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Hi to all.Starting a 1 night a week class for 3 hours a night for 36 hours in Ocean County vo-tech.. The course emphasizes:Oxyacet welding and cuttingelectric Arc weldingheat selection on machinesrod sizes and numberingSafe and proper use of ac & dc unitsTig and Mig demonstrationsStudents must provide there own safety equipment.Worked in body shops out of high school in the 70's where I learned how to use oxy/acet torches for brazing body panels and cutting /heating  and gas welding. Mostly brazing.Worked for a construction comp in the 80's and learned how to use a Lincoln 220 buzzbox and a Weldanpower machine on AC.  6011 and 7014 rings a bell.I still have my Fibre-Metal helmet flip-up lens from then with a #10 gold lens. Its in great shape but would like to replace the lens and have spares. Who might have these?Will I need a different helmet/lens for mig/tig demo's? Never tried an AD and do I really need it?I'll need a new jacket as my old one got trashed in a flood.I'm putting an order together from Cyberweld for a  Fiber-Metal  Faceshield F400  Headgear, clear lens, Jackson ws80 fixed front goggles. Would like to add a pair or 2 of gloves and a jacket but I like to try a jacket on before I buy it. LWS is about 45 min or so away.What else do you guys recommend? Jackets, another helmet, gloves, other PPE?  I have no problem spending decent money for good products.Thanks in advance.Matt
Reply:Your helmet should be fine. Don't bother with AD. You'd be surprised at the beat up hoods I've seen people using. Lens should be fine too but a lot of stores have replacements. Northern Tool and Tractor Supply for one. Lots of websites have spare lenses, I'm guessing you have the standard 4.25x2. If you can get a replacement gasket for the lens too and switch it out. Better to be safe. I don't use jackets. Usually a work shirt, leather sleeves if I'm doing stick. Can't advise you about sizing.I recommend Tillman gloves.. the 850 series is a tough pair, and the 1350 series is good too, but thinner. Be careful what you try to pick up with those. I haven't done oxyfuel welding but I imagine you'll want a pair of tig gloves for that. The 30 series are great for light duty stuff like that. Again, be careful when you pick up a hot piece of metal. Use pliers. Some good anti-fog (lol) safety glasses too. I use Guard Dog G100 glasses. Got em for about $16 or so.. great product. Welding caps would also be a good investment. You can buy the cormeaux ones or look on etsy for people who make custom caps. What sort of gear is the school going to give you? Or "loan" you?
Reply:Because I was really bad about burning up gloves while O/A welding (ok, I'm a bit of a klutz) I used the cheap Harbor Freight gloves. A lot of people seem to like TIG gloves. For O/A welding you can get away with a denim long sleeved shirt. For stick, especially vertical and overhead, you're gonna want sleeves or a decent jacket...mine is the Radnor brand and works OK. The Black Stallion and Tillman offerings look decent. My stick gloves are a pair of medium length guantlet Black Stallions. Wonderful fit and comfort, good protection. I like them a lot. They are $16 a pair or so. For O/A welding and cutting I suggest forgetting the traditional goggles and going with a Uvex Bionics face shield in shade 5.0. Huge increase in comfort and field of view. When you're comfortable and not fighting your PPE you work better. A clear face shield is what I suggest for grinding. I like fixed shade FibreMetal hoods so you aren't going wrong there for sure. There is a reason the Pipeliner and similar hoods are used by many pros...it's a simple formula that works well. Several pairs of safety glasses. I like Pyramex brand. You'll also want some disposable foam earplugs. All my PPE suggestions are so far as what the school allows, of course. I've seen some get downright anal with what they will allow and won't.Last edited by JD955SC; 09-01-2013 at 07:20 PM.
