Damn bugs are annoying when welding

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How do you guys prevent mosquito's from bothering you when welding with the door open? Last year I had them flying into the weld puddle all the time.I was just welding something and these little ****ers are chewing at my arms. I can deal with one or two no big deal, so I shoe them away and continue to weld and this big thing hits my glove so I stop welding and it's a freaking bee. He just starts flopping around then I swear the dude flew into the front of my welder. Good luck buddy I'm sure the fan will win that fight. But how do you guys prevent this?Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:If you aren't using MIG, use something like a box or oscillating fan on low speed.  I use a fan to keep kool when stick welding...no bugs either!  Can you use mosquito netting over the door?  Might help a little.
Reply:I dont know how to prevent it, but a couple years ago I was doing a bunch of TIG work in a processing plant and had every bug in the world on my table, mostly big buzzflies. They dont do much for your puddle in stainless or aluminum. It was fun to zap em though.
Reply:Electronic insect repellent. Or Bug zapper right next to your open garage door.
Reply:Originally Posted by bpickellElectronic insect repellent. Or Bug zapper right next to your open garage door.
Reply:I would set your wife or girlfriend out there for bait.
Reply:She didn't last very long so I need a back up The chick across the street has a HUGE ***, I'm sure if she was outside they would go after her juicy *** and leave me alone.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:Wear your welding jacket/sleeves. And quit complaining, the bugs here are much worse!Airco Ac/Dc 300 HeliwelderMillerMatic 200 (stolen)Miller Maxstar 150STLMiller AEAD200LE (welding and generating power) Hobart MIG
Reply:Off brand bug spray.  Works every time.  Once, a  huge a$$ mother f$&@!ng  grasshopper the size of a humming bird crashed into the side of my helmet.  I paused and captured it.  I then held it by its rear legs and wings with my glove.  I then lit up some 6010.  I carefully held that beoch's head right into the arc.  It was just fun.  Reminded me of when I used to use the old Junior high school insect weapon (WD40 flame thrower) on black widows.   Last edited by SuperArc; 06-02-2014 at 03:55 AM.Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:ever used a thermacell?http://www.thermacell.com/mosquito-repellentits a device about the size of a remote for the tv, maybe thicker. It works pretty well for mosquitoes. Never used it for welding specifically but If it works any other time why not!- Christian M.C3 Welding & Fabrication - CNC Plasma Cutting-Mobile Welding-Custom welding and fabwww.c3welding.com
Reply:Originally Posted by GambleHow do you guys prevent mosquito's from bothering you when welding with the door open? Last year I had them flying into the weld puddle all the time.I was just welding something and these little ****ers are chewing at my arms. I can deal with one or two no big deal, so I shoe them away and continue to weld and this big thing hits my glove so I stop welding and it's a freaking bee. He just starts flopping around then I swear the dude flew into the front of my welder. Good luck buddy I'm sure the fan will win that fight. But how do you guys prevent this?
Reply:I am usually wrong. I believe bugs are attracted to you because you give off scent into the air, some say they are attracted to Co2. An exhaust fan, IE fume extractor, or a box fan will remove much of your scent. I use one, it keeps me cooler, with few bugs.
Reply:This might keep some of them out 24.99$ it's a special deal ! http://t.harborfreight.com/double-ga...een-68310.htmlThermal arc 211iCk flex-loc 150 & 130Clamps, saws & grindersHarbor freight 80 amp inverter
Reply:a fan will keep you cool and phoque up yer weld...i leave as much methane as i can and swat the real persistent ones..
Reply:Build yourself some screens to pull your garage doors down onto.
