I had a similar experience using a stick welder years ago.  I was wearing a V-Neck T-shirt and had this nice triangle 'burn' at the neckline.

Welcome to welder's tan.  Done it many times myself.  Welding throws off UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation, the same as the sun.  A direct link between it and skin cancer has not really been established, but its not impossible.  I figure the amount of times I've given myself welders tan is pretty insignificant compared to how many times I've been tanned/burned by the sun.  I can't find information about the concentration of those rays compared to sunlight either, and my guess is a blind study would be impossible/unethical because of a lack of way to control for sunlight exposure vs. welding exposure unless you kept a group of people inside their whole lives and only allowed them to weld to see if they developed cancer.  Sounds like something the Nazis would have devised...

TKOPerformance wrote:

Welcome to welder's tan.  Done it many times myself.  Welding throws off UVA, UVB, and UVC radiation, the same as the sun.  A direct link between it and skin cancer has not really been established, but its not impossible.  I figure the amount of times I've given myself welders tan is pretty insignificant compared to how many times I've been tanned/burned by the sun.  I can't find information about the concentration of those rays compared to sunlight either, and my guess is a blind study would be impossible/unethical because of a lack of way to control for sunlight exposure vs. welding exposure unless you kept a group of people inside their whole lives and only allowed them to weld to see if they developed cancer.  Sounds like something the Nazis would have devised...

Way back in Jr High School I took a Metal Shop class, 8th grade I think. We learned to stick weld one week and after the first day I had a nice V on my chest as all young men back then did not button the shirt to the top. I wear my sleeves when MIG welding so why I did not with the TIG is up to discussion. 
More lessons tomorrow with sleeves. I can practice about an hour before I loose focus and start muffing up.

 

Bearing Bob wrote:

Education is not free. Now show us some beads.

Luckily that was mild.

And I was thinkin’ Nawlins when he said beads. 😜

Gary, this may be old news but good info none the less. Have a dedicate stone wheel on your grinder for tungsten, you don't want to contaminate them. Chuck the tungsten electrode in your cordless drill and spin it on the wheel to sharpen the tip. At the minimum clean the metal to be welded with acetone or lacquer thinner. So you're already tired of grinding electrodes eh? It'll get less frequent as you learn. I still like to have a handful of electrodes ready to use when my Parkinson shake jumps in.

Definitely true, aluminum requires less power the more you weld.  I had to weld the bellhousing on an automatic trans that was still in the truck (engine out) once and had my wife at the welder while I was in the engine bay.  She became my "pedal" for the MIG. 

I think for the next aluminum project I'll just get the TIG setup for my inverter.  Its only like $300, and it beats the hell out of having to change the feed liner etc. in my MIG.  Of course, welding around my place isn't always a planned project, so its entirely likely I change my MIG over and back again out of immediate necessity...

Rudi wrote:

I saw a u tube clip to convert a MIG gun with a home made collet to hold the tungsten.still need an argon bottle $$$$

I'm sure it would work, but you're limited to the wave form a MIG produces.  That's the benefit of my inverter box.  It does all the wave forms, including square.  With the right accessories I think it does all but immersed plasma arc.  In fairness though I didn't check...

50vert wrote:

red351 wrote:

I've seen worst. Go to oz where you can get burnt on top under a full head of hair....

Some places here where that'll happen in Winter.
I'd choose the welding burn over a mild dose of 'arc eye' every time.
 

I think all that electric weld have had "Arc Eye". Sucks large time. This little Miller will do Stick welding also so I may retire my old 1970's Monkey Ward buzz box.

I had no welding practice today as we are working on the exterior of the house, fixing, painting, etc. We have the the detached garage almost done and will paint the garage trim tomorrow before the rains. I'm wondering why we did not have this job hired out? The young in me says I can do it is why. The prep work is the hard stuff, painting goes pretty fast.

Kind of the same arc-eye topic. When I worked on the farm, I was doing some hard facing  on the barn cleaner cogs and slides. It never occurred to me about the cows. Well come milking time several couldn't find there yolks, some others had trouble with the doors. and one just couldn't find the barn without guidance. Milk production way down for a few days.

red351 wrote:

Kind of the same arc-eye topic. When I worked on the farm, I was doing some hard facing  on the barn cleaner cogs and slides. It never occurred to me about the cows. Well come milking time several couldn't find there yolks, some others had trouble with the doors. and one just couldn't find the barn without guidance. Milk production way down for a few days.

I never let the dog in the shop while welding. Probably wouldn't have thought about livestock either.

My friend bought a HF diamond wheel carbide saw blade sharpener...$40 or so...and set it up with a guide for putting the proper angle on his TIG Tungstens.  Works great and is quick.  He does a lot of TIG work on stainless and got tired of trying to sharpen the tungsten on a grinder.  I use one for sharpening carbide lathe tools.