Reply:aka, if your referring to safety gear from the school, none. You must supply all your own. Looking forward to striking an arc. I'll check out your mentions on glove, glasses etc. Yeah, the helmet has the 4.25 x 2 lens. I'll  get a pic. Do ya where safety glasses under the hood? I never did but never really thought about it back then. Sleeves are a thought too. ThanksHarris oxy/acet set-upTurbo Torch X3bHonda EU 2000 GeneratorChampion 3500  GeneratorGas and electric air compressorsYears of  hand ,air and electric toolsMiller BobCat 250 in my future
Reply:JD,Would like to have a few choices when I'm working. I did see they have a shade 5 for the Fibre-metal F400 headgear. Don't want to be switching lens from  gas welding to grinding.  I'll look into the Uvex bionics and Pyramex brands as well. I do have a HF about a 1/2 hour away. Thanks.Harris oxy/acet set-upTurbo Torch X3bHonda EU 2000 GeneratorChampion 3500  GeneratorGas and electric air compressorsYears of  hand ,air and electric toolsMiller BobCat 250 in my future
Reply:Matt where in south Jersey are you? I'm in Tuckerton and like you I'm just learning. I didn't know the Collage was offering a course I'll have to  take a look at it. I've had my Miller 250 syncrowave set up for about a month now and have been having a ball with it. I've burned  at least 40 lbs of rod so far. If you don't mind taking a ride there's two places I would suggest taking a look at. The first is South Jersey welding supply, http://www.sjwelding.com/home.html - they have a good selection of personal protection equipment and are well stocked-Good guys. The other is Joseph Fazzio http://metals.shopjfi.com/- Make sure you give yourself a few hours to visit this place It's huge! they have a great selection of new steel,cutoffs,scrape, new a used PPE ... Best of luckGizzmo
Reply:My list for schoolAd hoodGrinderChippin hammerWire brushGrinding wheelsWire wheels2 pair vise grip clampsDark face shield for oxy/ acetylene weldingDark glasses for cuttingThick gauntlets for stickTillman mig glovesTorch tip cleanerLeather or fire retardent green jacketSquare (not on the list but helps)Magnet ( not on the list either but good)StrikerMetal gaugeSafety glassedDust maskWelding hatLeather work bootsEar plugsMig pliersFlap disksTwo pipe files
Reply:Originally Posted by gizzmoMatt where in south Jersey are you? I'm in Tuckerton and like you I'm just learning. I didn't know the Collage was offering a course I'll have to  take a look at it. I've had my Miller 250 syncrowave set up for about a month now and have been having a ball with it. I've burned  at least 40 lbs of rod so far. If you don't mind taking a ride there's two places I would suggest taking a look at. The first is South Jersey welding supply, http://www.sjwelding.com/home.html - they have a good selection of personal protection equipment and are well stocked-Good guys. The other is Joseph Fazzio http://metals.shopjfi.com/- Make sure you give yourself a few hours to visit this place It's huge! they have a great selection of new steel,cutoffs,scrape, new a used PPE ... Best of luckGizzmo
Reply:Originally Posted by jamesyarbroughMy list for schoolAd hoodGrinderChippin hammerWire brushGrinding wheelsWire wheels2 pair vise grip clampsDark face shield for oxy/ acetylene weldingDark glasses for cuttingThick gauntlets for stickTillman mig glovesTorch tip cleanerLeather or fire retardent green jacketSquare (not on the list but helps)Magnet ( not on the list either but good)StrikerMetal gaugeSafety glassedDust maskWelding hatLeather work bootsEar plugsMig pliersFlap disksTwo pipe files
Reply:Flap disks are made of sandpaper and fit on your grinder. Use them to sand off millscale and clean metal.
Reply:Originally Posted by Maritime MattThanks Giz. I'm in Mystic Island. Been over to SJ welding for my B tank and Oxy/Acet re-fills. Know about Fazio's but just have not found the time to get there yet. I heard its like a kid in a toy store. There may still be room in the class if ya can make it. Had to register in person for this one due to lots of interest. 732-473-3100. Ext. 1000. Did you buy the Miller new?
Reply:Safety glasses are worn at all times. Under the hood, cutting, grinding, etc. Though I am guilty of sliding them off my eyes to hang off my face while I weld... they tend to fog up sometimes. Just don't let anyone important catch you doing it. Or while stick welding.James' list is a good one. A square and mig pliers are definitely necessary. A good pair of cutters is helpful for snipping off contaminated filler wire parts and other things. Channel lock pliers are good as well. Wire brushes in carbon and stainless steel (don't use carbon on stainless or aluminum). Flap discs are great, make sure you get varying grit discs though. A 60 and a 120 is good. 1/16th cutoff wheels, 1/8th and 1/4" grinding discs too. You can use the tiger paw or the grinding disc to sharpen your tungsten as well if you do any tig welding.If they don't give you a 4 1/2" angle grinder you need to get one. A die grinder is good to have too but not really necessary. As for jackets, I took a look around. There are a lot with leather sleeves on flame resistant cotton. These seem like they'll be a lot lighter than full leathers. I would recommend one. Or buy some heavyweight cotton work shirts and separate leather sleeves to put on over your arms. Consider an apron if you're doing overhead.. not as vital as the sleeves but **** happens. I've got burns on my chest from not wearing an apron or bib.
Reply:me i love welding in old riped cotton jeans...setting myself on fire once in awhile ... is my pervlol i try to do most by tig....  let's see ... yes try to keep the most polycarbonite between your eyes and work as possible!(hammer test!) when i use to wear vision glasses i went not for feather lights... went for the heavy industrial! joking aside go for cotton colthes as everything else melts and burns into your skin. a welding blanket helps if you have to lay under stuff to weld (double it up ) watch using magnetic to hold a piece where you wanted (it sorts of messes up the arc) brushes ,yes keep them all for the different metals and mark(with marker)  each one for the material and keep them that way!  if you are going to sharpen tungsten use the uncontaminated part of a soft disc (the middle)and the SIDE of the grinding wheel of a benchmounted grinder(unless it is of course only for grinding tungsten)