Vent: That weld splatter got me in the eye again this morning

I was out in my shop in St. Paul, just trying to finish up a gate for a customer. Got too confident, flipped my hood up too soon after a tack weld, and a piece of slag popped right into my eye. I spent the next 20 minutes hunched over the sink with my eyelid pulled back, blinking like crazy until it washed out. Now my eye is all red and scratchy, feels like sandpaper every time I blink. I know I should have kept my safety glasses on under the hood, but I get lazy in the summer heat. This is the third time this year I've done this exact dumb thing, and I'm starting to wonder if I just need a full face shield. Anyone else got a foolproof trick for keeping yourself from rushing on those small jobs?

2 comments

2 Comments

walker.andrew4d ago

Reminds me of the time I tried welding a stuck lawnmower blade and set my sleeve on fire.

wendyc533d ago

Gotta disagree there. Welding a lawnmower blade is asking for trouble when a simple file or angle grinder would do the job safer. Fire is no joke, and setting your sleeve ablaze is a solid sign that maybe it's time to step back and rethink the approach. I've seen guys try to weld rusty farm equipment and end up with more problems than they started with, like warped metal or hidden cracks. Sometimes the old ways like a good sharpening stone or a new blade altogether are just smarter.