Caught on fire...need a shirt

[jknight8907]

2nd night of welding class, and I caught myself on fire. I was wearing a cotton/polyester/stretch stuff t-shirt under my Levi button-down long sleeve shirt. When I got a little close to the material (trying to squeeze between the booth wall and the back side of what I was welding), the t-shirt caught on fire. First thing I noticed was a lot more smoke than usual, and a terrible odor. Didn't think of being on fire until a few seconds later when my belly started getting hot. Ended up burning about a 6" wide by 5" tall chunk out of the long sleeve, and a 3" square out of the t-shirt. Also toasted my belt and blackened my jeans.

No injury though. (Although it's a terrifying sight to raise your helmet and see your crotch on fire! :nono: ) So, how good are those blue welding shirts at not catching on fire?

[DirtyLittleSecret]

leather

[zapster]

Dont ask me..
In the summer its T-shirts and shorts..but thats tigging..

...zap!

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Dont ask me..
In the summer its T-shirts and shorts..but thats tigging..

...zap!

That's understandable too! :jester:

BTW: are you sure you werent trying to win the bet to see who could weld thier fly zipper to the project?:laugh:

[TozziWelding]

Your arms will soon become leather. Till then buy a set of leather sleaves, or one of those silly green shirts.

[KRS]

they make welding shirts (check ebay or better yet, your local supplier), they're not that expensive. They come in green and brown and blue and who knows what else.

Probably $25 will get you a long-sleeve one.

[Opie]

Happened to me once....I had a crack in the frame of a Big John, 90" tree spade. I was sitting between the frame rails, with my feet dangling next to the axle. I was wearing jeans, but the cuffs were all frayed...next thing I know Im smelling something that doesnt smell like welding, I stop, flip the helmet up and both pant legs are on fire!!

[jknight8907]

Probably the funniest thing was when the instructor walked up. All the students welding near me thought it was the funniest thing ever, so they got his attention as soon as he came close to us. First words out of his mouth? "Didn't get your goober did it?"

[redfish_joe]

When I was welding pipe things were a little cheaper than they are now. I would put my khaki shirts in the cleaners and get heavy starch and press. The bb's would roll right off and shirts lasted a good bit longer. :)

[12,000 Doors]

It's the polyester that's the culprit here. Wear cotton and you burn a hole. Wear poly and ignite. We get free t-shirts with the company logo every few years. One year they were 75% polyester and one by one everybody in the metal shop was doing their Micheal Jackson on fire impression.
That wasn't the silliest fire story I have though. They have tours come through the shop regularly so they keep these orange sceens around to keep from blinding the customers. So anyway one afternoon in December around quitting time I'm standing at my table hunched over downhill tig joining a door corner when I notice from the bottom edge of my closed hood that my nuts are apparently burning a bright orange. Now didn't I feel silly after paniced feverishly swatting myself in the balls a dozen times only to figure out that the low winter sun just popped out of a cloud, shot a stray ray of sunlight through the distant garage door window, through the orange welding screen and directly at my sore sack.

[DirtyLittleSecret]

Good point 12k. Funny, when I started welding I was wearing polypropelene sweaters since it was COLD ( and they were my "filthies"). Now that I think about it I did melt though two of these sweaters. Once I glued poly to my elbow I decided to buy a new Carhart bib and jacket since they were 50% off. Good to know that they are still using duckcloth, but wish they'd figure something to flatter my figure...:laugh: Hopefully I'll get tigging soon enough and will cut down on some of the sparks.

[jknight8907]

It's the polyester that's the culprit here. Wear cotton and you burn a hole. Wear poly and ignite. We get free t-shirts with the company logo every few years. One year they were 75% polyester and one by one everybody in the metal shop was doing their Micheal Jackson on fire impression.
That wasn't the silliest fire story I have though. They have tours come through the shop regularly so they keep these orange sceens around to keep from blinding the customers. So anyway one afternoon in December around quitting time I'm standing at my table hunched over downhill tig joining a door corner when I notice from the bottom edge of my closed hood that my nuts are apparently burning a bright orange. Now didn't I feel silly after paniced feverishly swatting myself in the balls a dozen times only to figure out that the low winter sun just popped out of a cloud, shot a stray ray of sunlight through the distant garage door window, through the orange welding screen and directly at my sore sack.
Very true. I got to looking at the burnt shirts, and while the polyester one was obviously doing some serious burning, the cotton one just looked like you had cut a circle out of it with a knife and lightly burnt the edges.