Reply:Once had a big ol' June Bug kamikaze a good sized flux core bead I was laying down.  It went straight into the puddle under the arc.  The resulting steam explosion from his body fluids threw molten metal and slag every which way.   On that same job I also had several of them fly into the hood with me while I was welding.  That will pretty much make you want to get your hood off real quick!  Was working in an old wood framed building one spring when there was a hatch out of termites.   All of a sudden one afternoon there seemed to be thousands of them flying around inside the shop.   I was tig welding at the time and the ultra-violet light from the arc would pull them right in on me.   While none of them seemed to make it closer to the arc than 3 or 4 inches before they got cooked so many of them were getting up in my hood (and going down the back of my neck) that I finally had to come full stop and commence a chemical warfare campaign against them.  It was a plague of Biblical proportions. Up here in MT in the fall when it starts to cool off the fly's migrate into buildings.  There's usually a 2 or 3 week period where you're constantly having to brush dozens of fried ones off what you're working on.  Near as I can figure it's the intense ultra violet light suck'n them in.  As far as mosquitos go....from my reading on the subject I've gathered that the main attractant for them is the CO2 you exhale.  So if you were wire welding with any CO2 in the shielding mix I think that would act to help draw them in on you.  About the only solution I see for that is to keep your exposed skin slathered with mosquito repellent, use screens or start a chem warfare program against the local mosquito population.   I use 50% Malathion so they don't get out of hand around my place in the summer.If you were just stick welding I could see a breeze from a fan being helpful but if you were using any of the processes that require a shielding gas I could see that easily being problematic.Never had any run ins with bees when welding that I can recall.  It would be my guess that they don't have that same fatal attraction for ultra violet light like a lot of other insects seem to.Last edited by HT2-4956; 06-03-2014 at 11:02 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by 4956Never had any run ins with bees when welding that I can recall.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveI found out the hard way that bees like to make nests inside the tube of a trailer frame.
Reply:I have to agree with you SuperArc - the bad boys gotta get sprayed - regular bees are becoming a rarity in some locations I'm told.Dave J.Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance. ~George Bernard Shaw~ Syncro 350Invertec v250-sThermal Arc 161 and 300MM210DialarcTried being normal once, didn't take....I think it was a Tuesday.
Reply:My 9-acres is surrounded by wet lands. 5 or 6-years ago I bought one of these. Every June I start using it. Can't even find a mosquito now.http://www.homedepot.com/p/Mosquito-...3300/202325463Don’t pay any attention to meI’m just a hobbyist!CarlDynasty 300V350-Pro w/pulseSG Spool gun1937 IdealArc-300PowerArc 200ST3 SA-200sVantage 400
Reply:Originally Posted by SuperArcOff brand bug spray.  Works every time.  Once, a  huge a$$ mother f$&@!ng  grasshopper the size of a humming bird crashed into the side of my helmet.  I paused and captured it.  I then held it by its rear legs and wings with my glove.  I then lit up some 6010.  I carefully held that beoch's head right into the arc.  It was just fun.  Reminded me of when I used to use the old Junior high school insect weapon (WD40 flame thrower) on black widows.
Reply:Originally Posted by MinnesotaDaveI found out the hard way that bees like to make nests inside the tube of a trailer frame.
Reply:Just buy the Thermacell and set it close to where your welding or you can even wear it on the back of your hood. They really work for keeping mosquitos down.The mosquitos down on the Texas coast are bigger than mocking birds. Once while doing a job down there, 4 mosquitos flew down and grabbed me by my arms and started to carry me off to their lair. The only thing that saved me was the two ticks as big as paint can lids that had me by the ankles. Whew, it was a close one for sure.
Reply:I will look into the thermacell. I did turn on my fume exractor and that helped the bugs in the front. I may have had one or two on the back of my neck still, but i'll give it a shot.Torchmate 2x2 CNC with Flashcut CNC controlsHypertherm Powermax45 Esab ET220i Razorweld 195 MigRazorweld 200ac/dc TigTormach 770, Tormach xstechRazorweld, Vipercut/Vipermig, SSC Foot Pedal Dealer
Reply:If you have been around horses, you know that they and flies go together.   I recall visiting a few well-established horse ranches where they installed misting nozzles around the open doors.  The mist contained something that either killed the flies or sent them elsewhere.  The chemical didn’t seem to be dangerous to horses or people.  The only problem I can see with this solution is that you don’t want a lot of excess moisture around your electrodes – if you are stick welding; so if you can keep a distance between you and the open door, this may be the way to go.