Before Welding - Craftsman 113.201892 Owner's Manual

When operating a welder, certain precautions must be
taken to prevent injuries to yourself and others. Knowing
how to use the protective equipment to safeguard against
them is the first step in learning to weld.
:The effects Of heat and light given off by the arc, while
electric We ding, may be corollated t0 that of the S_Jh;S r:_ys.
Even greater precautions are necessary for electric arc
welding. Before starting a weld, caution anyone in the
immediate vicinity against looking at the arc, In case of
accidental eYe injury, contact a physician immediately.
Animals are also affected by the rays and should be kept at
asafe distance.
To protect the face and eyes a heat-resisting; fiber:glass
helmet is used, The special fens, which allows the user to
View the arc safely, is inserted into the framed opening of
the helmet, The clear glass,which should be replaced from
time to time, protects the expensive special lens from
breakage and weld spatter. The helmet is held firmly in
place on the head with an adjustable head band, thereby
leaving both hands free. A close-fitting skull cap should be
worn with the helmet. As the helmet is used only when
actually welding, a tilting arrangement permits it to be
swung up clear of the face. When the welding is resumed a
slight nod of the head tips the helmet down over the face.
To protect the eyes further while cleaning the weld, goggles
should be worn by the welder and others working around
him.
To safeguard the hands against heat and weld spatter,
gauntlet-type leather gloves should be worn. A leather
jacket or apron will give better protection against the
_hower of sparks than ordinary clothing. High top shoes
(not oXfords) should be worn. If a great deal of welding is
tobe done, foundrymen's shoes are best.
Precautions must als0 be taken to protect property and
equipment against fire. A large fire extinguisher should be
wlthin easy reach. The welding area should have a concrete
or cinder floor, kept dry and clear of inflammable rubbish.
Sometimes, it is necessary to weld dose to €: fuel tank. If
practical, remove the part to be welded. If not, drain the
tank and completely fill it with water.
Few tools, in addition to those supplied with the welding
machine, are needed and most of them can be found in
the average shop. Two sawhorses supporting a 1/4-inch
steel plate makes an excellent welding table. A permanent
bench, using the same steel plate, can be made of angle
iron or pipe. A chipping hammer is used to clean slag off
a weld and pliers will be useful for handling hot metal. A
wire brush is used to clean the work before welding and
remove small pieces of slag after chipping.
Small pieces of mild-steel scrap iron, reasonobly free of
rust and paint, should be used for practice welding. Angle
iron, bar stock or plate steel are good examples. Do not
use scrap cast iron, high carbon or hardened steel as these
metals require special electrodes and welding techniques.
These should be set aside for future practice after com-
pleting elementary practice lessons.