Welding up rim on the A

tackhammertime · Oct 10, 2009

I had to replace a front tire today and when the old tire & tube was taken off the rim a chunk of the rim around the valve stem came with it. I brought the rim back to the shop ground out the rot then started to weld a new piece of steel into place. When the welded area started turning colors I remembered the rims were galvanized. I took it out into the fresh air, put on a respirator, and finished welding. Then drilled a new valve stem hole. On my old H the front rims cracked around the tabs and I took them and had them welded. Do these old rims have enough galanize to hurt a person? Just wandering.

railhead · Oct 10, 2009

if so I am in trouble. I have welded a lot of galv and never wore a respirator. We have them at work but don't use them there either. I just remember not to breathe the fumes if they come into my mask or use a small fan to blow the smoke away while working. I think you will be OK.

MN Scott · Oct 10, 2009

Have a glass or two of milk. The milk neutralizes any affects of the fumes.

Machine249 · Oct 10, 2009

Galvinize poison is very nasty stuff. It will make you very sick a few hours after exposure. I've never had it but I've heard alot about it. It will make you run a fever and vomit and general misery through the course of a night but that's about it. As far as I know there is no long term effect, unless tis happens time after time.

Janicholson · Oct 10, 2009

Zinc is galvanizing. It is a heavy metal toxin. It is not OK to breath, you are not in danger with the amount you welded before moving outside. I have had it when I was young and knew much less than now. I was Sick and vomiting for a day and had breathing issues for 2 weeks before it tapered off. It is not to be toyed with at all. JimN

John G. Hasler · Oct 10, 2009

> Zinc is galvanizing. It is a heavy metal toxin.

Zinc is not a toxic heavy metal. The fumes can be toxic but the effects are transient and the mechanism is entirely different from "heavy metal" poisoning. While it can be toxic when ingested in large enough amounts (like just about any other substance) it is also an essential nutrient.

Randy-IA · Oct 11, 2009

The smoke made during welding of galvanized metal is tough to breath anyway so I doubt you'd inhale enough to hurt you. I've breathed enough of it and just got a headache and mild sick feeling for a few hours.

Janicholson · Oct 11, 2009

While I agree that even the OSHA site indicates that Zinc causes a temporary flu like symptom, lasting a day or two, the controversy is far from decided. 2 million hits on Google. The mining of Zinc, and its smelting often allow several other materials and compounds into the "alloy" including Cadmium. These combined with the Zircon and Manganese often associated with rod fluxes and chromium vanadium oxides from high strength steels are troublesome. If one gets ill from the zinc, one is very likely getting a dose of all sorts of other gassed out metal oxides. Good practice is the answer. JimN

shiggy · Oct 11, 2009

plus it makes your cigs taste funky after welding. :lol:

-shiggy

mkirsch · Oct 12, 2009

(quoted from post at 19:21:44 10/10/09) Have a glass or two of milk. The milk neutralizes any affects of the fumes.

That's just silly.

The fumes go into your lungs. Unless you aspirate the milk, which will be practically impossible to begin with, hurt like crazy if you succeed, and probably drown you in the process, how can it possibly do any good?

ryanwheelock · Oct 12, 2009

Had one of my welding professors at Ferris State University tell me to drink milk if some fumes were inhaled. Always said to prevent it by wearing proper saftey gear but if some did get inhaled drink a few glasses of milk.
No Joke

Welding up rim on the A

tackhammertime

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railhead

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MN Scott

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Machine249

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Janicholson

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John G. Hasler

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Randy-IA

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Janicholson

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shiggy

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mkirsch

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ryanwheelock

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