Building a welding booth in a barn

[RustyCrampon]

I want to set up a very small DIY MIG-welding workshop within a barn. Unfortunately the barn is full of flammable materials - straw bales, firewood, diesel tanks, paint cans and even a few petrol cans.

There is a small "cupboard", about 2 metres square, that I'm thinking of using as a welding workshop. It's constructed of sawn timber framing and OSB (wooden board). Am I right in thinking that it will need lining with something fire-resistant before I start?

Would covering the inside of the "cupboard" with 0.5mm aluminum sheet be a good idea? Would plasterboard be OK?

 

[mike 109444]

Hi ya Rustycrampon. I'm not to sure of your choice of workshop! (contents imparticular) But what ever you decide make sure you have a hose connected to water supply ready for use. With a welding helmit down you won't know that something is on fire till you smell smoke or the fireman taps you on the sholder : ). Watch out for grinding sparkes as the will fly... You will have them all thinking on the forum that we have barns at the end of the garden here in Bristol ow rrrrrr

 

[Robotstar5]

Whatever you cover it with, paint it matt black to stop reflections

 

[chunkolini]

My workshop is a wooden shed. not blown myself up yet.
Ok I am in control of the contents. And very careful about what is lying about the place
I am careful to keep the floor free of flammables, concrete floor etc.
in your situation I would say make yourself a space where sparks cannot escape, they can travel a long way and straw etc smoulder nicely for ages before bursting into flame.

I would not worry about lining the 'cupboard' with fire retardant material. It takes some effort to set fire to wood; straw etc light easily. if you can make a timber lined space to weld in, that sparks cannot escape from you should be ok as long as you keep it free of flammables. Ie effectively a shed in a shed.


Chunko'.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Straw, petrol, firewood...to be honest the contents of the barn would terrify me, I think I would have to hang around for ages after each welding session just to make sure something has not 'caught' and about to burst into flames.

 

[pete23]

Straw, petrol, firewood...to be honest the contents of the barn would terrify me, I think I would have to hang around for ages after each welding session just to make sure something has not 'caught' and about to burst into flames.

same here!!

i mainly do woodwork in my workshop. i always have a good clean up before any welding takes place, i even go round the floor in the little nooks and crannys with a sprayer damping then down with water.

then i hang about for a hour when ive finished to make sure nowts smouldering, prob because the ajoyning workshop is full of hellicopters!!!