Welding in my basement

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I need to move my welding equipment to my basement. Are there any concerns of lack of ventilation ? I will only be TIG welding.Any concerns?
Reply:I have the same question with moving my stick welder down, welding mild steel. Mostly concerned with ventilation questions the fire issues I understand. I remember my FIL welding in the cellar all the time 40 years ago. But times change and from what I read now it may not be good.Maybe some one can catch both questions ,above and mine, at once. Thanks.
Reply:Originally Posted by guygodwinI need to move my welding equipment to my basement. Are there any concerns of lack of ventilation ? I will only be TIG welding.Any concerns?
Reply:Think there's been a couple threads on this topic and the consensus has always been that it is generally just a bad idea. Pretty sure if there is a woman in the house that you will get shut down just from the noise and dust issues. If there isn't, still consider the fire hazards, fumes, general health from exposure to fumes/dust (kids? anyone with asthma?), and if those all pass, you can be pretty sure that your fire insurance company will cancel your policy if they happen to do a last minute home inspection. If you've got close neighbors, i'm pretty sure they won't like the fumes, noise or flashing windows either. Expect to get the fire department called to your home at least once, which will probably result in your getting shut down anyway.250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:I do art work with tig and mig in basement. It's not continuous welding so no issues. I do have fire blankets on floor to help prevent rolling sparks and a working smoke detectors along with a fan in window within a couple of feet of welding. You need to use common sense and have fire extinguishers there too. The smoke detector will help hopefully if things get out of hand when you leave. As for stick welding, NO as far as I'm concerned.   The smoke from the flux will fill the house up. It will be worse if you have forced air. I know, I tried just a couple of short tacks even had a fan going. Mig is a lot cleaner but I wouldn't use the basement as a welding shop. It's nice to be able to get things tacked up but not welded out.Whichever , you gotta go do a post check a few times just to make sure all is well. The heated basement in winter sure does help to do things but as a full welding shop, NO.
Reply:Be sure to make connections tight and turn off argon at the cylinder when done. Not sure how big your basement is but buildup of argon can kill you before you know it.
Reply:I'm just a hobby welder. Maybe 12 hours per month. But I know this could be a problem.
Reply:I welded in my parents' basement when I was a kid, but that was in a brick house with a bare concrete floor. I removed one pane of a basement window and put a ventilation fan in its place. If I welded close to the fan and opened another window I could stick weld without filling the house with smoke. My folks were unusually tolerant of such things, not saying it is a generally good idea.As said above MIG and TIG are much more basement friendly as long as you can solve the fire safety issues and supply adequate ventilation.JohnA few weldersA lot of hammersA whole lot of C-clamps
Reply:Originally Posted by MrESABBe sure to make connections tight and turn off argon at the cylinder when done. Not sure how big your basement is but buildup of argon can kill you before you know it.
Reply:Originally Posted by guygodwinI need to move my welding equipment to my basement. Are there any concerns of lack of ventilation ? I will only be TIG welding.Any concerns?
Reply:I TIG in the basement all the time. There isn't much smoke involved. I tried the Dynasty in the cellar to see how it ran 7018 1/8" The smoke was awful!!! maybe three sticks, and I couldn't see the wall 20 feet away. I built cellar posts in place in the basement using MIG with a series of box fans carrying the smoke out the door. The dust masks I was using came out grey. It was pretty severe. I'll say unless you are setting up a booth with fume extractor don't even consider stick, or MIG.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:Just use your head and do it - CarefullyOpen a window, or get a fan to move air around if you are concerned.Insurance issues - not likelyKeep the carbon arc for outside though
Reply:I've run flux core in the basement, including this past Sunday evening when I had to weld the water heater back together. Even with the fan in the window it was really, really smokey. I only do it if I have to fix something that is down there and have only ever run flux core down there because it is the only machine I can carry down the stairs. Would I recommend flux core welding in the basement? No. Tig on the other hand with the window open, wouldn't bother me a bit.My "collection":Homemade Stick WelderVictor O/A TorchAC 225Ideal Arc 250HF 90 Amp Flux CoreHF Mig 170Solar 2020 Plasma CutterPower i-Mig 140EHarris O/A torchHF Dual Mig 131140STAlpha Tig 200x
Reply:Thanks for all the good info. I see it is serious business. I wonder how my FIL lived to be 85 with that tombstone in the cellar and a side business making rod iron tables back in the 60's.
