Learning how - WELDING

[StoneHeartFarm]

When you guys decide to buy a welder, hunt around and find a scrap metal yard and pick up a bunch of small pieces. At a yard, you can usally buy scrap for 10 or 15 cents a pound. (The dealer is making a killing at that price, but you can fill a good sized box for a few bucks). You'll want lots of small pieces to play (excuse me, practice) with. When I first got my welder, I went through several spools just sticking stuff together. For no other reason that the fun of it. (Told the wife I was trying to make LAWN ART /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif). It's nice to be able to stick 2 pieces of steel together and wack em with a hammer.

Also, watch yard and estate sales and find an old skill saw with a metal body. You want that all metal case. An abrasive, steel cutting blade at Walmart will set you back a couple of bucks, but that old skill saw will cut steel just like a piece of oak board. Then, shop around for an angle (side) grinder. With those two tools and your welder, you can handle most of what comes up.

SHF

 

[JonLeonard]

Havent been to this forum for a while, but just wanted to chime in on the TIG issue.

First off, a TIG machine can also be used for stick welding, most of them even come standard with the rod holder. The first time I tried TIG, I did it with no problem at all. It was smooth, quiet and clean. TIG is the slowest of the process, but produces a weld that requires less cleanup, is prettier, and, more importantly, is stronger because it penetrates more deeply.

TIF machines create a VERY intense, small heat-effected area. That means you can sometimes "weld" things together with no filler rod at all. Rods can also be used with a number of different strengths. If you are planning to grind a weld smooth, just choose a "soft" filler metal and quickly grind away the excess TIG can also weld dis-similar metals where most other processes cannot.

Since the heat is so intense, our instructor said to always get a model with a liquid cooled torch. You should also be aware that you need a darker lens in the helmet as the TIG arc is quite a bit brighter than other processes.

The drawbacks are the cost of the equipment (about 3-4 times more expensive) and the fact that it isnt very portable.

With all that said...TIG might be overkill for general work around a home/farm. I would like to stress the importance of the classes once again...the difference between a good weld and a bad one are not easily seen on the surface (in any of the processes). Learning the hand position/motion for creating a good weld is much easier when you have someone who know what its supposed to sound/look/work like to help you.

Please take into account as well, that I am far from an expert on these matters, so you might want to check some of the professional welding sites. Nothing against anyone here, but if you want to find out about horses you dont ask a barber. (Hope I didnt offend any professional welders here )

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Interested in something else?
The ultimate in go anywhere welding portability?
100% duty cycle, DC current, and power to weld any thickness of metal? (equivalent in work performance to a Miller Ranger 8 or a Lincoln BobCat -- for only 1/5 the cost)
Three Year Warranty -- and, if you don't like it for any reason, or if it's not everything that they say it is, they provide a 60 day satisfaction guarantee?
How about a welder, made to work in wet dirty conditions, small enough that it can be attached to your tractor, with ALL controls for welding in the handle at your fingertips -- driven by your tractor engine, or a truck's engine, or a hydraulic motor, a PTO drive finish mower, or freestanding diesel or gas engines?
IT EXISTS and it is the best welder for farm use ever! (OR for any sort of out door work) I've got one and it is incredible! ZENA mobile welding system -- CLICK HERE TO go to their web site map -- http:// [url]http://www.zena.net/htdocs/Map.shtml [/url].
This is not a message from a beginner who swallowed a marketing line hook, line, and sinker (yes I love fishing). I'm no novice, I've got 20+ years of professional welding experience -- with ALL types of welders indoors and out. This thing is for real!
(And the people who make it are real nice, and very helpful.)

PS: This is a very easy welder to use -- my wife was laying beutiful beads in just a couple of minutes. She canít do that with any of my other equipment -- including my best shop welder.

PPS: She said to tell you that I donít have stock in their company either -- Iíd like to but they donít sell any.

PPPS: As to training, go for the vocational training school -- teachers usually have real-world experience + theory -- invaluable.

 

[GlueGuy]

I don't know who these Zena people are, but they ought to work on their web site. The only thing that works is their home page. None of the links seem to work (and I tried a bunch of them)...

The GlueGuy

 

[Bird]

You got their home page? That's better than I was able to do.

Bird

 

[mlmartin]

Try this link .

I had no trouble accessing any of the pages on that site. I'm using Netscape 4.7 on NetBSD 1.4.1/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Matthew

 

[GlueGuy]

Must just be a flakey web server/internet connection or something. Last time I checked I was able to get "some" of the links that I couldn't before. Must come and go. /w3tcompact/icons/crazy.gif

The GlueGuy

 

[PBMAX]

I checked it out the page worked fine for lil o'l me at 19,200 using my cell phone as soon as I read it and again tonight at work...Nice lil welder but doubt I could talk the boss into that much $ when I can pick Up the o'l plugin type for 1/3 less...try as I might I just don't think she would believe I would us it all that much...Course thats ok I'm a paitient fellow..I'll just wait till she really needs something fixed and bring it up then.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif...

Lil' Paul
Proud owner of TC21D
Laziness is the Father of invention.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[PBMAX]

I know what we need...WE have a book on Compact Tractors/w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif...How bout a "HOW TO" cd/DVD for welding with video and for those of us that tire out our eyes reading here...Could have close ups (filtered so we can see clearly) of how to get a good bead is it? With the the various types of welding and what each type is best for....How bout it? What do ya'll think?I'm in the boat with LHSmith I have no experience in this area...Would love to learn...But working nights would make it difficult to take a class...I'd hate to fall a sleep in that class...Could end up with a hot foot fast....

Lil' Paul
Proud owner of TC21D
Laziness is the Father of invention.../w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[GlueGuy]

I think Lincoln has a video and a book already. Saw a bunch of stuff from them in the latest Sport Aviation. Seem to be pushing their 175 TIG setup.

The GlueGuy