Safety with welding

[greenramp]

Just another tid bit about welding Safety. Do not weld on your wheels while a tire is mounted.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBUVzgCHHuA

[scout man]

great info Joe, thanks for posting that. I would have made the asumption that welding on a rim would increase pressure and cause problems, but I never would have thought that just 2 seconds of welding would have that kind of a result! Makes me think back to the time my friends truck burned to the ground. If those tires would have blown we all would have been hurting. Never knew that would have been an issue.

[Haku]

Someone posted that on the OFN site. Definitely makes me think twice before trying that "starter fluid in the tire to re-seat the bead" thing. Pretty impressive and scary. Here's to hoping that a normal light truck tire would be less explosive, but still not worth the risk certainly.

JH

[Andrew]

Someone posted that on the OFN site. Definitely makes me think twice before trying that "starter fluid in the tire to re-seat the bead" thing. Pretty impressive and scary. Here's to hoping that a normal light truck tire would be less explosive, but still not worth the risk certainly.

JH

I'm not sure the lighter fluid would be a sufficient gain in temp to do this. Welding heat is dissipated over a longer period of time, where lighter fluid is a flash of heat and that's it. Would be interesting to know for sure though. But I have seen that method used more than once without issues.

[Haku]

Not sure either honestly. I do think it needs high heat, but not sure for how long. They do mention that its about starting that reaction inside the wall of the tire, so not sure on that. They said even a stuck brake caliper or blown wheel bearing causing heat build up can do it, but I suppose those are more long term. I did gather that this is more of an issue with large machinery and trucks, where its a major PITA to take the tire off. I know if it took specialized machinery and a couple hours to get a tire off a rim, like on mining and construction equipment, that I would probably have the though to do it with the tire still on too (not having know about the Pyrolysis thing).

I've never heard of it happening with the starter/lighter fluid trick either. I could see it happening with a slower burning substance though. Like if someone didn't have the starter fluid and tried it with something less explosive (starter fluid is really volatile and goes up really fast). Needless to say, I won't be welding on a rim with the tire still on.

JH

[Andrew]

Dude...someone needs to do this to one of those mining truck tires.

And video it from far, far away.

[Haku]

I think I know just the dudes for the job.....paging Mr. Hyneman and Mr. Savage......that would be a badass Mythbusters episode. Not really a myth, but it would be right down their alley.

JH

[Fordguy77]

Someone posted that on the OFN site. Definitely makes me think twice before trying that "starter fluid in the tire to re-seat the bead" thing. Pretty impressive and scary. Here's to hoping that a normal light truck tire would be less explosive, but still not worth the risk certainly.

JH
The heat in the tire in a lighter fluid situation is a flash point style heat, the instant the tire is reseated the flame goes out because there is no more oxygen intake. Also there are pretty drastic temperature differences in the 2. At work we have been putting electronic valves on the ammonia lines. We were informed for every 1 degree ammonia heats up, it is an increase in 125 psi.

[Andrew]

I think I know just the dudes for the job.....paging Mr. Hyneman and Mr. Savage......that would be a badass Mythbusters episode. Not really a myth, but it would be right down their alley.

JH

Well do THEY know it's a myth? Send it in like it is...and since it involves possibly blowing stuff up, hey they might do it.

[Mporter]

Wow thanks for this

[Brody]

Someone posted that on the OFN site. Definitely makes me think twice before trying that "starter fluid in the tire to re-seat the bead" thing. Pretty impressive and scary. Here's to hoping that a normal light truck tire would be less explosive, but still not worth the risk certainly.

JH
Having done this quite a few times, the only thing you have to do is to do a quick 'fuse' with the starting fluid so that you aren't standing by the tire when you spark it off. The you tube videos that have been posted all over the forum about reseating tires with starting fluid (or carb cleaner, or any spray that is flammable) when someone gets clocked or hurt, they have been standing right on top of the tire and have used way too much....and they almost invariably have beers visible in the videos, either in their hands or near by....natural selection there. It doesn't take a lot to reseat a tire this way. Granted, not the safest thing to do, but it does work. Done right, you aren't close enough to breath any fumes and it is a flash burn. If you are standing that close to a tire you are reseating this way, you pretty much deserve what you get, including major brain damage from the tire bouncing up and hitting you or huffing the fumes.

Besides, no one but you is going to make the choice to stand right over a tire that you just sprayed starting fluid in, or how close you want to be to it when you hold a flame to it.