Welding jacket/apron

[steveG]

Looking at getting a welding apron or jacket - both for a bit of protection when welding and also to stop burning large holes in my shirts with the angle grinder :)
I'm mainly welding/grinding at the bench so not so concerned so much about protection from overhead, and thinking that either a jacket or apron would be OK for the occasional lying under a car welding an exhaust.

What are the pros/cons of each, and are there any particular things to look for or to avoid?

Steve

[Vern]

What's wrong with just thongs and shorts?:)

[steveG]

What's wrong with just thongs and shorts?:)
Yeah, I'm getting soft :p

Done the workboots, t-shirt and shorts welding up a buggy frame when I was much younger. Ever had sunburnt inner thighs from an afternoon's welding while squatting down?? :o:o

Mate of mine did one better. Shorts, commando, and burned a few rods at floor level. Walked into work very tenderly next morning and the apprentice inquired as to the injury. Apparently he declined the offer of a viewing :eek:

Steve

[Toxic_Avenger]

Apron / jacket pros vs cons...
Umm Sleeves?

If you weld with gauntlets, you will alleviate a lot of the issues, but still get burns on the upper arms.

If you want to protect your shirts, get a jacket. Get a leather one if you want to go all out, get a proban cotton one if you are concerned with heat, but want to sacrifice longevity.

There's a number of options out there, a quality brand name welding jacket can be in the hundreds, a cheapie will be considerably less.

[p38arover]

I use a leather apron. I like it because I do only small jobs and I can take it off and refit it quickly between welds.

Edit: I also use gauntlets (and steel capped boots)

[Roverlord off road spares]

Why not weld in style.... get your self some leather motor cycle riders pants and jacket ;)
You'll look the coolest welder on the block.

[steveG]

Apron / jacket pros vs cons...
Umm Sleeves?

If you weld with gauntlets, you will alleviate a lot of the issues, but still get burns on the upper arms.

If you want to protect your shirts, get a jacket. Get a leather one if you want to go all out, get a proban cotton one if you are concerned with heat, but want to sacrifice longevity.

There's a number of options out there, a quality brand name welding jacket can be in the hundreds, a cheapie will be considerably less.

Upper arm burn I'm very aware of. In summer when I'm in short sleeves I usually throw some overalls on if I'm doing anything more than a few tacks. My overalls seem to have shrunk over the years though, so a bit of a hassle to get on/off when hot and sweaty.

Looks like there are sleeved aprons available too which I wasn't aware of. Might try a cheapie one of those over the summer and see how it goes. Can always cut the sleeves off if they give me the irrits.

Steve

[steveG]

Why not weld in style.... get your self some leather motor cycle riders pants and jacket ;)
You'll look the coolest welder on the block.

I think the days of me being seen in leather pants have passed......:eek:

Steve

[Toxic_Avenger]

You can get a proban (fire retardant) cotton jacket with leather sleeves, which is a good mix.
Youn can also buy the strap-on sleeves and use this with an apron, if you need the extra protection.

[Tank]

Looking at getting a welding apron or jacket - both for a bit of protection when welding and also to stop burning large holes in my shirts with the angle grinder :)
I'm mainly welding/grinding at the bench so not so concerned so much about protection from overhead, and thinking that either a jacket or apron would be OK for the occasional lying under a car welding an exhaust.

What are the pros/cons of each, and are there any particular things to look for or to avoid?

Steve
Apron tends to catch a lot of sparks, whereas a jacket will bounce them onto the floor, the jacket also is more versatile esp. if you have to weld underneath something or crawl around under the vehicle.
Tip: NEVER weld if you have a plastic cigarette lighter in your pocket, any pocket, seen some ghastly results of doing so in a few induction films, Regards Frank.

[p38arover]

Apron tends to catch a lot of sparks

I've never noticed.

[steveG]

Thanks for all the suggestions :)

After a visit to a local welding supplies shop yesterday, I've now got a cheap apron (without arms), and a treated cotton jacket with leather arms. Total cost was just over $80.

I was going to be lazy and just buy online, but glad I didn't as there was a big difference between the different items I tried on. One jacket had REALLY stiff leather on the arms and was horrible to wear, whereas the one I bought has much softer leather. Price was about the same.

Will see how they go...

As a side note, one of the guys in the shop is an ex-boilermaker and commented that the aprons were compulsory at his old workplace when using wire wheels on angle grinders as protection from flying wires.

Steve

[Aaron IIA]

If wearing overalls when grinding or welding, make sure that they are not polyester. I lost a friend because of this.

Aaron

[roverrescue]

I know I missed the boat but about 5years ago I bought a chromedcleather jacket from bobthrwelder.com.au it has burned half a dozen 20kg spools of steel wire and half that of ally wire plus some other miscellaneous welding. Great for grinding and also has heat blanket when cooking parts near sensitive stuff. Great bit of kit.

S

[steveG]

Well apparently I was within the Xmas "thou shalt not buy presents for oneself or risk confiscation" period, and SWMBO wrapped my new gear and put it under the tree.
Have finally been able to use it recently as I've made a start on the rear crossmember repair on my daughter's county "the Turdis". The leather sleeve jacket and apron combo is great.
Being summer its a bit warm, but either item is easy to get on/off, and the apron is great for covering your legs while you're sitting half under the vehicle. There's some decent spatter marks on it from that which would have likely made it through my overalls without the apron.

Steve

[Bearman]

Well apparently I was within the Xmas "thou shalt not buy presents for oneself or risk confiscation" period, and SWMBO wrapped my new gear and put it under the tree.
Have finally been able to use it recently as I've made a start on the rear crossmember repair on my daughter's county "the Turdis". The leather sleeve jacket and apron combo is great.
Being summer its a bit warm, but either item is easy to get on/off, and the apron is great for covering your legs while you're sitting half under the vehicle. There's some decent spatter marks on it from that which would have likely made it through my overalls without the apron.

Steve

Sounds good Steve. I don't have one either but should have invested in something like that years ago, don't know how many shirts I've burned holes into with slag balls. Probably the worst burn I did was cutting a broken link out of a scrub pulling chain - had jeans and elastic sided boots on. A lump of hot metal rolled off my jeans and went straight down the front of the boot. Talk about hopping mad.

[Don 130]

Don't assume your treated cotton jacket will withstand the spark stream from a 9" angle grinder for long. It won't, and I've got a hole to prove it. Aside from that, the jacket has been good.
Don.