I spent the last three days (and the next two) working on what I now am calling "Chop Sewage", My 49 Chevy AD that had a ton of rust and shoddy work done to it...I sectioned the truck and am finishing up the numerous repairs on the crappy work and rust....which equals TONS of fab work and welding... I spent 15 hours in the garage yesterday, welding, grinding, cutting, smoothing etc...I'm wearing earplugs, proper eye protection (for the job whether it be clear of welders mask), working in well ventalated A/C I woke up this am and felt like shit, HUGE headache and felt like I was run over by a train...I've had the tinge of a headache after thrash sessions before but never this bad... Am I a weirdo or any you miscreants get the wleders hangover? (no I dont drimnk whilst working with power tools, I'm good enough at landing myself in the ER without any assistance)
Had the same thing happen when i was doing the fab work to my 52 Chevy truck...spend like 12 hours welding, grinding etc.....felt like shit that night and the next day...i was wearing ear and eye protection, along with a mask when grinding... Honestly, i think i was over tired to begin with.. OR, Maybe it has nothing to do with what we're doing, but what we're doing it on.......Maybe the A/D truck's are out to kill us.....slowly!
Two things to think about. Maybe there was some zinc plating on some of the steel, or breathing in, steel grinding dust without a mask. Both of the things can cause bad headaches, and overall crappy feelings.
lots of gases are given off during welding. Could be from that. Your body is trying to expunge all that nasty stuff. The second thing I got from college beside my degree was how to cure a hangover, DRINK AGAIN! so either go weld again, or crack open a beer and watch the boob tube.
I learned the same thing...drug my shitty feelin self back out to the garage, got the cowl and firewall back together again....now only one more outer cab corner and fill the upper cowl vent and I'll be done with the cab...(the vent is toast and not repairable) once I got out there and workin things became better, the nausua went away finally after hour 9....I'm goin to bed early tonight (0100) yep thats why I duly named it chop sewage... seems like I just keep cutting shitty shit up and putting it back together (right this time but it's deffinatly trying my patience...) I thought I was going to pull the cab off the frame tomorrow to start rehabbing the frame....NOPE Change of plans...gonna get the front clip back on and relieve the hood and section it before the shiny paint goes on the frame..... Sigh, I'm so sick of sheet metal....what the hell was I thinking sectioning....and it aint even a car!
i never feel my healthiest after a full day of welding and grinding but usuall too lazy for the mask - zinc is usually the culprit (as in galvanized welding) thatll really make ya fele shitty - not sure how much zinc in old metal - but ive readup a bunch on it (mostly cuz my preggo OL worked at a fence shop during being knocled up) and no longterm health issues are attributed to it - effects are flu like i do drink tho - so usually just use that as the excuse make sure you got good ventilation! be safe "Sigh, I'm so sick of sheet metal...." I hear ya on that one tho Salty! LOL
I spent a day using my mig welder, but the only real issue I had was the nasty sunburn I got on my forearms. Of course it could be that I was in an extremely well ventillated garage too.
All welding gives off gases. The common safety precaution these days is to wear a carbon impregnated respirator, though there are guys that use welding helmets with built in forced air breathing rigs like painters use. http://www.safetyoffice.uwaterloo.ca/hse/welding/welding.htm All that said, I just weld with the doors open. I don't like rollcages or airbags either!
Your probably getting dehydrated, same thing that causes a real hangover. Was it real hot when you were working?
If there is a lot of smoke or a tight space in a car from torches or welding. I always wear a 3m painter's respirator that you get from the paint store. It will fit under one of my flip down helmets, you might have to take the paint prefilters off to fit. I feel fine where I would have felt funky the next day. It makes a huge difference. Wil www.sakowskimotors.com
read somewhere that mig welding smoke is worse than arc welding smoke. make sure you have lots of ventilation going. bad shit dude.
Oh yeah, been there! I found out about that when I first started welding (especially what DUGBRED said about the zinc) in '65 and since make sure I have good ventilation and at times wear a respirator. Most of my welding is now TIG on new, clean metal---sure makes a difference!!
I get headaches after doing a lot of grinding in one day. I think it's breathing in the dust and shit from the disc. I finally bought a couple cheap filter masks to wear -
Carbon Dioxide will give you one hell of a headache that doesn't go away. Keep a fan running above your head.
I wear a breathing device when i weld I started after i had a hang over like yours. Have not had one since. I'll post a pix if you would like
Go to Grainger and buy a 30 inch caged fan.......I did and haven't had any headaches since. Might be abe to find one cheaper, just look around.
GOOGLE... Metal Fume Fever... or ... Monday fever It's real... I've had it happen twice. Both times were after taking a break from metalwork for a week or so. Bad chills, headache, loss of muscle control/shakes, just want to sleep.... JOE
I love the smell of flux core in the morning. Also remember you have shielding gas that is taking the oxygen out of the air. I would really look at ventilation and air flow. If you are in the cab it would not take long to replace the oxygen with CO2. Brad
I'm pretty sure that arc welding fumes have MANGANESE and CHROMIUM ( mig probably too) and it works like LEAD as those elements don't leave your body, they just reside in your brain and cause permanent motorskill damage. Grinding discs give the nastiest carbide/fiberglass dust residue. (besides the steel) That shit plugs up your lungs (obviously) A good way to see if your breathing it in is snorting water in your nose, and blowing it out, repeat until your nasal passages are clear. (like in shower) It doesn't help your lungs but might make you wear a mask or bandana. Try also to use more expensive discs (SS capable are good) as they don't disintegrate as fast. Also all the dust thats all over the shop is the same nasty shit that was airborne. When your sweeping it up or blowing it out its just more concentrated. Bad shit but necessary to get the job done. TP
My sister works for the CDC and loves to send me stuff to tell me how hazardous my favorite hobby is. She made sure I got this one about a month ago. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/welding/
I weld aluminum all day, but i thankfully have one those fancy pants forced air helmets. full sealed from the outside, blows a nice cool breeze on ya' all day. but for $2600, not really affordable for the average hobby welder. These on the other hand are much cheaper. made by North.
PB...that rigs cool lookin (as well as functional) I may have to track one o dem der thingies up....I got the fan, exhaust port, A/C in garage....the whole enchelada...me thinks I over did it is all.....feel fine now, just came back from swimming a pair of miles in the ocean....
ok..i need to see pics of this truck..well, now that you feel better anyway. i am currently sectioning my 51 chevy truck also.
If youre using Argon in your mixture, be careful as it depletes oxygen in the brain. This will cause some of the symptoms youre describing. I weld aluminum all day long and was having a similar problem until i started ventilating better. Just adding a fan to your shop to circulate the air will help tremendously. Doesnt have to be blowing right on you, but just moving the air.
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