Reply:if you work in basement you contaminate the house and all who live in it. if you weld in garage you are only exposing yourself and not the rest of the family depending if they go in the garage..i have known 2 welders who ended up with brain cancers. grinding tungsten is maybe more hazardous than it seems ..TIG welding electrodes usually contain small quantities of other metallic oxides which can offer the following benefits:-    facilitate arc starting    increase arc stability    improve current-carrying capacity of the rod.    reduce the risk of weld contamination    increase electrode lifeOxides used are primarily those of zirconium, thorium, lanthanum, yttrium or cerium. Additions are usually of order 1%-4%. All these oxides greatly improve arc initiation, especially when direct current (DC) welding is employed. Thorium oxide (thoria) has been used for many years having been found effective in terms of long life and thermal efficiency. Zirconium oxide (zirconia) has been commonly used for alternating current (AC) TIG welding, normally for welding aluminium.HazardsThorium (Th) is slightly radioactive with a long half life and emits mainly alpha (α) particles, but occasionally some beta (β) and gamma (γ) radiation is emitted. Alpha particles cannot penetrate skin or even paper. However, they are harmful if released inside the digestive tract, or inside the lungs, where they act as a carcinogen.Thorium oxide is, therefore, a low level radioactive material which may give rise to both a small external radiation hazard and an internal hazard from ingestion or inhalation. The external hazard estimated for a welder holding an electrode for a whole year is a very small fraction of the maximum permissible radiation dose and it is concluded that the external radiation hazard is likely to be negligible.There is almost no release of radioactive material during arcing. However, to achieve maximum arc stability the electrode tip is ground to a conical point before use. This shape is maintained during use by regular regrinding. During the grinding process, particles of tungsten may be produced with thoria on the surface. It is these dust particles that create the major hazard, as they may be inhaled, and the thoria may release alpha particles from the surface.In a review of air sampling measurements carried out during grinding it was concluded that during grinding air concentrations could approach or even exceed concentrations at which it would be necessary to consider designating the area as a controlled area as defined by the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999.However, the risk of cancer in TIG welders due to thoria exposure is very low, since the exposure times to individuals are invariably small. The Danish Welding Institute estimates that of 1200 full-time TIG welders, a cancer incidence of 0-3 may occur during a thirty year working life. While this figure is considered acceptable, the Danish Welding Institute has recommended that thoriated tungsten be phased out in Denmark since non-radioactive alternatives are available.
Reply:Maybe I should give up welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by guygodwinMaybe I should give up welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by guygodwinMaybe I should give up welding.
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1Don't go gettin goofy now. I worked with welders when I was a apprentice over 45 years ago. THEY are still alive today and ME TOO ! The environment they/we welded in was not fit for humans. This was before anybody knew about MSD sheets. Even today, confined space welding I feel is deadly compared to welding in basement with ventilation. You need to pay attention and take safety precautions . Your not gonna be down there welding out for hours and hours. Try it and see how bad it is. Have another guy weld and YOU see what happens. If you feel it's not doable then don't . As for brain cancer, you can get any kind of cancer no matter what you do. Fortunately, I'm POLISH so really no threat of brain cancer.
Reply:Originally Posted by WNY_TomB.i have been welding 35 years. i am just saying doing stuff in the house getting grinding dust whether tungsten or chrome or nickel or others metals is hard to contain it and clean it. .even 6010 welding rod long ago used to have asbestos mixed in the flux and welders were complaining the rod has not been as good since they took asbestos out. does not matter if 90% of welders did not appear to die early from welding. you should read up on California laws requiring respirators when welding..all i am saying is risking exposure to welding hazards yourself is one things but exposing the rest of the family living in a house is another. do it in a garage with a powered vent is better and safer
Reply:Simple suggestions.Never post pics of or ask for advice about building or repairing trailers on an Internet welding forum.Never post pics of or ask questions about wiring your own electrical service on an Internet welding forum.Never ask for advice about welding in a basement on an Internet welding forum.All of the above require knowing the basics and using common sense.Beyond that, if we worried about everything ppl on Internet welding forums do, we would likely never leave our houses.... Ever.IMHO of courseLast edited by 7A749; 12-09-2015 at 05:08 PM.Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Simple suggestions.Never post pics of or ask for advice about building or repairing trailers on an Internet welding forum.Never post pics of or ask questions about wiring your own electrical service on an Internet welding forum.Never ask for advice about welding in a basement on an Internet welding forum.All of the above require knowing the basics and using common sense.Beyond that, if we worried about everything ppl on Internet welding forums do, we would likely never leave our houses.... Ever.IMHO of course
Reply:Hell in afraid to push "send" on my phone.
