Welding-Proof Materials

Basics

• (^This may need a better title, but anyways)
• This page aims to go over materials that are capable of being used in Welding PPE especially in areas near the arc / "splash zone"
• Mainly
  • Welding Gloves
  • Welding Helmets
  • Stick Welding Electrode Holders
  • Ground Clamps
  • Tools used in manipulating objects being welded such as Chipping Hammers , Pliers , Locking Pliers / Vice Grips etc

Metal

• Assuming it is either large enough to adsorb + radiate/conduct heat away it shouldn't melt/become ductile so works in many applications
• Main issue is electrical + thermal conductivity
• Also gradual oxidation / "burning" leading to failure of pins and other small components

Leather / Leather Like Materials

• Leather is essentially *skin that has been chemically modified to not rot*, it can char and acts as a sort of Ablative Material + Insulator + Cut Resistant Material all in one
• Leather Like Materials (NOT Pleather as that is just plastic designed to look/feel like leather, not act like it in engineering applications) are either Cell Culture Based, or can also be Biomaterials processed in a similar manner to similar properties
  • SCOBY Leather is the main example
  • These also have the advantage of being able to be in near infinite sheets and rolls, rather than being limited to the size + shape of corpse you can get
  • Also removes any ethical issues and *may* reduce cost (Pile of factors, and agricultural subsidies and whatnot in play, as well as Economies of Scale )

Insulation and Fire Retardant Materials

Things that may ordinarily burn such as Cotton / Reformed Cellulose and Plastics can be used if they are made to contain Fire Retardant Additives and/or are made insulating enough that heat + fire can not propagate far from the spark/slag

• Metallization can also help with the Radiant Heat
  • Need more info on the durability of Aluminized Welding Gloves etc (Also electrical conductivity / capacitance hazard?)

Internal Links

• Fire Retardant Materials
• Welding Personal Protective Equipment
• FR Clothing