How do I protect myself against fumes?

Question

Hi, everyone. You always here a lot about welding fumes and now that I'm getting into welding more, I want to protect myself. What really scares me are the stories about zinc or galvanized coatings.

The other day I was grinding on some 1/8" lawn edging to get the green paint off it. I was going to use it to practice my gas welding. Well, the paint came off with the grinder, but left a lot of heavy green dust on the floor. And, even though I had clean metal (from grinding), when I was welding it gave off a helluva stink. I put one of those disposable dust mask things on, but I don't think it helped much.

What respirators do y'all use, if any? I'd like one that goes under a welding hood for when (notice I didn't say 'if'...I think I'm addicted to welding) I move up to Arc and TIG.

rvb

dcaster · Accepted Answer

First everything I have read about Zinc fumes says there are no long term effects.

I generally just try to make sure I am upwind of whatever I am welding. If you are not doing MIG or TIG, a fan will probably do more good than a respirator.

Dan

John · Answer

I probably should, but don't use a mask or respirator.  I keep afloor-fan blowing air across me for stick/flux-core (if you put itbehind you, it forms a low-pressure area which sucks the fumes to yourbody), and a table-top fan (blowing away) for TIG/MIG.  The table-topfan, blowing away, is surprisingly effective.  And an open garage door(with a plastic tarp to shield passers-by from the arc).

lucas fisher · Answer

the mask i use is a 3m 7000 series with p2 as the loest grade this mask fits under a welding helmet but there is a nice range of fanforced masks that blow fresh air into your face top of the range would be the ones that speedglass produce

lucas

How do I protect myself against fumes?

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