galvanized

admin

I need to do some welding on a boat trailer for a buddy.  The thing is galvanized and I've read all the horror stories about inhaling zinc fumes.  I'll be working outdoors but I still want some expert input before I gas myself.  First, would placing a fan nearby to blow away the fumes be helpful?  Second, would grinding off the zinc coating before welding be better or would grinding result in the same sort of fumes I want to avoid?Third, would some sort of filter mask be worthwhile?  If so, what kind and where do I find one?
Reply:For safety, grinding would be better than not.  A fan will help also, but only if you are using stick or fluxcore.  If you are using mig, or tig, fans will blow away your shielding gas.  Some folks here have suggested using muratic acid to remove zinc coatings.  A mask/air filter will help also.here is a long discussion of the hazards and experiences of folks welding gal.http://www.weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread...ght=galvanizedOne problem with boat trailers is that they have to go in water, so you will need to get some cold zinc spray paint to re-coat the areas you weld, or they will quickly rust.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Grind it off. Then weld it. Galvanizing is at its worst when you burn it. Either cutting or welding on it. If you grind it all you need is a nuisance mask. You shouldn't't ever breathe grinding dust anyway. I would suggest a 3M Half mask with the pink pancake filters for all grinding and most welding. They will fit under most helmets. Most welding supply houses have them. it makes a huge difference at the end of the day.
Reply:I work with an ARF team (airport fire and rescue) and as a treatment for inhaling these fumes they suggest drinking a lot of milk.  Now don't take this the wrong way, you want to avoid the toxins but they suggested if you are welding on galvinzied that drinking a lot of milk prior to will help! Has anyone else heard this before?"Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine"However "lack of planning on my part may constitute an emergency on yours"
Reply:Originally Posted by stumpsterI work with an ARF team (airport fire and rescue) and as a treatment for inhaling these fumes they suggest drinking a lot of milk.  Now don't take this the wrong way, you want to avoid the toxins but they suggested if you are welding on galvinzied that drinking a lot of milk prior to will help! Has anyone else heard this before?
Reply:I have heard it and done it. It helped me a lot. I welded galv every day for nearly ten years striaght. The milk helped me, but then so did not breathing while welding. I would hold my breath when the wind was putting the smoke in my face. I still catch myself doing that now and again. Galv isn't something to fear, just to be careful. Just like a snake...it is only dangerous if you aren't careful.    Attached Images
Reply:I grew up among the lava flows of southern Idaho and used to run into hundreds of rattlers a year, they still give me the hebies ever though I haven't run across one in 20 years. Shivers! I'll take galv. anyday!Last edited by spuddown; 06-11-2006 at 02:08 PM.
Reply:LOL...that one does look a little torgued off, doesn't he? I don't worry about the buzzworms too much. Give them room and they will beat it away from you. It's the two legged rats that are worse.  I'll take galv over them anyday.
Reply:It's a good idea to grind the galvanizing off anyways because zinc in a weld can cause it to crack.
Reply:I was taught to drink lots of milk when welding galv. and it worked for me.And I would also say yes to grinding as much off as you can, but it's still a good idea to use some type of respirator.
Reply:I dont think the milk trick really works.  A while back there was a thread about someone forging galvanized steel and it killed him.  Always do any zinc welding in a well ventilated area with a fume extractor or better yet, outside.  Grind the stuff off and and wear a respirator rated for metal fume cause those particulate masks just dont cut it.  Stay safe and have fun.
Reply:I can tell you for a fact that it does work the way I was doing it...but it isn't a cure. I know this because I forgot to do the milk thing a few times and I got fairly sick for 8 or so hours. What I was doing was a coffee cupfull before work, another during lunch and one after work. It worked for me. It just keeps you from trouble with light exposure...not heavy. That will still get you. The respirator is probably the best way in the long run. Grinding was not an option in any way in my situation. The coating could not be removed and had to be recoated with cold galv where damaged by burns. There are other little tricks like that. We did a job a long time ago that had some funky coating on the steel. Have no idea what it was..been way too long. The steel supplier's rep would bring us wine and cheese at the beginning and towards the end of the day to counteract the effects of burning the coating. It was a few cubes of some strange tasting European cheese and a small dixie cup of red wine. It must have worked...no one got sick at all. Now that was in either '85 or '86....I wonder how that would go over today?  We didn't even wear fall protection back then...even on the high stuff. Just the positioning belt and that was it. Things were much simpler then.
