I figured that, but i guess since my teacher(36 years professional welder) didnt use a glove on his rod hand i decided no to also. but i always wear gloves and a jacket/sleeves when i mig.

 

i use etox brand welding gloves they go half way up your forearm i dont remember what they cost but they are thick and i have never burnt throught them like what your talkin about they will shrivel up if you hit them with a torch...these are all we used in our school ag shop we had a bunch that were all shriveld cause of some of the guys bein stupid...........i did have a wire with a hot slag ball on the end of it burn strait through them and into my finger once but it was a freak thing

 

So, since you are being shown the wrong way, that means you wont get skin cancer? UV rays are no joke! I'm actually shocked that an instructor is not preaching the importance of shielding your skin from the harmful rays welding, of any kind, puts off! Think of it this way. You can be out in the sun for hours without sunglasses on, right? It is uncomfortable, but completely doable, without much issue. OK, spend a few minutes welding without a helmet. Your eyes will be flash burned without a doubt, right? Now, think about how long your skin can be exposed to sunlight, and begin to burn. Painful, and uncomfortable, and relatively fast, right? My point is the affects of UV rays on the skin are quite apparent, and rapid, even in simple sunlight. The amount of UV the average welding arc throws is substantially higher! Just food for thought...HTH!!

 

I wear all my stuff well sometimes I no people that are beter then me and weld with a mask and thats it.I gess its realy comes out to what your comfortable with.

 

Thats a little bit different. when im outside im not staring right into the sun, when welding you are staring right at or right next to the arc. if i stared right at the sun or right next to it im sure my eyes would burn. They burn when i just glance at the sun. But i understand what you are trying to say. Im just more comfortable with being able to feel the rod in my fingertips.