[TheForge] TheForge Digest, Vol 222, Issue 5

Wed Oct 8 14:01:05 EDT 2025

Fine here in central Oregon but rarely post. 

Wonder how I would hide a $30k machine from my wife??

Craig

> On Oct 8, 2025, at 10:26 AM, Andrew Vida <impublius at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> What about laser welders?  Seems they have come a very long way.
> 
> how's everyone doing?
> 
>> On Wed, Oct 8, 2025 at 12:00 PM <theforge-request at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>> 
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>> Today's Topics:
>> 
>>   1. Re: Electric welding and pacemakers (Charles)
>>   2. Re: Electric welding and pacemakers (JERRY FROST)
>> 
>> 
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2025 02:48:18 +0000 (UTC)
>> From: Charles <xlch58 at swbell.net>
>> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Electric welding and pacemakers
>> Message-ID: <266633414.617287.1759891698269 at mail.yahoo.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>> 
>> Ten years ago I had a severe heart attack that significantly damaged my
>> heart.? ?I had a pacemaker (actually an ICD) installed a couple of years
>> ago as once in a while the Dr thought I was experience atrial fibrillation
>> added to the fact that due to the damage, there is always a chance my heart
>> could just stop.? I got the same warnings, as well as to avoid standing to
>> close to generators, alternators, etc.? The one I got was MRI safe, as well
>> as metal detector safe, so the warnings seemed odd to me.? I have mostly
>> ignored them and have continued mig/tig and arc welding, working on
>> generators and living my life the same way.? If I get close to a strong
>> magnetic field my unit will start emiting a tone.? ?This is because the way
>> they disable the unit for surgery is to place a magnet over it.? So
>> basically, if I get near a strong magnet it could disable the unit.? ?I am
>> regularly backpacking mountains, welding, smithing and I work in power
>> plants.? My Dr connects to my device re
>> motely on a regular basis and dumps a report.? So far no issues from all
>> of my contraindicated activities.? It barely ever kicks in, like once every
>> three months or so some light pacing.? ?Make your own decisions, but if you
>> get an MRI safe unit you should be fine,
>> Charles
>>    On Monday, October 6, 2025 at 09:43:09 PM CDT, Bruce <
>> freemab222 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I have no direct knowledge on the subject, but it is commonly known that
>> electric arcs emit broadband electromagnetic radiation.? An Internet search
>> turns up any number of articles on pacemakers vs. arc welding, but some
>> suggest that limiting amps or using DC only might reduce the risk -- but
>> don't quote me.
>> 
>> It wouldn't surprise me if effective shielding were possible to prevent
>> adverse effects, but aside from using a metal box -- a Faraday cage --
>> around the workpiece (or around yourself!), I couldn't suggest how to
>> accomplish this.
>> 
>> Of course, acetylene welding would not affect a pacemaker at all.
>> 
>> Bruce
>> NJ
>> 
>> 
>>> On Mon, Oct 6, 2025 at 3:48?PM Jim Smith <jwmsmith64 at att.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> My cardiologist says I need a pacemaker.? When my father in law got one
>> he
>>> was told he couldn?t use his stick welder anymore.? I think some may now
>> be
>>> shielded from electromagnetic radiation.? Anyone have experience with
>> this?
>>> 
>>> Jim Smith
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> Love ?thinketh no evil,? imputes no motive, sees the bright side, puts
>> the
>>> best construction on every action. What a delightful state of mind to
>> live
>>> in! What a stimulus and benediction even to meet with for a day! To be
>>> trusted is to be saved. And if we try to influence or elevate others, we
>>> shall soon see that success is in proportion to their belief of our
>> belief
>>> in them. For the respect of another is the first restoration of the
>>> self-respect a person has lost; our ideal of what they are becomes to
>> them
>>> the hope and pattern of what they may become.
>>> 
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>> ------------------------------
>> 
>> Message: 2
>> Date: Tue, 7 Oct 2025 23:34:58 -0400 (EDT)
>> From: JERRY FROST <akfrosty at mtaonline.net>
>> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Electric welding and pacemakers
>> Message-ID:
>>        <1561409590.270868767.1759894498550.JavaMail.zimbra at mtaonline.net>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>> 
>> A few months ago my wife Deb had a reverse shoulder replacement and then
>> she noticed having sort of fuzzy spells, sometimes disorientation, etc. so
>> she scheduled a check up and was given a heart monitor. After wearing it
>> 24/7 for less than two weeks she got a hone call around 7am telling her to
>> get a ride to the local ER. Besides an arrythmia her heart had stopped for
>> 8 seconds that morning. An alarm alerted the fellow keeping an eye on
>> monitors, he ran it by the on call cardiologist and they called, offering
>> her an ambulance ride. I was already up and took her in, picked her up the
>> next day after spending a night for observation and adjustments.
>> 
>> I have to tell you, she's WAY better now, energy, alert, good color, etc.
>> 
>> Pace makers are improving all the time and are pretty well shielded from
>> EM and can still be read and programmed wirelessly.
>> 
>> I offer a toast to modern medicine!
>> 
>> Frosty
>> 
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Charles" <xlch58 at swbell.net>
>> To: "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA" <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 7, 2025 6:48:18 PM
>> Subject: Re: [TheForge] Electric welding and pacemakers
>> 
>> Ten years ago I had a severe heart attack that significantly damaged my
>> heart.? ?I had a pacemaker (actually an ICD) installed a couple of years
>> ago as once in a while the Dr thought I was experience atrial fibrillation
>> added to the fact that due to the damage, there is always a chance my heart
>> could just stop.? I got the same warnings, as well as to avoid standing to
>> close to generators, alternators, etc.? The one I got was MRI safe, as well
>> as metal detector safe, so the warnings seemed odd to me.? I have mostly
>> ignored them and have continued mig/tig and arc welding, working on
>> generators and living my life the same way.? If I get close to a strong
>> magnetic field my unit will start emiting a tone.? ?This is because the way
>> they disable the unit for surgery is to place a magnet over it.? So
>> basically, if I get near a strong magnet it could disable the unit.? ?I am
>> regularly backpacking mountains, welding, smithing and I work in power
>> plants.? My Dr connects to my device rem
>> otely on a regular basis and dumps a report.? So far no issues from all
>> of my contraindicated activities.? It barely ever kicks in, like once every
>> three months or so some light pacing.? ?Make your own decisions, but if you
>> get an MRI safe unit you should be fine,
>> Charles
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ------------------------------
>> 
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>> 
>> 
>> 
>> End of TheForge Digest, Vol 222, Issue 5
>> ****************************************
>> 
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