Reply:God, Bob. Don't put that kind of stuff out there, women are already bad enough.   Don't give them any ideas! Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Simple suggestions.Never post pics of or ask for advice about building or repairing trailers on an Internet welding forum.Never post pics of or ask questions about wiring your own electrical service on an Internet welding forum.Never ask for advice about welding in a basement on an Internet welding forum.All of the above require knowing the basics and using common sense.Beyond that, if we worried about everything ppl on Internet welding forums do, we would likely never leave our houses.... Ever.IMHO of courseOriginally Posted by BistineauIs it OK to ask advice about welding in the attic? You didn't mention that as a NoNo.
Reply:Originally Posted by 7A749Simple suggestions.Never post pics of or ask for advice about building or repairing trailers on an Internet welding forum.Never post pics of or ask questions about wiring your own electrical service on an Internet welding forum.Never ask for advice about welding in a basement on an Internet welding forum.All of the above require knowing the basics and using common sense.Beyond that, if we worried about everything ppl on Internet welding forums do, we would likely never leave our houses.... Ever.IMHO of course
Reply:Very true Dave. Good catch Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:MSD sheets work great for starting fires in the wood stove.
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1Welding in the attic is based on sea level. Roof pitch, type, and shingles play a large part on a proper response.  I don't have enough time to type it out.
Reply:Absolutely. The tiled floors and bare walls also serve as a fire retardant surface as well!Expert Garage Hack....https://www.facebook.com/steven.webber.948
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauI have cathedral ceilings in my house, so no attic space anyway. I guess it will be OK in the bathroom, since it has a ventilation fan already installed and water readily available in case of fire.
Reply:Just a beginner with the stick. This thread was interesting - made me keep practicing outside in this mild winter instead of moving to the basement. Finally got cold this week and I tried to finagle up a ventilation system in the basement as a total experiment. I used the shop vac as a blower. Stuck an old dryer hose thru the clean-out door and up the chimney in the wood stove flue. Put the vac exhaust into that.  I had a big galvanized right angle funnel thingy I made and use changing the oil in the dozer. I used it as a hood of sorts with the vac suction connected to it. I set the "hood" on a couple fire bricks near the vise and welded on a plow shoe in the vise. Ran 6 rods of 6011 and never set the smoke detector off and no odor up stairs. Worked way better than I expected.Now I got a project to make something less mickey mouse. Don't laugh - here is a picturegg
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveYou forgot some:Don't ask questions about how "good" Mr. Tig is Never ask "does this welder have enough power?" If you ask "is this a good welder for starting out?" Just triple your spending budget instead of asking
Reply:Originally Posted by g_manJust a beginner with the stick. This thread was interesting - made me keep practicing outside in this mild winter instead of moving to the basement. Finally got cold this week and I tried to finagle up a ventilation system in the basement as a total experiment. I used the shop vac as a blower. Stuck an old dryer hose thru the clean-out door and up the chimney in the wood stove flue. Put the vac exhaust into that.  I had a big galvanized right angle funnel thingy I made and use changing the oil in the dozer. I used it as a hood of sorts with the vac suction connected to it. I set the "hood" on a couple fire bricks near the vise and welded on a plow shoe in the vise. Ran 6 rods of 6011 and never set the smoke detector off and no odor up stairs. Worked way better than I expected.Now I got a project to make something less mickey mouse. Don't laugh - here is a picturegg
Reply:I want to move my oxy-acetylene setup down into my wood panel basement to do cutting torch jobs in 1/2 inch plate that i do on a regular basis. It has wooden floors, but there is not much stored down there except for bags and bags of old cotton clothing, nice dry firewood, and gallons of old stale gasoline that i use for tool cleaning. Would it be a problem?Last edited by yesindeed; 01-07-2016 at 07:25 PM.Millermatic 211Everlast 200DX Thermal Arc 181iKlutch ST80i lunchbox stick welderLincoln Weld-Pak 100Century Stick welderPowermax 30 plasma cutterHenrob 2000 torchLogan 200 lathe (60 years old)Clausing 6339 Lathe (for sale)
Reply:Originally Posted by yesindeedI want to move my oxy-acetylene setup down into my wood panel basement to do cutting torch jobs in 1/2 inch plate that i do on a regular basis. It has wooden floors, but there is not much stored down there except for bags and bags of old cotton clothing, nice dry firewood, and gallons of old stale gasoline that i use for tool cleaning. Would it be a problem?
Reply:Originally Posted by Willie BYou forgot my hot button, welding excavators, or 1/2" aluminum with a "110" welder you can plug in in your buddies living room.
Reply:Don't forget to add to your list----the question asked weekly  " I'm  looking to buy a tig welder that will do 1/4 inch aluminum and steel. My budget is around 200.00. What do you guys recommend that's good ?