Welding Blankets? Steel? Oil Soaked Rags?

[metallurgy]

Okay, now i have the same problem as before with the wood floor, but the shop is basically a 6' wide by 14' long by 9' tall.

The floor will have a 4' by 8' sheet of 16 gage steel on it. The table, when cutting, is about 90% spark control. I have a 1/8" thick spark tray, which is about 8" tall, and sparks rarely get out of it. And i'm not doing any heavy cutting either, usually not more than 1/8". This time though, the welding/cutting table will be in the left side of the shop, against the (whatever i get) wall.

The question is: what is the cheapest, safest means of protecting the walls from any sparks? Harbor freight has some welding blankets, so I was looking at buying three 6x8 ones and putting them on the walls. Maybe four 6x6 ones, and saving one for the floor or the gaps or something. The total would be 90$. Any other ideas, either safer or cheaper?

And there is the mandatory person who will tell me that; under no circumstances, should i weld in that "shop." I didn't know i'd end up in this situation, so please just give me ways to make it safer. I have worked for two years to get this welder, and i don't really want to hear why i shouldn't have gotten it, if you get my drift...

[precisionworks]

cheapest, safest means of protecting the walls from any sparks?

Cement Backerboard meets all those requirements. Often used behind fireplace installations. Heavy, stable, easy to hang with sheetrock screws.

It's grey/black, so you'll probably want to paint it white. All the home centers carry it, but you'll want help to hang it - HEAVY!

[whateg0]

Seems like the corrugated metal roofing was pretty cheap last time I checked.

Dave

[metallurgy]

As long as is dosen't cost too much, that is an excellent idea.

The "shop" as actually a shed, and there was nothing between the shingles and the inside, so hanging cement board would work perfectly. PERFECTLY! Plus, there would be no danger of sparks getting through to the would-be-plywood.

Thanks for the idea, precisionworks!

I should also look into your idea whateg0, especeially if it's cheaper than cementboard.

[Hotfoot]

The metal roofing/siding will be lots easier to work with (much lighter, not brittle).

...and its just not oil soaked rags. I sensed some flickering lights of to the side of my helmet, only to find my straw broom had become a HUGE ball of fire...lucky it didn't flare up a moment after I stepped out of the shop. I've also been guilty of setting my fast food bag on fire, as well as a paper towel of two. The "30 Minute Rule"..not locking up for a minimum of 30 minutes after the last weld is a very good safety rule.

[1990notch]

I wouldn't let people tell you that you shouldn't weld in your shed. I weld in my shed all the time, mine is 10'x14'. Use what you got. Just be carefull and keep in mind that toxic fumes will build up very fast in the small space. I keep the doors wide open when I weld and step outside frequently between beads.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has set paper towls on fire a couple times. They were on the ground outside of the shed. I set one on fire with my chop saw. It must have been barely smoldering when I went in the shed to run a few beads since I didn't notice it right off. While welding, I smelled the scent of burning paper and quickly looked around to see what was burning, worried it was something in the shed. I was relieved to find it was just the paper towel on the ground.

[hankj]

Gypsum board (sheetrock) is plenty good enough. If there was a dwelling connected to the shed, you'd want 5/8", but if your shed is an outbuilding, 1/2" is plenty. The stuff is fire rated.

Watch the housekeeping, and after you trip off the breaker each day, hang out for the "look, smell, no-eye-irritant interval (I hang for 20-minutes or so - about one "see-through's" worth) and sleep well!

Hank

[ace4059]

Originally Posted by precisionworks

Cement Backerboard meets all those requirements. ...
It's grey/black, so you'll probably want to paint it white....

I would just leave it black.
The light would "bounce off" of it to much if it was white. I have white walls in my shop and the light, from welding, bouncing off of them, is very bright (hope that sentence makes sence).

[Tumbleweed]

My little shop is tiny (10x12) and it was a three sided shed with plank board walls and a gravel floor. I lined the walls with scrap corregated metal roofing, hung vertically. I have been working in the space for over five years and have never had a problem with fire except like some of the others have stated, burning up a piece of scrap paper or something small that I left laying around. I use a welder, oxy/ac, and plasma.
Good Luck! TW

[ShieldArc]

Originally Posted by hankj

Gypsum board (sheetrock) is plenty good enough. If there was a dwelling connected to the shed, you'd want 5/8", but if your shed is an outbuilding, 1/2" is plenty. The stuff is fire rated.

Watch the housekeeping, and after you trip off the breaker each day, hang out for the "look, smell, no-eye-irritant interval (I hang for 20-minutes or so - about one "see-through's" worth) and sleep well!

Hank

Sheetrock should work, be sure to put joint compound in all the seams and paint it. Those red shop rags are spark magnets, im always starting one of those on fire. A spray bottle of water is a great cheap fire extinguisher, gotta have one.

[FELIX]

On a side note, how well do those welding blankets work?

Thanks
Rob

[Hotfoot]

I picked up one of the HF welding blanket. They keep sparks from igniting it, but they are NOT fireproof. Weld splatter will burn right through them....I learned this by startng out using mine to protect auto paint while I did a repair!!

[whateg0]

Originally Posted by Hotfoot

I picked up one of the HF welding blanket. They keep sparks from igniting it, but they are NOT fireproof. Weld splatter will burn right through them....I learned this by startng out using mine to protect auto paint while I did a repair!!

Thanks for the information! I was thinking of getting one, as the price seemed pretty good, but now - I don't know. You just saved a bunch of us having to try it out.

Dave

[FELIX]

Originally Posted by whateg0

Thanks for the information! I was thinking of getting one, as the price seemed pretty good, but now - I don't know. You just saved a bunch of us having to try it out.

Dave

Yep

Rob

[metallurgy]

Originally Posted by hankj

Gypsum board (sheetrock) is plenty good enough. If there was a dwelling connected to the shed, you'd want 5/8", but if your shed is an outbuilding, 1/2" is plenty. The stuff is fire rated.

Watch the housekeeping, and after you trip off the breaker each day, hang out for the "look, smell, no-eye-irritant interval (I hang for 20-minutes or so - about one "see-through's" worth) and sleep well!

Hank

I think i'll stick with the cement board, i seems safer. Well, at least i know cement won't melt or burn or anything. Dosen't sheetrock have a paper coating or something though?

What's with the trip the breaker thing Do i need to do that? The electrician will put electricity in there soon, i think/hope. OR i will get an extention cord...

I usually don't just weld/cut metal, so i usually am in the shop several hours after I weld/cut. And for fires, i keep two fire extinguishers within a few yards (in the new shed, I won't be able to keep them more than 10' away) , along with my bucket of water, and i have access to about three or four more extinguishers.

BTW: yesterday i laid down the almost perfect bead, that, in the beat as hard as possible test with hammer, the bead held up nicely. Since i've been using more acetylene, welding isn't about getting the torch not to pop. i was using 12 gage.