2:14 am
July 15, 2005
Offline
Things I have learned since I started welding
1. Welding is an art, and you have to practice to get good (I have about 200 pounds of scrap steel someone gave me to practice on)
2. Don't waste money on 2lb spools of wire. I have been through two rolls already. I bought a 10 pound this time and you get a lot more for your money.
3. Have plenty of wire gun tips on hand when you are new to welding, get the tip to close to what you are welding and it melts shut and you lose your wire feed 
4. Use nozzle dip, helps keep the tip clean and you don't have to clean it as much.
5. Do not be cheap when it comes to welding gloves, spend the money and buy a top quality set of gloves. Using cheap ones for extended periods of time welding and your knuckle closest to the welding tip will get a nice blister on it from the heat emitting from the area you are welding 😯 I could feel the heat, but the dime size blister didn't show up until I got to work tonight!!!!
6. When using a tube notcher with a hand drill, don't leave the chuck key attached by a rubber strap and 5 inches down from the drill handle on the electric cable. When the hole-saw binds while notching tube, the drill rips out of your hand and the chuck key flies around and will hit you square in the nose at about 30 mph and rip you nose open and send blood all over the place. Don't ask me how I know this
7. When a 4 1/2 inch grinder comes with a hand guard, it is there for a reason. Believe me; the tips of your fingers will appreciate it if you leave it on. Lots of blood
Yes, I know all of you are wondering if I wear safety glasses, and the answer is ALWAYS...
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
2:17 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline It's sounds like you are a mess. Maybe welding aint your gig 
I used to wheel a lot. . .
2:28 am
July 15, 2005
Offline "JohnDF" wrote: It's sounds like you are a mess. Maybe welding aint your gig
I have a lot more blood to give 😀 The cage turned out good 8)
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
2:29 am
May 4, 2004
Offline #6 reminds me of a situation I had. I needed to drill a 5/8" hole and my step-down bit for my 3/8" drill bent when the bit bound. I went to the store to buy a new bit and ended up getting a shiny new Hitachi 1/2" drill and bit to go with it. More power, life was good! About 5 seconds in to using the new drill the bit bound again and spun the drill around, ripping it from my hands and wrapping the cord around the trigger. The drill kept spinning until it cut through it's own cord. I was left with a formerly shiny new drill with about 5" of cord and serious road rash.
Hang on tight to those power tools.
2:29 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline Can't wait to see it. Let me know if you need help putting it back in.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
2:32 am
July 15, 2005
Offline "JohnDF" wrote: Can't wait to see it. Let me know if you need help putting it back in.
I am planning on Tuesday night if I can get the sheet metal for my roof.
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
2:33 am
July 15, 2005
Offline "FAM" wrote: #6 reminds me of a situation I had. I needed to drill a 5/8" hole and my step-down bit for my 3/8" drill bent when the bit bound. I went to the store to buy a new bit and ended up getting a shiny new Hitachi 1/2" drill and bit to go with it. More power, life was good! About 5 seconds in to using the new drill the bit bound again and spun the drill around, ripping it from my hands and wrapping the cord around the trigger. The drill kept spinning until it cut through it's own cord. I was left with a formerly shiny new drill with about 5" of cord and serious road rash.
Hang on tight to those power tools.
Now that made me laugh
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
3:53 am
"RobD" wrote: 6. When using a tube notcher with a hand drill, don't leave the chuck key attached by a rubber strap and 5 inches down from the drill handle on the electric cable. When the hole-saw binds while notching tube, the drill rips out of your hand and the chuck key flies around and will hit you square in the nose at about 30 mph and rip you nose open and send blood all over the place. Don't ask me how I know this
Need pics 😀
3:21 pm
January 7, 2003
Offline Sounds like you have it all about right. Just wait until you get a plasma cutter and you are cutting something in a weird spot and a glowing red hot piece of metal falls down and hits your ankle and into your shoe. Thats a scar that will probably never go away.
Get yourself a welding blanket they can be your friend when welding or cutting in weird spots so you can cover your legs for feet. Also a welding jacket. I have so many holes in shirts and my overalls I have ruined.
4:33 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline "Howdy" wrote: Sounds like you have it all about right. Just wait until you get a plasma cutter and you are cutting something in a weird spot and a glowing red hot piece of metal falls down and hits your ankle and into your shoe. Thats a scar that will probably never go away.
Get yourself a welding blanket they can be your friend when welding or cutting in weird spots so you can cover your legs for feet. Also a welding jacket. I have so many holes in shirts and my overalls I have ruined.
