to stand a little aside of where gravity and wind direct what little sparks do fall.

New clothes do burn up more than old well worn slick shirts and jeans. The new cloth has a lot of fuzz that likes to burn. 'Bout 10 or 20 washing and dryings helps out. Starching too but to much trouble for me. You don't expect my wife to do it do you? She doesn't even iron her clothes.

Once was on a job up in Kansas and was there long enough that we had to send our clothes out for laundry. I had new jeans and shirts but my clothes (and me) were really getting burned up. I guess I had not yet fully learned what my first sentence boast.

Found out the laundry was DRY Cleaning my clothes. We got that stopped and things cooled off a bit, if you know what I mean. Was doing quit a bit of air arcing in a tight spot, downwind, up hill, against the grain, etc.

Speaking of motorcycle clothing, maybe we should get this company to make welding gear. Their suits, jackets, and pants are suppose to protect you from road rash sliding down the road at 70mph.
A few sparks and drops of red hot metal should not be a problem.
http://www.aerostich.com/

Floyd

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 01-31-2014 04:11

Hahahahahahahahah! Well I am surprised you went that route after discussions galore! BUT one thing is clear......leather is leather is leather....be it rawhide or fine thin dress tanned variety...nothing clothing wise resists molten metal drops and sparks and flames better then ...wow you guessed it LEATHER. Now on a weird tangent I will say I am HIGHLY impressed by these loose weave carbon fiber blankets I bought. I literally on purpose dropped pinball size gobs of molten metal on them to see before we got over that painted floor.....the crap just turned into slag balls and ya cannot even tell where it was sitting on the blanket hardly. CF is only rated to 1800 dgF but apparently that is enough. I have never seen any material in a fire blanket just eat it as well as carbon fiber does. In the condition I have it this material would be akin to wearing a cotton fill blanket in texture and thickness....I would bet it can be had in cloth form suitable for clothing. Non of the skin irritations associated with fiberglass fire blankets and the like.....these are soft and non irritating as a cotton ball. Heck I will box up one to ship to ya Shawn just for trials...I figure as serious about it as you are, a line of clothing in it is not far behind.

By PlasmaHead2 (***)

Date 02-01-2014 16:29

I want some of those CF blankets... then I want to stitch them onto a hoodie so that I can wear it welding and NOT burn the hoodie or my arm up. On top of keep all the sparks and grinding dust off of the back of my neck.
I think part of the trick to the CF is that it transfers heat really well. Kinda like how you should be able to melt Aluminum foil with a match but you cant because the Al transfers the heat to fast to melt.

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 02-07-2014 19:21

Well Floyd, I do deposit the weld metal into the joint. Unfortunately I have rookies grinding galvanized, although they are getting better they still tend to miss here and there and the molten blobs I get burned by are in fact galvanized burning balls of Haydes. Weld joints are sometimes good, sometimes, laughable. A not so good weld joint and a sudden 30 mph wind gust and suddenly you have a blob of slag rocketing towards your twig and berries.

Second, standing off to the side?? Seriously? If anybody on this forum can come out and show me how to weld stiffeners on the bottom flange on the outward face of a leg at 200 feet without a spider basket, catwalk or some other form of devise used to support you AND only do it while in a full tower harness and single rope positioning lanyard, then stand up fully, away from the weld and I will be impressed. On the face of the leg I have at my disposal to stand on, 1- sometimes a diagonal or two if I'm lucky. 2- U-bolts, of course the nut and thread point inwards away from where I need to stand. Go ahead and stand on a piece of 1/2" U-bolt. You can kind of support yourself, use them to toe off into when climbing up but to stand, yeah, not happening. Other things I can support myself with, 3/8" all thread used to hold coax to the tower.

Point being, when you stand up on one of these you are face to face with the structure. Flat foot standing, uncommon. Nope, all of my welds are done in the seated position. Shove a leg thru some x bracing so you can get into position. Hang your positioning lanyard 3-4 feet above you, lower down on the face of a leg and swing from side to side to do the welds. Sometimes if the wind is blowing enough you put the leg between your legs like your going to try and make baby towers. Other fun times I recall. On a tower in Minnesota around 250 feet working around the booms and literally had to lay down in my harness. Feet propped upon the boom stiff arms, laying backwards into open air to get around coax to the weld area. Stomach muscles going crazy, hollering headache as my water and snacks dive bomb the surface below. Foreman on the job laughed when I came down and said something about taking a nap up there.

Unique situations everyday call for unique gear. Got a pair of Harley riding gloves, best and warmest gloves I've had yet. I really have to get more pictures of where I have to weld at and post them up here.

By Paladin (***)

Date 02-08-2014 14:39

Shawn,
No doubt you are in a tough tight uncomfortable situation to weld.
Maybe these britches might work for you. http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/mens/mens-pants/92204.aspx
At least you snacks would stay in your pocket when hanging upside down 250 feet up.

Good luck.
Floyd

By Cumminsguy71 (*****)

Date 02-08-2014 22:42

Haha! Yeah, I looked at the Duluth pants but found out they were made overseas when I asked them. The positioning just takes some getting used to and figuring out how to protect yourself. I have not found much that will hold up to what I do or the positions I find myself in. Thanks for the info though, always up to burn thru some more clothing in an attempt to not burn thru myself!!! LOL!

As far as snacks and drinks, I bought a day pack I connect to the back D ring of my belt, right next to my Ultimate Ears speaker. I can pack in an extra pair of gloves, beef jerky, some sort of nutrigrain bars, sweet teas in the side pockets, smokes, back up battery pack for my phone and a few other trinkets. Tote that behind me all day long! Pretty convenient though, got my own miniature quicky mart within arms reach!