Reply:Okay, i like the wine and cheese approach.  Do you think beer would work as well?
Reply:Originally Posted by DDA52I can tell you for a fact that it does work the way I was doing it...but it isn't a cure. I know this because I forgot to do the milk thing a few times and I got fairly sick for 8 or so hours. What I was doing was a coffee cupfull before work, another during lunch and one after work.
Reply:I think if I had it to do over again, I may have been doing the respirator thing too. If I could scale the sides of those buildings and wear it, I would have been golden.  We just didn't worry about stuff like that too awful much 20 years ago when I started doing galv. I was just happy I was in demand since they couldn't get anyone to do the work. Paid my bills for a long time. WillieB, the wine and cheese was specific to that coating. It won't work on galv. at all that I have seen or heard. We tried it all....at least everything we heard. If we found something that worked, we did it since galv was all we did. Going home sick sucked and we avoided doing that.  The respirators work well...even better. You take the offending element out of the equation. That is how you keep from getting sick. That is your best route. If I end up doing a good bit, I will use one myself. I can't hold my breath like I used to.
Reply:I don't know if it is required, but if you need to wear a respirator it should be fit-tested by a qualified person.  You might be surprised at how tight it needs to be to not smell the odorant they use during the fit-test.
Reply:If you are dealing with cadmium or asbestos where the effects of inhalation are cumulative, then you will need your respirator fit-tested.  Zinc will eventually remove itself from your system, so a little bit here and there isn't that bad for you.
Reply:That makes sense.  I was in an arsenic environment at the time.
Reply:Welding, burning or grinding any galvanized material produces fumes that are at the very least not good for you. The fumes enter your system through your lungs so a profesionally fit-tested respirator with a hepa filter (at minimum) is a must. The milk only masks the nausea... it will not prevent uptake of anything airborne.
Reply:Wine and cheese at work? And here am I thinking you tradesmen do it tougher than me in my office job.So if milk (and probably cheese) are just masking agents, the stuff you're breathing is still damaging you. How nice for employers and suppliers to provide the masking agents so you don't get sick on the job, but neglect to look after your long term health.scott
Reply:I have used milk for many years I don't know if it works but I thought it cant hurt.I used to work with a old guy who drank a glass of cooking oil before his shift started, He said it was to 'line his gut' and that gal never got to him but he was always in a big hurry to get going after shift, I guess it had a bit of a laxative effect. These days I just wont weld Gal or paint without a respirator. I still weld Gal most days I just be careful.Simonhttp://members.optusnet.com.au/~abba/index.html
Reply:when I was an Apprentice the company I worked made tanks for bushfire trailers out of gal we had to weld them with mig and stick we had a lt of milk  to line our gut a cheapo respirator and that was it I still say welding that gal 5 days a week for 4yrs has done me as much more harm than smokingCreative metal Creative metal Facebook
Reply:The Gal in nasty stuff I have done it only for a few years. but tried to wear a resp most of the time. I do know a guy who will not were a resp at all welding  the stuff and he's younger then I but looks about 15yrs older then me. Of course he smokes to.
Reply:Originally Posted by aluminumman75The Gal in nasty stuff I have done it only for a few years. but tried to wear a resp most of the time. I do know a guy who will not were a resp at all welding  the stuff and he's younger then I but looks about 15yrs older then me. Of course he smokes to.
Reply:I have a tendency to shy away from hiring welders who smoke anymore.Originally Posted by SandyWouldn't that be Politically Correct discrimination?