Arc welding saftey

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So basically I just bought a lincoln 225 stick welder. I'm 15 and My parents are making it as hard as possible for me to be able to use it. They are mostly concerned about saftey, mainly electrocution. They want me to take lessons to learn all the saftey stuff before I can weld. I learned to weld with oxyacetelen with my dad. Unfortunatly that kind of welding was out of my price range so I went to arc welding. I have done all my research on saftey and I feel that they are not being fair. Does any one have any advice / suggestions or stories about how they learned to weld without classes? Can someone give me a list of all the saftey procedures? I don't mind taking a class, but there too expensive and I want to weld now!!!  -Jesse
Reply:Sorry, but it's not our job to judge how fair your parents are.  Nor is it yours.  I think classes are the way to go, especially if it's what will satisfy your parents.Now, perhaps private classes from someone you know that knows how to weld will satisfy them?  Chances are your dad knows somebody that arc welds, right?Other than that, show all your research to your parents and continue the conversation.  It's their call.
Reply:Heres a link to some more info on welding safetyhttp://www.millerwelds.com/education...pamphlets.html but like mac702 said we can't judge how fair your parents are I know my kids feel the same way about my decisions to. So good luck.Will   Supports Autism Awareness                            My ToysBobCat 225 PLusMillermatic 130Miller Spectrum 300 CutmateEverlast Power Tig 185 Micro April is Autism Month .
Reply:it s tuff growing up   but as said b4  talk to your parents.  lots of saftey issues with welding.  better safe than sorry. kinda a thing like this: as you are we once were(kids) as we are  you will be(parents) but keep reading, listening, and ask a lota questionslike said  above: show them what you know and understand about welding  its the first thing they teach is the safety and how to use said equipment. it will come in time ... i first took a metals class in high school, thats where i was introduced to the  world of metal and welding. but  talk to DAD he sounds like a good guy.. maybe  you both can learn together
Reply:hey, ok well I've got some classes going with a friend of mine. My parents don't know anything about arc welding so thats why there being so paranoid. Anyways, if I wanted to shock myself, what would I do? Are there varieing degrees of getting shocked? Also would touching the grounded metal with one hand and touching the metal part of the rod holder or the rod itself while the welder was on electrocute me? or just making a circuit with my hand from the metal to the rod while welding?
Reply:Paranoid: Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others.You might wish to rethink how respectful you are being of your parents...
Reply:hey, no offence or anything but lighten up. I was trying to say that they are making an unfaire desision based on inexperiance and fear of electricity and basically all my hobbies and interests lol . Anyways can anyone answer my questions on shocking myself accidentaly?
Reply:if you hold the rod (stick welder) while welder on and touch the grounded metal you will get a shock the higher the amps the bigger the shock. you try not to get between the electrode and the work thats why you hold on to the handle  of the stinger. have been shocked a time or two using stick but if gloves are worn it helps just don t use wet gloves.  so far i haven t been killed. but it does wake you up
Reply:Hi Jesse,there are some very good resources on the web.here's onehttp://www.hobartwelders.com/techtips.html#stickMiller also have a very good oneBoth you can print out and have nearby when you weld. Note I said nearby.Paper is just one inflammable that should not be in your weld area.Lastly Why not involve your dad ,ask him to help you. Never weld alone, it would be horrible for mum or dad to come home and find you electrocuted.It can and does happen,even to experienced people who work in the shop alone for long periods of time without someone coming by regularly just to check that they are ok.One of my apprentices years ago recieved an electric shock from the welder.There were playing footy.at their lunch break.they came back to the college work shop and were wringing wet from sweat.The young fellow leaned against the workbench when he started to weld.The electrode stuck.He reefed on it.The electrode came loose and struck him dead centre on the forehead. We took him to hospital as his eye pupils were like the proverbial pee holes in the snow(not that we have snow in the tropics). The docs said it was not the machine voltage that was the worry.the true problem was the micro volts than can alter the heart timing up to a day after the shock Some quick advice.Get some scrap steel.Practice, practice As a beginner try not to make these errors:Keep your arc length ( look it upin either Miller or Hobart texts) short -say the core wire diameter.Try to keep travel speed slow-whats slow you say ?Adust your travel speed by keeping a bead width say 2 electrode diameters wide.Put down a rubber mat under where you stand .Concrete can carry enough current to shock.I did not believe that until an electrical teacher proved it to me.Supposedly dry concrete still has a water content.There will be other safety in the download.More comprehensive than I can offer you here.Put some piccies of your welded efforts up if you can. The blokes here will give you some constructive criticism.There not a bad bunch.does this helpGrahame from down underLast edited by Grahame; 09-15-2006 at 08:31 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by jesseregencan anyone answer my questions on shocking myself accidentaly?
Reply:Lots of people have been killed by 120 volt AC line voltage.  Open circuit voltage on welders is limited by safety codes, but can be about 75 or 80 volts, I think.  That's not a really big voltage difference if conditions are not in your favor.  Conditions are not in your favor if you are sweaty or the work or you are wet, you are not wearing DRY gloves, you lean your sweaty, tee-shirted waist against the work while grabbing the rod, etc, etc.It only takes a few milliamps through the heart to throw it into fibrillation by disrupting the very minute internal feedback signals within the heart.  A milliamp is 1/1000 amp, less than runs your pocket MP3 player.  If conditions are not in your favor, it's fairly easy to develop that current if you handle the equipment carelessly.This is not intended to elevate your parent's paranoia or discourage you.  I think it is wonderful that you are so interested in learning welding and urge you to pursue it.  (I've been trying to get my grandson interested in welding, but he is only interested in swimming and basketball, so far.  I think I scared him by showing him sparks and flames too early.) This is intended to make you respect the equipment you are proposing to use and raise your level of awareness that you would benefit greatly from some training.  Electrocutions with welding equipment are quite rare, but they do happen when conditions are not favorable.I know that such arrangements are rare nowadays because we are in such a litigenous, regulated society, but can you find a small welding shop that would give you some training in exchange for a little help cleaning up around the shop or something?Have fun.awright
Reply:Thank you all for your help. Those links were really usefull. I may even be able to begin welding this weekend