Workshop in the basement?

[Landcruisin'60]

I've been thinking about getting a welder and some other tools, so I can make bumpers, sliders and all that fun stuff. My plan was to put everything in the garage (2 car) but we really need all the space for the cars. It also gets really hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. The basement is walk out and has double doors that the cruiser might squeeze through, currently its filled with unused junk. So if I get rid of all that I'd have space for all the tools. What I'm worried about are all the gasses and fumes from welding and cutting. So I figured I'd need a ventilation system of some sort, but I dont know what to look for. Thats where you come in, what do I need? Or do I really need anything? Any help would be great. Right now its just a dream, but I need to figure everything out before any decisions can be made. I'm even toying with the idea of a verticle mill, its a drill press also, so theres not much added cost and it boosts the coolness of the workshop!

 

[reffug]

get a fan.

open the doors.

be happy.

 

[Landcruisin'60]

That doesnt really help in the winter. Since that would be blowing warm air out and forcing cold air in. Plus the basement isnt heated. I was thinking something that would have overhead fans that would connect to some ducting and vent outside.

 

[photogod]

Dumb idea, welding in the house, just dumb... No offence... Better to burn down the garrage than the house. All it takes is one spark and time to smolder. The fire would start in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping.... Bad , bad, bad.

 

[Landcruisin'60]

Garage is attached, if garage burns down the house would too. Wouldnt mind you explaining how a spark from welding would smolder into the middle of the night. Whenever I weld all the sparks go out within a few seconds. Plus the floor and walls are concrete in the basement. The garage walls are wood. Sounds like the basement is safer.

 

[valentine]

That doesnt really help in the winter. Since that would be blowing warm air out and forcing cold air in. Plus the basement isnt heated. I was thinking something that would have overhead fans that would connect to some ducting and vent outside.

I'm not an HVAC guy, but it seems that if you blow the air out using fans/ducts you would create negative pressure in the basement. If you keep the double doors closed with the exhaust fan on, it will pull the heated air from the house into the basement then outside anyways.

 

[Landcruisin'60]

I'm not an HVAC guy, but it seems that if you blow the air out using fans/ducts you would create negative pressure in the basement. If you keep the double doors closed with the exhaust fan on, it will pull the heated air from the house into the basement then outside anyways.

Yeah, but I think the 6in duct would be better then a door with a fan. Since a door and fan is bigger and would move more air. I dont really know how much air I need to move to remove the fumes. But haveing vents right near where I'll be welding the most, I think would be more efficient then just sucking all the air our with a large fan. I might be wrong, but that was my logic.

 

[D'Animal]

Dumb idea, welding in the house, just dumb... No offence... Better to burn down the garrage than the house. All it takes is one spark and time to smolder. The fire would start in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping.... Bad , bad, bad.

Garage is attached, if garage burns down the house would too. Wouldnt mind you explaining how a spark from welding would smolder into the middle of the night. Whenever I weld all the sparks go out within a few seconds. Plus the floor and walls are concrete in the basement. The garage walls are wood. Sounds like the basement is safer.

You Garage should have 5/8" fire resistant sheet rock. Most basements will have 1/2" non fire resistant sheet rock but yours is concrete so no big deal.

If you are going to go to all the trouble to install venting in the basement, why not just put a heater in the garage?

 

[D'Animal]

Here is the end result of a smoldering ember.

This was caused by a ember landing in a rag that was about 10 feet away from where I was welding.

 

[RHINO]

just get a couple overhead heaters,, the kind you just hang and plug in like flourescent lights.

 

[Landcruisin'60]

My dad said that both cars have to be in the garage for winter. The walls in the garage dont have sheetrock, just exposed studs and the plywood from the exterior side. So if I put a heater in the garage it would be really inefficient since theres no insulation. I pitched the idea of adding a shop onto the garage or making an unattached garage for this, no go.

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

Screw all the naysayers, my basement is my shop and it works just fine aside from the short ass ceiling height.

Here are the problems I have with my setup:

Fumes - if the door is left open to the upstairs, it will smell like a shop for a while. DO NOT DO ANYTHING WITH GASOLINE in the basement, it will stink for a week.

Sparks - my walls and floor are concrete as well. I need to cover the floor joists w/ firerated sheetrock, but I should only be in this shop for another 8 months or so, so I'm not that motivated to do it.

Noise - Well, it's noisey what can I say? If there are people home and trying to sleep or do something in the house that requires quiet, I can't fab anything. Wrenching is fine, but grinding/cutting is too loud.

