How much workspace ?? Sparks - Danger Zone

Is your shop also used for woodworking? If so, you'll want to be diligent about sweeping up all sawdust and shavings before welding. Obviously, you will also want to keep any solvents (acetone, naptha, lacquer thinner, mineral spirits) capped and well out of the line of fire.

In terms of distance, I think you'll find that grinding sends sparks farther than welding does. My shop is in the garage, so when I grind or cut with an abrasive wheel, I position the work such that the sparks go out the garage door. (Note: that would not be a good idea if there were a lot of leaves, etc. on the drive--but in my case, it is a bare concrete driveway.)

Anyplace steel ginding dust, paticals, fillings lands and eposed to water will leave rust stain. Hot grinding sparks striking window will inbed in glass and rust. Rust expands about 11 times size when it was steel.

Follow all the advice about keeping things clear while welding, but, you can also make a 'screen' out of mild steel or something and place it between you and other areas of your shop. It helps arrest the sparks and it also keep the mess to a contained area.

You can use the same screen when grinding to keep things tidy... or, rather LESS messy.

James, Seattle

Oxy/acet can have bits of molten metal flying around. If you get the puddle too hot it will pop and blow metal around.

I think you need about 12 feet to any flameable material. One problem when welding you have googles or a hood on, and you don't notice flames. Best if you can locate your welder near the door and weld outside.

Dan

MIG welding (using gas, not flux core) isn't too bad in terms of sparks and smoke. Stick welding with 6011 is another story. You might want to consider getting one or more welding blankets like this:

I use the 30 feet and 30 minutes rule, i.e. nothing flammable within 30 feet and wait at least 30 minutes after welding or cutting before quitting the area. If I can't do this, I have a spotter and a hose around to help me.

-- Larry Bailey Illegitimi non carborundum

There is no way to weld safely inside your home. The only thing you can do is to install smoke detectors and make sure that you have a way to get the hell out fast at 3:00am before she blows sky high.

This is why you always weld inside someone else's home.

You mean you can get out of the other house faster? Under your theory, I would tend to say that the only safe welding condition would be to have somebody else weld inside somebody else's home.

Preferably far away. ;-)