Welding Workshop Smells

[theladyfeylene]

I have looked on Google for the better part of the last hour trying to find this, and it escapes me. :/ I have all the information on welding workshops that I need, I just can't get a good description of what one smells like. I've been able to find that there is a scent, but no good details on it

Comments

[mayhemwench]

My dad does acetylene welding in a little shop he made in our barn, and it smells like ozone (like when lightning hits something nearby), hot/burning metal (don't really know how to describe that), and thick (like the air feels a little thicker, but I don't have any trouble breathing or anything, so I don't know if that's the best description) to me.

[mayhemwench]

Sorry, he does oxy-fuel welding. Acetylene welders smell about the same to me, though.

[nessa5]

Hubby says. yes to the ozone and adds a matalic smokey smell, and oil and sweat.

hope that helps

[theladyfeylene]

Metal smoke oil and sweat are perfect! Thank you so much!

[mordant]

a "carbide smell" would describe it.

[maccaj]

my dad's a welder, so I grew up spending a lot of time in welding shops (plus he had one at home). It smells acrid, and most welding workshops he's worked in have been warehouse/garage/etc type spaces (cement floor, etc), so it's an acrid, ozone-ish, hot metal type smell mixed with the smell that those kind of places usually have... if that makes sense.

[theladyfeylene]

Yeah, this is a warehouse type workshop with a cement floor and walls. Acrid is perfect, thank you so much!

[gogoangelgunboy]

my grandfather was a sheet metal contractor, and i remember very clearly the sharp, hot metal smell of the workshop - sometimes it felt like a sneeze...the smoke is harsher rather than that soft, heavy smell of woodsmoke. and i agree with nessa5 on the smell of sweat, too *laughing* he had a big leather apron that covered his clothes, and i could smell that, too, when it got singed. i don't know if that's typical, or if grampa malloy was just a little weird...*grin*

[dagonell]

No, the big leather apron goes all the way back to medieval blacksmiths. It was supposed to catch the sparks instead of the clothes catching on fire. It's very typical!
-- Dagonell

[gogoangelgunboy]

mmm. it was probably a farriers' apron originally, then - my grandfather also kept horses. thanks! you added a little bit to a memory.

[theladyfeylene]

Ha, the character who does the welding wears a leather apron, too! And gloves, because he's insanely anal about safety and protection. That's a great detail, thank you!