the dangers of welding

[chris66]

i was welding Friday morning and my new mask was too dark for me to see to start the arc properly, so like a dick i was starting my welds off with no eye protection.

thought i had got away with it but 10 hours after i had finished my eyes started to hurt like mad and the whites turned red like in a warewolf film.

ended up at moorfields eye hospital in london with burnt corneas, just starting to get my sight back today.

just thought i would post this to give you all a laugh and perhaps stop someone else being as stupid.

[barkwindjammer]

Yep, dick !

you can use another welding rod (maybe you were MIG welding?) anyhoo, place the fluxed end like a little flag pole on the spot where you want to strike, then just brush your electrode down the stick to where it rests on the piece-if that makes sense, probably too late now but I had a go at being a dick too-years ago, never again

you can buy a 'proper thingy' its a carbon rod bout the thickness of a jumbo crayon, this starts the arc so the job lights up like a very bright thing that you dont want to look at with bare naked eyes

[chris66]

Yep, dick !

you can use another welding rod (maybe you were MIG welding?) anyhoo, place the fluxed end like a little flag pole on the spot where you want to strike, then just brush your electrode down the stick to where it rests on the piece-if that makes sense, probably too late now but I had a go at being a dick too-years ago, never again

you can buy a 'proper thingy' its a carbon rod bout the thickness of a jumbo crayon, this starts the arc so the job lights up like a very bright thing that you dont want to look at with bare naked eyes

the thing that amazed me most is that i had no problems for 10 hours.

i have now purchased a lighter shade lens so can just make out where to start.

i cant describe the pain, but if you have done it too you know exactly what i mean.

[barkwindjammer]

like it was yesterday m8, lol

now, if any of our viewers would like to try this little experiment out,

you'll need an assistant for this, and 2 'brainaic T shirts'

first!, sellotape your eyelids-top eyelids to your forehead, bottom eyelids to your to your cheeks

next : take your 'already prepared mixture' of salt, carborundum dust, iron filings, athletes foot powder, french chalk dust, and loft insulation (finely ground), 1 tbsp is enough to coat each eye,

now, get your trusty assistant to 'gaffa tape' you to a chair in such a way that you cannot move or escape, then with his/her gentle hand, carefully apply a liberal coating of the mixture to each eyeball, 'drying' the eyeballs with a swab of loft insulation moistened with a little Diesel (engine de-greaser works fine too), this will help the mixture to 'adhere' to the eyeballs

then sit back and relax, some gentle *music helps to while away the time too, now just wait for the 'magic' to begin

*MUSIC

[Airhead]

or you can get them fangled lenses that a clear until strike up, we have them at work.

[Emzed]

Of course you could always invest in a good mask, which is light enough to see your work-piece, then goes instantly dark as you strike the arc

I've seen them at Rufforth autojumble for about 40 quid but Ebay may turn 1 up for less.

Remember folks, you only have 1 pair of eyes, and from memory I can't remember EVER meeting a blind biker

Lose your sight and you lose your ride

Be careful, be safe. If you don't have TFJ (tool for Job) then leave it to a pro

Em

[barkwindjammer]

One lucky biker/welder guy whom OG remembers with fondness from his era found himself with a new career, and often inside a cupboard or at the bottom of the stairs, so take heed and wear the proper gear

thanks for the PM OG, and the request,

take it away

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnjEPMYr6Pw&feature=related

[2 Wheels]

Rodney,,

Yes Dell-boy

You are a plonker Rodney.

Every flash ya get from welding takes one year of your eye-sight away. Same as looking directly at the sun.

[Guest CardBoardDave]

thought i had got away with it but..

Its when it wakes you up in the night thats the worst.

Would not wish it on my worst enemy.

Nurse wanted to patch up both my eyes i said you do know im here on my own dont you!!

[chris66]

Its when it wakes you up in the night thats the worst.

Would not wish it on my worst enemy.

Nurse wanted to patch up both my eyes i said you do know im here on my own dont you!!

it did wake me up everything was blurry lights had a glow around them, it felt like someone was pulling my eyes from behind,

for those of you that have not experienced this dont, for every one that has you have my sympathy.

[up.yours]

been there done that got the badge,and dont want another ta very much.

[Vez]

Not experienced it myself, but seen the effects more than once.

A good example was when the boss at a previous job decided to have a photographer in to take pictures for a glossy works brochure. The photographer in question asked one of the lads if he could take a picture of him welding, screams of pain were soon heard throughout the factory . 

We never did get that brochure though.

[Ttaskmaster]

now, if any of our viewers would like to try this little experiment out,

Sounds more like foreplay to me, mate

[ReBorne]

oh, I sympathise. Seriously, I do.

Quite a few years back I gave my beloved Mini to a friend and was doing some welding underneath... sliding out the welding rod hit the underside about 4" from my face. Woke up the next morning and even the light coming through the blinds was too bright to let me open my eyes. A week before the patches came off and I could see again. Not fun.

Do I learn? Not completely. Years later, cutting the roof off another Mini with a grinder without goggles. Yup, bits in the eye - trip to hospital to have eye flushed and the bits picked out with a needle. A few months later, sitting at work I blink and feel a scratch... another trip to hospital, sent straight to a specialist. Have the wonderful news that a bit had been left in and the thin skin/membrane of my eye had grown over it. Head clamped into a medieval torture device and a (very cute female) doctor took what was suspiciously like a hobby drill with a flat bit to break through and 'flick' it out. Kept telling me to look forward when she was sitting there in a very nice tight jumper and impressive breasts. :-S

Still, I always wear goggles now. Mostly :-S

[Paulwhite]

iv been quite lucky and the worst iv ever been was a migraine from hell and extremely sensitive eyes for a couple of days! silly me too much in a rush forgot to flip the visor down b4 welding.....oops! but yeah i can only imagine the pain and its made my eyes water just reading about it! safe to say iv got a decent welding mask! its a dark greeny color so you can see, then goes dark as soon as a bit of light hits it, only problem is it goes funny and dont work properly when its sunny, plus it helps if its down when you start welding

[up.yours]

after welding a stock car wearing my goggles,i looked in the mirror only to see a twat with a red face and white goggle mark around the eyes,it only lasted a week or so before it went.