[deadman11699]

It's kind of funny because I live in a residential area and when we got 8 inches of snow. I was in the shed working and welding and my coat went up in flames. So I’m running out of the shed as all of the neighbors are snow blowing with no coat or shirt on

[LSX89RS]

the shop i used to work at, this huy jeff caught himself on fire. he was doing a rollcage in a gremlin (yup), and pauses a sec between passes. i look over and say as calmly as possible "jeff...youre on fire." he says huh..looks down followed by an OH ****lol

[ridgerunner]

long standing rule in every welding shop...

when ur welding,if everyone around ya starts laughing,and your not in on the joke,ya better stop and put out the flames!!

[MAC702]

I never buy polyester or rayon or any other man-made fiber clothes. I'm always working in whatever I own. So everything is cotton or wool, mostly cotton. This is important for welders and electricians especially, but is a good safety rule for any worker.

Even if you don't spring for fire-retardant clothes, you will improve your safety a hundredfold by wearing natural fibers.

[Sandy]

A burn is bad enough, picking melted polyester off the burnt skin makes a believer out of you.

[JeffB]

100% cotton is a good idea even for grinding. Aim that spray of sparks in the same spot too long, and there could be ignition.

[ThunderRobo]

I use a old Sweater, haven't had a problem yet.

[MicroZone]

All cotton for me ! Some funny stories and anecdotes, keep them coming ! :)

[T.T]

anyone try snickers workwear,in my opinion ther products are excellent

[Countryboy45683]

This is what I use when welding large jobs or when i am laying under what I am welding or plasma cutting....

http://workingperson.com/products/66_140/1/714/Black_Stallion_Jackets:__Side_Split_Cowhide_Weldin g_Jacket_30WC.html

[MicroZone]

That's a really nice jacket and good price!

[MAC702]

anyone try snickers workwear,...
I thought Snickers are only for when you aren't going anywhere for a while?

[gtrman]

Denim shirt if starched is fire resistant.

[DesertRider33]

At work I weld sitting in front of a jig. When I first started there, I used to catch the chair on fire between my legs just about every day untill I switched to an apron without the split legs.

[MAC702]

... I used to catch the chair on fire between my legs just about every day untill I switched to an apron without the split legs.
How many days did it take to think there must be a better idea?

[MB2005]

Caught myself on fire yesterday. I use denatured alcohol to degrease before welding. I absent mindedly left the rag on my plywood welding table. Put on my auto dark helmet, and started tacking. Even when the lense lightened I couldn't see the light blue flame. Then I leaned over to weld the other side and found the flame with my stomach. No real harm done. I was able to stomp the fire out. I was wearing long sleeve cotton, so my shirt never caught. I did learn a lesson my favorite way---- THE HARD ONE.

[Doug247]

Heres one for you, out of all the times ive lit myself on fire this the one that stands out. We had to move some stuff around so i decided to get on the little stand on bobcat thing and use it. Little did i know there was a hole in the gas tank and when i noticed it, it was too late, my crotch was coverd in gas. so i went over to my buddy and told him we couldnt use it, then he piped up and said in his texan accent and said "why cause you peed your self"? so igrabbed out my striker just jokenly and said, "ill show you i didnt peed yourself"! and just a few tiny sparks landed on the gas and i went into big "balls" of flames. before i could think damn im stupid i jumped on the ground to roll it out and the other guy who was with us ran over and started to slap my crotch and try to "help". then went the wind was knocked out of me Irolled over and the fire went out. Yes that was pretty stupid and no i wont do it again, and hell yes that was funny.

[mb_welder]

Man, I don't usually set my shirts on fire, but pantlegs on the otherhand...

"Gosh my leg is getting warm...gee it's hot, better check what's going on after I finish this weld!" :laugh:

My right arm is covered in spatter burns (I'm left handed....), and my left arm has two "retard" burns from my first welding job....I was grinding parts that were hot and leaned on one of many of what I was cleaning after welding by accident, and ended up with a nice 2"-ish burn cut/scar. For the second one, I leaned on a hot bumper...DOH!

More recent though isn't a burn, I bent down to pick up something next to the scrap bin and BAM! I didn't even see the sharp chunk of metal hanging out of it...It didn't seem bad until I took my hat off, and the blood ran down the side of my face. I doctored it up, and went back to work. Fun stuff!

Doesn't happen often, but when it does, it might as well be memorable I guess.

[Burnt Shirt]

The newbies in the shop I worked at couldn't figure out how the hot rod butts got in their back pocket.(wasn't me though I got the same when I started)

[xccelagator]

Yup, I was in class and I smelled something burning and commented to a fellow student. Once I lifted my helmet I noticed my hoody strings were on fire!

When I was a wrench I did something much worst! I was doing a safety check on a used car. During the test drove it I would check things at traffic lights. Well I got the cig. lighter hot and was checking the electric windows and such. My hands were leathery and I could not feel the heat. So I proceded to push a cig. lighter in my palm!!

Dan