Newsgroups: rec.crafts.metalworking
Subject: Re: Where to weld at home???
From: John De Armond
Date: Tue, 28 Jun 94 16:54:28 GMT

shampain@hightop (Shampain) writes:

>I am hoping to tap some net.wisdom on the subject of locations to weld
>(TIG) at home.  My choices are:  1) basement, 2) build a shed.  My
>concerns are:  1) ventilation for the argon, 2) hazards.

First off, there is no argon hazard in your environment.  Argon can only
harm by suffocation and that takes a LOT of argon, more than you have in
your tank.  Put it in perspective.  If you have the largest tank
commonly available, it contains about 282 cu ft.  That's a box about 6.5
feet to the side.  Relatively tiny.  And argon is heavy so it will tend to
sink.  

>I would ideally like to weld in the basement.  It is approx. 25ft x 20ft
>and has 3 2ftx3ft windows at head level.  My questions:

>  1) With say, 2 fans on the floor near my work site, and one open "in"
>     window, and one open "out" window with a fan blowing out, would
>     ventilation be adequate?

The only ventilation you need to worry about is for smoke removal if 
you weld on something that makes smoke such as galvanized, and the
heat.  TIG makes no fumes of its own unless you happen to burn a 
tungsten.  You don't want to get carried away with your ventilation
because it will blow away the argon and force you to use a higher flow.
That costs $$$.

>  2) With the standard unfinished-basement complement of hot-water heater,
>     washer/dryer, fusebox, pipes, wires, etc., are there any risks that
>     I should consider?

No.

>  3) Would I just be better off building a shed with a big door outside?
>     ($$$ for shed, running underground electric, etc.)

It might be better from an access perspective but there's no significant
safety advantage other than removing any fire hazard from the house.
If your housekeeping is at all good, you really don't have much in the
way of fire to worry about.

In my current location, I do all sorts of welding in my basement.  It is
a bit larger than yours and is air conditioned.  The extent of my fume
control is to run the AC blower continuously so the electrostatic filter
can clean the smoke particulates out of the air when I'm stick welding
or cutting.

John