If you have any more questions, feel free. As far as ventilation is concerned, I just open the garage door and stick a fan in it, and take a break if it gets cloudy in there. I'm usually worn out from welding in some really akward position by that point anyway.

Ary

 

[photogod]

Garage is attached, if garage burns down the house would too. Wouldnt mind you explaining how a spark from welding would smolder into the middle of the night. Whenever I weld all the sparks go out within a few seconds. Plus the floor and walls are concrete in the basement. The garage walls are wood. Sounds like the basement is safer.

I'm not goin into it. If you and arya are dumb enough to weld indoors, more power to you. Think fumes and sparks and if you can't figure that out, weld away. I hear welding galvanized steel is fun and good for your lungs...

D'Animal showed you a perfect reason not to weld in your basement. If you don't want opinions telling you not to do it don't post the question. Just do it and let us know when your sleeping in your garrage because your house is in ashes.

 

[Landcruisin'60]

I'm not goin into it. If you and arya are dumb enough to weld indoors, more power to you. Think fumes and sparks and if you can't figure that out, weld away. I hear welding galvanized steel is fun and good for your lungs...

D'Animal showed you a perfect reason not to weld in your basement. If you don't want opinions telling you not to do it don't post the question. Just do it and let us know when your sleeping in your garrage because your house is in ashes.

Your pretty intelligent, seeing as this whole thread is about VENTILATION! Sounds like you've been welding a lot of galvanized steel with improper ventilation...

 

[Arya Ebrahimi]

photogod, I'll grant you, it's not the ideal situation, but I don't see why it can't be done safely. Have I had mini-fires in my shop? sure, everyone does at some point. There's a reason I have a centrally mounted fire extinguisher in the shop and EVERYONE who enters knows where it is.

As long as you are cognizant of your surroundings, and careful of what you keep around you when you're welding, I think it can be done safely.

Check your home owner's insurance policy though, just in case.

 

[photogod]

Your pretty intelligent, seeing as this whole thread is about VENTILATION! Sounds like you've been welding a lot of galvanized steel with improper ventilation...

It sounds like it's about venting but it's really about sparks.

And Arya, I hope your insurance company doesn't find out your welding in your basement!

 

[stayalert]

fire prevention and response aside for a moment.......As far as ventilation goes, you either capture and control IT ("IT" being bad stuff = metals, oxides of nitrogen, combustion by products etc) at the source with local exhaust ventilation (LEV) of remove IT via general diulution ventilation. (GDV) LEV removes IT before IT enters your breathing zone (BZ) GDV dilutes IT to levels that can safely enter your BZ (that's the theory anyway......)

So...LEV is preferred over GDV to reduce IT in your BZ. With GDV you may need additioal PPE (personal protective equipment bt that's a whole different BG (ball game)

Even utilizing LEV you may find a challenge in overcoming the chimney effect associated with the warm space convecting air from the basement. This will make work area isolation a challenge

MAKE SURE YOU RECOGNIZE AND ACCOMODATE THE NEEDS AND OPERATIONS OF ANY EXISTING HVAC EQUIPMENT - PLEASE ALSO CONSIDER LAUNDRY AND HOT WATER HEATERS PARTICULARLY IF THEY ARE COMBUSTION DRIVEN. Don't starve your existing appliances

OK moments over...back to our regualry scheduled hijack associated with fire prevention, detection and response....

good luck!

PS will you fab me a rear bumper, some sliders and a metal chiminea sort of thing?????

 

[vtcruiser60]

If I remember right, you are in high school and doing a around with a frame off for the 60 series. Kudos for keeping at the project.

I would call around to some of the local welding shops and ask them for tips on building a small welding area in the basement. They may have some ideas, though I am quite sure they will advise you against doing so. There is a guy on Williston Rd in South Burlington, named Flip that works the counter at Merriam and Graves...ask him to give you some tips. The guys a Haun over by Tafts Corners are also helpful for some ideas.

It might be cheaper yet...to buy an outdoor canopy/tent and drape some sides with canvas (does'nt burn so quickly and melt INTO your skin like plastic). You could place a propane salamander or kerosene heater and be able to work into October or so.....all depends on when your fingers might freeze off.

 

[Landcruisin'60]

stayalert, bumper, sliders, yes. A metal chiminea thing, umm... whats that?

vt- yeah thats me.

Maybe I could have the welder in the garage and have the bender and other tools in the basement, that would make more work though. But if it makes it so I'm safe and able to fab, then its worth it, I think.

 

[stayalert]

chimenea is like an outdoor fire thingamabob good luck!