I buy all the $4 long sleeve shirts I can find, and then treat them as disposable. I also have a welding blanket. I weld in garage boots and a piece of slag melted through the tounge in my boot, then through the sock, and then burned a nice hole in the top of my foot.
7:25 pm
July 15, 2005
Offline "rainfly" wrote: [quote="RobD"]6. When using a tube notcher with a hand drill, don't leave the chuck key attached by a rubber strap and 5 inches down from the drill handle on the electric cable. When the hole-saw binds while notching tube, the drill rips out of your hand and the chuck key flies around and will hit you square in the nose at about 30 mph and rip you nose open and send blood all over the place. Don't ask me how I know this
Need pics 😀
Since you have pretty much the same welder as me, what settings are you using to weld .120 wall tubing for a cage? I was finding that 4 on the speed and 6 or 7 on the current was working
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
7:27 pm
July 15, 2005
Offline The other thing that I have found that helps me out is to keep a note pad with my welder and when I find settings that work on certain metal thickness, I write them down so I don't have to guess next time.
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
7:51 pm
January 7, 2003
Offline "BKGM Jeepers" wrote:
I buy all the $4 long sleeve shirts I can find, and then treat them as disposable. I also have a welding blanket. I weld in garage boots and a piece of slag melted through the tounge in my boot, then through the sock, and then burned a nice hole in the top of my foot.
Wow....that was one hot piece of metal.
Thats a good idea on the shirts. I bought a lightweight welding jacket for summer use instead of the heavy leather top. The jacket was like $19 and has lasted quite well. And its nice to have something light on those 102 degree afternoons.
7:54 pm
Club President
April 2, 2003
Offline "RobD" wrote: The other thing that I have found that helps me out is to keep a note pad with my welder and when I find settings that work on certain metal thickness, I write them down so I don't have to guess next time.
That's a good idea! I'll get a magnetic note pad and pen and keep it on the welder.
8:56 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline He be full 'o good ideas...arrghhh
I used to wheel a lot. . .
10:16 pm
"RobD" wrote: [quote="rainfly"][quote="RobD"]6. When using a tube notcher with a hand drill, don't leave the chuck key attached by a rubber strap and 5 inches down from the drill handle on the electric cable. When the hole-saw binds while notching tube, the drill rips out of your hand and the chuck key flies around and will hit you square in the nose at about 30 mph and rip you nose open and send blood all over the place. Don't ask me how I know this
Need pics 😀
Since you have pretty much the same welder as me, what settings are you using to weld .120 wall tubing for a cage? I was finding that 4 on the speed and 6 or 7 on the current was working
I need to look but 4.5 (heat) and 60 (wire speed) sounds like what I have. For straight up welding I use the suggested settings inside the cover but I add just a little extra heat...cuz I like good penetration. 
11:23 pm
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline It's all about heat and speed...
I used to wheel a lot. . .
12:33 am
July 15, 2005
Offline "JohnDF" wrote: It's all about heat and speed...
Yep, but when people get as old as you, they no longer have heat or speed
__________________
'If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under."- Ronald Reagan
2:48 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline "RobD" wrote: [quote="JohnDF"]It's all about heat and speed...
Yep, but when people get as old as you, they no longer have heat or speed
Then you'd best be gettin' all yer weldin' dun in a few years matey.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
12:24 am
I am learning how to weld in my metal shop class now. I can oxy acetylene weld and we are learning how to arc weld this week. Then mig welding next. Its pretty cool so far. I havent learned a whole lot, but having the right tip size is super important. You cant do anything without enough heat.
1:17 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline ARC is the hardest.
I used to wheel a lot. . .
2:21 am
May 4, 2004
Offline "JohnDF" wrote: ARC is the hardest.
In the one-day Learning Exchange class I took a while back we got to try all the different types of welders, flux-core, mig, tig & arc. I did the best with the arc welder, mig was second and the worst with the tig welder. I ended up spending the free time we had using the arc welder because no one else wanted to use it.
4:13 am
Club Member
July 10, 2003
Offline "FAM" wrote: [quote="JohnDF"]ARC is the hardest.
I did the best with the arc welder,
The Force is strong with you 😀
I used to wheel a lot. . .
2:05 pm
"FAM" wrote: [quote="JohnDF"]ARC is the hardest.
In the one-day Learning Exchange class I took a while back we got to try all the different types of welders, flux-core, mig, tig & arc. I did the best with the arc welder, mig was second and the worst with the tig welder. I ended up spending the free time we had using the arc welder because no one else wanted to use it.
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