Can I weld at my house? Need advice.

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I haven't welded since high school, but always enjoyed working with metal in class.  I've always wanted to do some projects, but haven't really had a place to do it.  I finally now have a 12 X 20 building that I put in the backyard so that I can get all the junk out of the garage and in there which leaves me room to work on things now.My thought was that I would get a MIG welder - a Hobart 140 and start tinkering around in my garage with the door up for ventilation.  My friend across the street is into construction and said that I will trash my garage by working metal in there.  Since we had a huge shop in school, I guess I never really thought of it depositing soot and whatnot in there.So my next option would be to store my welder and tools in the building in the backyard and work outside - but won't the wind be a huge factor?  We live where the wind constantly blows.  Also afraid of catching the yard on fire - we're in a drought.I was really getting excited about finally being able to do some of this around the house, but I'm beginning to think I'm going to be stuck with just woodworking.  Any advice or input?
Reply:I weld in a garage, and yes it does make a mess. The mess is easily swept up with a broom.  The garage is drywalled and painted semigloss white.  Dust is easily wiped from the walls and cabinet doors (open shelves are to be avoided)  My equipment is on wheels so it can be rolled back into place for parking the car.  Wiring was done before drywall was nailed up.I offer three choices: Good, Fast, & Cheap. You may pick two.Hobart AC/DC StikMate LXHarbor Freight AD HoodHarbor Freight Industrial Chop SawDeVilbis 20 Gallon, 5 HP Compressor
Reply:Hi Spaceblues... Welcome to the WeldingWeb.It would be wise to have a physical separation between your welding area and the rest of the garage.In my case, I bought a house with a three-car garage but it had been a model home and one of the garage bays was used as an office - separated from the other common bay by a series of French glass doors down the length of the garage!  I keep cars in the common bay and set up the 3rd isolated bay as my welding area.  In winter, I have a car in there most times - unless I am welding.This separation is important.  The worst stuff is the grit from grinding - it goes everywhere and coats all things.  Shelves, boxes, tools, etc.  Once the dust has settled, all is OK and I can bring a car into the area with no problem.  You do not want a vehicle anywhere near the area when you are grinding or sandblasting.  Grinding grit is mostly iron and iron oxide, if that gets on a venhicle, it will create problems with rust.In your situation, I would consider hanging a large tarp from the ceiling to divide off your welding area from the... garden tool area.  This keeps the dust contained.  You might want to also consider use of a fire-proof portable welding screen so that you dont sent grinding sparks into that hanging tarp.  I learned to direct the grinding sparks out the open garage door - not into the French doors!  (Grinding grit melted into the glass!)I'm sure many other folks will chime in with other suggestions.Welcome...Rick V 1 Airco Heliwelder 3A/DDR3 CTC 70/90 amp Stick/Tig Inverters in Parallel1 Lincoln MIG PAK 151 Oxy-Acet
Reply:My advice is weld all you want and make big messes that can be cleaned up.  Just take a few safey notes:Make sure anything that can catch on fire or explode is removed from the garage.Protect those around you and your self by wearing proper safey items (gloves eye protect....ect)I've been welding in my garage in my home since it was new (10 years) and it is spotless.  The garage is finished (drywall) but no paint and the wall are in very good condition.Syncrowave 350 LX TIGRunnerThermal Arc Power Wave 185 TSWXMT 304/12VSESAB Powercut 1500MultiMaster 260MM 200
Reply:I have no problem with it.  The only thing I did when I got tired of cleaning everything was build shelves and put all my stuff in big plastic containers with lids and added a couple metal cabinets to put all my other tools in.  Just be careful about where you're throwing sparks and you'll be fine.Millermatic 135Syncrowave 250
Reply:I weld outside for this very reason - simply have too much stuff inside the barn to catch fire or could be even be damaged by flying molten metal or sparks.  That said, If you are intent to weld in your garage, I have seen where people hang sheet metal on the wall to offer a better fire protection area as compared to simple drywall which can burn.  Metal can be salvaged from furnace panels or scrap appliances like stoves, washers, dryers, etc. if needed done on a budget.  The area covered does not need to be huge.Fluxcore wire in a wire feeder works great welding outside.  However, trying to use gas outside in Mig mode does not work as wind blows the shielding gas away.  Stick welding also works great outside and is the cheapest way to weld, but stick not ideal for sheet metal.  I cut metal outside too as abrasive type cutting is very dusty.  Working outside offers great ventalation and zero messes to clean up,  While I have burnt a few sploches of grass during droughts, I have never caught the whole yard on fire.
Reply:heres where i cut burn grind swear and cuss. oa is stored outside in a rubbermaid  garden rake locker..if it leaks it wont be in the house. if its dry i hose the grass down,  so far house is still standing. Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadheres where i cut burn grind swear and cuss. oa is stored outside in a rubbermaid  garden rake locker..if it leaks it wont be in the house. if its dry i hose the grass down,  so far house is still standing.
Reply:Thanks for all the replies.  Really glad I found this site.I'm not absolutely set on welding in the garage.  I have a ton of shelves in there that would need to come down (and my wife has tons of decorations and wreaths she stores on the wall that would make spectacular kindling), and truth be told I'd probably have to do some wiring in there as well.I could do everything out by the barn outside and use flux core I guess.
Reply:Shelves can be simply covered with a drape of clear plastic - to keep the dust out.I don't bother... so I get some grit on my tools - big deal.Wife decorations and wreaths? Now those should be out-a-there .. but could covered with clear plastic rap.  Sounds like they aren't used till Christmas, Easter, etc.  My wife's decorations live in closed plastic boxes, so I don't have to look at them. The problem isn't 'Kindling'; it's not like you are going to to sending flames and sparks eveywhere!Welding sparks are very localized - just cover the walls with sheetrock.Grinding or zip-wheel cutting with abrasives creates way more sparks - position your work and body so those go out the open door, or impact against the closed garage door (assuming a steel door).Oxy-Fuel cutting?  No - that I would do outside.  Red hot molten metal showers on the concrete floor have a way of scattering red-hot balls of metal under the gap between wall and floor.  Doing that may require a water bath under your cutting table or sheet steel on the walls down to the floor ending in an 'L' so nothing can get under the wall.Rick V 1 Airco Heliwelder 3A/DDR3 CTC 70/90 amp Stick/Tig Inverters in Parallel1 Lincoln MIG PAK 151 Oxy-Acet
Reply:I use a generator and weld outside, even when I can weld inside I choose to weld outside to keep cleanup time reasonable.  There is just too much crap that burns for me to be too comfy grinding, torching and welding inside.Having said that, I am finishing a shop that has 220V so that I can plug the welder in at least Hobart LX235Victor 250 Oxy-Acetylene Rig (welding and cutting)Bobcat 773F-350, 1999, 4x4, 16' 10K# trailerOutdoor Wood Burner - 10 cords/year
Reply:you neighbor doesn't know what he is talking about. unless your burning through 25lbs of rods or wire a day, you are not going to cause any irreversible damage to your garage with a Hobart 140. Just do some fire preventative maintenance as mentioned, and get to welding.
Reply:Do your grinding and cutting outside and welding and fabrication inside.  This way you can use flux core or gas. Gas makes it easier to see your weld and that can lead to a better weld.  Sounds like you won't be doing this every day so I doubt there will be much mess at all.