- Joined
- Sep 16, 1999
- Messages
- 3,277
I'm always talking about safety. So what do I do? It's one for the books.
I'm setting up to weld up 2 Damascus billets - #1: 15 layers 1095 & L6, #2: 4 pieces of 12 layer 1095/1018 with L6 shims (51 layers total.)
I've got my safety glasses, face shield, cotton coveralls, leather apron, and leather gloves. What's covering my feet? Not my steel toe thick leather work boots, but running shoes! Leather tops? NO! Nylon mesh! (I bet you can guess where this is going!)
The first billet gets welded up without a hitch. I'm on the second welding heat of billet #2. I take the billet out of the forge, put it on the anvil, and give it a hit. A piece of slag drops on my left shoe, then proceeds to burn its way through the top of the shoe, my sock, and lands between my big toe & the one next to it!
Luckily, no burns. Do I feel stupid? YES! Will I do that again? NO! That which does not kill us makes us not only stronger, but smarter as well.
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Glen AKA Centaur
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
- Isaac Newton
I'm setting up to weld up 2 Damascus billets - #1: 15 layers 1095 & L6, #2: 4 pieces of 12 layer 1095/1018 with L6 shims (51 layers total.)
I've got my safety glasses, face shield, cotton coveralls, leather apron, and leather gloves. What's covering my feet? Not my steel toe thick leather work boots, but running shoes! Leather tops? NO! Nylon mesh! (I bet you can guess where this is going!)
The first billet gets welded up without a hitch. I'm on the second welding heat of billet #2. I take the billet out of the forge, put it on the anvil, and give it a hit. A piece of slag drops on my left shoe, then proceeds to burn its way through the top of the shoe, my sock, and lands between my big toe & the one next to it!
Luckily, no burns. Do I feel stupid? YES! Will I do that again? NO! That which does not kill us makes us not only stronger, but smarter as well.
------------------
Glen AKA Centaur
"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."
- Isaac Newton
