Believe me, being a right to left welder, my left arm is proof of that. Many decades in all phases of welding has left it's mark.
Granted, one can over do the safety thing, an occasional tack weld with out protection probably isn't gonna scare ya for life. One has to apply a little common sense, but if you're just now getting into building and plan on doing a lot of fabrication in the future, you might as well develope good work practices from the start. Short cuts soon become bad habits and that is the way you're graded by those that see your work.
Even after all these year, over a half century in fact, when I gas weld I still open a high pressure cylinder all the way, flamables 1/4 turn, bleed off the pressure when finished and back off the regulator screws no matter how small the job.
A lot of trouble for a lot of people but that was the way I was taught from the start and I've never had a problem in any of my shops.
DG
Last edited by Denny Graham; 10/21/2009 1:19 PM.
