FR Coveralls - Experiential Learning

[Jelly_Sheffield]

There's been several threads on this in the past, and I had an experience yesterday that might add some additional info for people.



Whilst digging around in my tub of old PPE yesterday I found a pair of Aramid (unsure if Nomex or Kermel) coveralls, nice and lightweight so ideal for cutting lots of metal out of the landy on a hot day.

I would say that the Aramid performs far better than FR Treated Cotton or the Modacrylic Inherent FR types.

That is to say that even being absolutely pelted with globs of molten metal whilst cutting through 15mm of steel with a plasma cutter rated for severance cuts in 6mm (at best), the overalls didn't burn through once.



I do however have multiple little blisters on my arms from the intense heat of the metal transfering through the fabric, so they're not magic...

Nasty looking but painless... and a hell of a lot better than digging blobs of metal out of my skin with tweezers and iodine.

With a cotton shirt underneath I would likely have come out unharmed, with the overalls non the worse for wear... Impressive!

Whilst I'm not about to pay full price for Nomex coveralls on my own account... After this experience I would definitely consider making the effort to seek them out at a knock down price on eBay etc. in a stock clearance or secondhand... Significantly better than other types.



That said, it's still a solid vote for leather or cotton lined leather welding jackets when you're faced with really violent spatter, it just has greater capacity to absorb the heat before it reaches you.

 

[Pond frog]

Useful information about the overalls however you should be changing your working methods and not relying on ppe to cover bad practices

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Useful information about the overalls however you should be changing your working methods and not relying on ppe to cover bad practices

Fair.

I don't usually set out to get pelted with dross from cutting, but in a tight space with a limited range of options it remained the least worst approach compared to oxy-fuel or using a cut off disk on a 9" grinder...

Having done the one side and seen how the assembly is constructed, I now have a different plan for the other side which will hopefully avoid the need to push the cutter past it's limits.

 

[Pond frog]

Fair.

I don't usually set out to get pelted with dross from cutting, but in a tight space with a limited range of options it remained the least worst approach compared to oxy-fuel or using a cut off disk on a 9" grinder...

Having done the one side and seen how the assembly is constructed, I now have a different plan for the other side which will hopefully avoid the need to push the cutter past it's limits.

We’ve all been there, knowing it’s not the best idea but just want to get the job done

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

We’ve all been there, knowing it’s not the best idea but just want to get the job done

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, when I started the cut I had no way of knowing the reinforcement plate was in there...

Once I started, I couldn't switch to making the cut in a different direction without risking significant damage to the chassis member I was working on.

Now I do know what's inside I can approach it totally differently coming from a different direction with a Bulkhead Cutting Nozzle on a gas torch.

But I remain 100% sure that being pelted with dross was safer than using a 9" grinder directly above my head

 

[tom2207]

Ive a leather jacket I made out of old sofa leather , and tailored it for me , its got extra long sleeves and box shoulders with a double layer on left fore arm and right front side ,,,, I wouldnt weld anything without it .

 

[Dcal]

I've an ancient leather welders jacket that would probably survive a atomic bomb, but it's stiff and weights a ton.
So I recently spent £14 on eBay for a second hand linned leather jacket.
It's fine for 99% of what I do and far nicer to wear.

 

[tom2207]

I've an ancient leather welders jacket that would probably survive a atomic bomb, but it's stiff and weights a ton.
So I recently spent £14 on eBay for a second hand linned leather jacket.
It's fine for 99% of what I do and far nicer to wear.

glue a piece of leather on it to cover the zip , plastic zips on cheap leather jackets suffer badly from sparks , [ been there done that ].

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Ive a leather jacket I made out of old sofa leather , and tailored it for me , its got extra long sleeves and box shoulders with a double layer on left fore arm and right front side ,,,, I wouldnt weld anything without it .

That sounds like a decent bit of kit.

I do have a chrome leather welding jacket, great protection, but it's so heavyweight that it's a bit like wearing a cardboard parka.

Using a more supple leather would hugely improve it.

 

[Blobber]

Ive a leather jacket I made out of old sofa leather , and tailored it for me , its got extra long sleeves and box shoulders with a double layer on left fore arm and right front side ,,,, I wouldnt weld anything without it .

Now this we have got to see, do you ever wear it on nights out?
We have a leather sofa due for retirement so though I wont be making any mens wear I am going to keep the larger pieces for protection even if its just to lay over me when im under something

 

[tom2207]

Now this we have got to see, do you ever wear it on nights out?
We have a leather sofa due for retirement so though I wont be making any mens wear I am going to keep the larger pieces for protection even if its just to lay over me when im under something

It actually came from the day beds in a local gay night club , its bright red ,,, it came from a friend who does all their upholstery work ,,, I think I have a pic from when I made it ,,, Ill have a look

not found it , but it will turn up ,,, think Michael Jackson red jacket ,,,,

 

[dobbslc]

Don't ever put a UV light anywhere near that old leather

 

[tom2207]

Don't ever put a UV light anywhere near that old leather

It did have an extremely fruity smell for the first year ,,, the one saving grace was it had no studs on it ,,

just one in it ,,, lol

 

[premmington]

I got a Lincoln welding jacket - it has FR cotton body - with leather arms. Not sure they still make the one I got.

I find full leathers too heavy - unless you are blowing pins with a lance...

Anything FR - looses it's FR in the wash as well...

 

[tom2207]

I got a Lincoln welding jacket - it has FR cotton body - with leather arms. Not sure they still make the one I got.

I find full leathers too heavy - unless you are blowing pins with a lance...

Anything FR - looses it's FR in the wash as well...

Im a big lad , and I find that most of the stuff is made in china or the likes ,,, if I put on a leather welders jacket in xxxl from china I just look like a rent boy .. in skin tight leather , so in the end I just made my own .

 

[premmington]

Im a big lad , and I find that most of the stuff is made in china or the likes ,,, if I put on a leather welders jacket in xxxl from china I just look like a rent boy .. in skin tight leather , so in the end I just made my own .

Do I look fat in my outfit...? (that photo was 2014)

 

[tom2207]

View attachment 508289

Do I look fat in my outfit...? (that photo was 2014)

blacks very slimming your not fat at all


just big boned .

 

[dobbslc]

I've heard vertical stripes helps...

 

[tom2207]

I've heard vertical stripes helps...

and a number under your name too

 

[Jelly_Sheffield]

Anything FR - looses it's FR in the wash as well...

Assuming you're not using fabrics conditioner the Inherent types (Modacrylic or Aramid) will never loose their FR properties, which is part of the selling point.

The chemically treated cotton type are certified to survive 50 wash and tumble dry cycles as long as you follow the care instructions (non-bio powder, no fabric conditioner).