zwede

I had a plastic tarp over the interior with towels over the center console and carpet.

Started welding on the upper part of the w-shield frame and suddenly the tarp melts and this big hole forms. Through the hole I see flames!

Rip the burning towel from the interior and throw it on the garage floor. Get most of the flames out. Look into the car and another towel is on fire. Run over to the other side and get it out. Back to the first side and finish putting the flame out on towel #1.

Result: 1 ruined tarp. 2 ruined towels.

Amazingly enough there is NO damage to the car! Some soot on the center console that wiped off. The shiftknob had some burn marks that came out with polish.

Tomorrow I'm investing in a good welding blanket or two. :eek: :eek: :eek:

Jon69L46

OMG.....ROFLMAO........I'm sorry, I shouldn't, but I can't help it. Glad it's a funny tale and no damage.

zwede

Yeah, I feel stupid. I've welded enough to know better. <hangs head in shame>

bn7035

Be careful. That slag gets very hot. I have a couple of scars from overhead welding. And the story is not funny....give it another year or two. :cry

Juliet

YIKES!!!! :eek: You are so LUCKY! :eek: The Corvette Gods were definately looking over your car! Great tip. I'm going to e-mail Mr.Sawzall / Grinder / Welder (Greg) to make sure he sees this thread. :smash:

zwede

10 years ago I welded in new inner quarter panels on an old Camaro and got 2 nice big scars on my right arm from slag.

zwede

...and it gets worse: Went to harborfreights webpage and a welding blanket is only $19.95. Risking the car for less than $20. Someone shoot me, please. :(

LT1driver

We hear you Markus, glad no damage. You have a really sweet car and it would be horrible to see it lost.

Mike from Abilene

Edzred72

Don't be too hard on yourself... We've all made mistakes of this nature, your just brave enough to admit it publicly. Glad theirs no damage to your baby!!!
:cheers:

GTR1999

Marcus,
If you are recording this repair with pictures could you post some for me? I may have to do this job soon and it's one I haven't done before.
Thanks,
Gary

burners

Wow, that's scary. I'm glad to hear it turned out alright. Many times I'm amazed at my stupidity when it comes to things that I know better. I guess we get complacent and a little lazy.

74-Roadster

Hey, don't feel bad. When I had my intake off recently, I hadn't disconnected the battery and when I rotated the carb throttle bracket out of the way, I pushed it under the fender and it touched the terminal block and shorted to my brake lines. :eek: I had a small flame and it was arcing so good I had to hit it 4 times before I got it to break loose. :smash: :smash:

No damage, but I was white and shaking as I disconnected my battery. So much for skipping step one!!!!!

71coupe

I had a similar thing happen to me when I was living in VA. I worked at Langley Speedway (small oval). At the end of the season they have an "endurance" race. I talked my buddy into entering a 1967 Olds Delta 88 - if anything could survive this race, this boat could.
One of the requirements was a rollbar. I found a bunch of mild steel tubing and attempted to weld it in myself with an arc welder, and I'm not a welder (not pretty)
I was just about finished when I was welding in the last piece just aft of the windshield.
While I was sitting in the middle of the front bench seat, I started smelling something burning (other than the welder) I lifted my hood and to my suprise the seat was on fire on both sides of me :eek:
Here's a tip: Weld the doors shut after you're done with the roll bar.
I don't know how I got out of there so fast, but I escaped unscathed.
The car, however, was entirly engulfed in flames by the time I got back with an extinguisher.
The next day - race day, we got the car to the track and it passed tech,
but the inspector was ready to:U from the burned stench.
We didn't finish the race, but is was fun.




:cheers:





[Modified by 71coupe, 9:47 AM 11/28/2001]

adam

Even worse, since Harbor freight tools is local here; over by Richardson
Square mall. A 45 minute round trip...

Chuck Harmon

On a side note as a fellow frequent customer of Harbor Freight. While at Laguna Seca and viewing the Mercedes team working in the pit my friend asked "Where do they get all these beautiful tools?" I replied, "Harbor Freight!" The guy standing behind me almost lost It! :lol:

Chuck

zwede

Adam: Worse than that: Harbor F is less than 5 minutes from my office!

I went by there at lunch and picked up a 6x6 welding blanket. Made in Russia, of all places.

I'm taking some pics as I go along. I'll try and make a website of the repair for those of you who still have this to look forward to.

CF6873

Markus; Let us know how the blanket works out. That is an incredible price for a welding blanket. Most of the one's sold locally are over $100. I hope if provides the needed protection. Craig :chevy

76greg

I bought one of Harbor Freight's welding blankets when they were on sale. I used it when I had to do some welding on the #4 body mount frame brackets which are very close to the gas tank. :eek: It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling when I tucked it all around the area I needed to weld. I used a spray bottle of water to wet down the blanket nearest the weld area and that saved the blanket from getting too many burn marks. :) It was cheap insurance!

Greg :cheers:

zwede

Craig: The blanket works fine as long as it is moistened. I use a spray bottle with water and spray it before welding and then occasionally while welding. If left dry, it will develop burnmarks and I did see one small hole in it. Keeping it moist seems to make it work.

So it's not as good as a professional $100 blanket, but will get the job done as long as you know its limitations.

vettedan

It's time to order a welding blanket.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...unction=Search

Item # 43743-OAUA Welding blanket $19.99 thur Harbor Freight.


[Modified by vettedan, 3:17 PM 11/30/2001]