Any welders out there?

[Geeko]

heh, i feel like a hick now :P

i learned on a stick torch, and vastly prefer it... the wirefed would CONSTANTLY jam on me. I learned how to weld while working on a dairy farm, repairing feeding racks and trailer equipment, and I got pretty good at using inferior equipment, in "unusual" circumstances, with great skill

I've actually done more sculpture and artwork with welders, then I have actually building a practical device. I spent a few summers making sculptures from 4" tall to well over 15' tall. If you havn't tried it, metal scupture is VERY fun and addicting

I can't draw, I can't paint, I can't work with clay... but give me a welding torch and some scrap steel... muahahahahaha...

[frankthewelder]

I have been a weldor for thirty years or so. I also agree that stick welding is the coolest. I have all the machines (except a plasma welder) and now rarely use stick at all. A couple of weeks ago I hooked up a stinger on my invertor and burned a little lo-hy (7018) If you can get good a stick in all positions, you will have no trouble with the rest.

The trick to all the processes is matching the current/material/filler quantities. with MIG for example, people want to patch a body panel, get the smallest wire you can find and turn the voltage down till you can get a little "build up". I think you guys who are having trouble are using .035 or some flux core junk. Once you get in the ball-park with your settings, get out the magnifing glass and look closely. On thicker material If you can get it to sound like a really hot frying pan, you should be good. Watch for traces of a thin tan colored "slag" on the tops and sides of the welds. This slag will only be present on welds done correctly in most cases.

TIG takes a really long time to reach profiency. I discourage hobbiests from trying this unless you have a pile of money and years to learn. I teach TIG welding and few students ever reach profiency.

The advice I have read in this forum has been very good, buy a high quality MIG with gas fitting and practice. you can see some photos of my welds and welded projects by searching "frank the welder" on flickr.com

[2.2 Straight six]

Frank, your welding is awesome.

[frankthewelder]

Originally Posted by 2.2 Straight six

Frank, your welding is awesome.

thanks for the kind words, I was happy to find this forum, I will be a regular visitor!! Check back on flickr, I just finished a 4130 cage in a quattro and should post up tonight or tomorrow.

[xeroinfinity]

Yeah frank you might look at the dates before posting in out dated matterial here.

this is closed...