Bucket mounted root rake

   / Bucket mounted root rake #21  
Re: Bucket mounted root rake - finished

Looks neat-o! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
I wish I could weld.....
Mark
 
   / Bucket mounted root rake
  • Thread Starter
#22  
Re: Bucket mounted root rake - finished

I wish I could, too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif There will be no close-up shots of my welds. But, it didn't break when we tried it...
 
   / Bucket mounted root rake #24  
Re: Bucket mounted root rake - finished

You can, you just don't know you can yet. Get yourself a new or used stick welder (can be had for around $200 or less), an auto-darkening hood (can get a cheap one from www.harborfreight.com for under $100), and some scrap and just go at it. It's not as difficult as folks generally think. If you can master stricking an arc, you've got it because that's the hardest part (IMHO). Just drag the electrode along the workpiece until you get an arc (this is much, much easier to do with an auto-darkening helmet). Practice makes perfect! All you have to do is melt the metal (both the workpiece and the electrode), and it'll fuse together. Chip the slag away when you stop and restart a bead.

Actually, I guess there's a little more to it than just what I've said above, but if you can master stricking an arc, you can master the rest. Get a good book (like the "Welder's Handbook") and practice practice practice until you get it.

I suggested stick because that's the best bang for the buck in a home workshop type of setting. MIG is easier to learn initially, but the equipment is more expensive, not always as rugged, and you have to learn some rather extensive techniques to do MIG really well. TIG is the BMW of welding processes, but it's slow (compared to even stick) and the equipment is really expensive (of course, just about all TIG machines will also do stick). Stick is good for thicker stuff, like tractor attachments. It's also the most forgiving of dirty, rusty, or painted metal.

If you're very unsure of whether you could even learn to strike an arc, rent a small stick welder from you local welding shop and have at it for a weekend. You might pleasantly surprise yourself.

Btw, a "good" weld doesn't necessarily mean a pretty weld (unless you're talking about big honkin' TIG-welded chrome exhausts or something... /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif). That's what they make angle grinders for. A good weld is one that penetrates and holds. As a friend of mine would say, "we ain't buildin' pianos!"

Never just assume you can't do something...give it a try and see!

Dave
 
   / Bucket mounted root rake
  • Thread Starter
#25  
Re: Bucket mounted root rake - finished

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( TIG is the BMW of welding processes, but it's slow (compared to even stick) and the equipment is really expensive (of course, just about all TIG machines will also do stick). Stick is good for thicker stuff, like tractor attachments. It's also the most forgiving of dirty, rusty, or painted metal.)</font>

Dave, the machine I used to do this job is TIG, but I used the stick capability, partly for the reasons you cited, and partly because I really need the practice. I can gas weld pretty good, and as a result I can handle a TIG torch without much trouble, but I never did get the hang of stick. I have trouble keeping that arc, way out there at the end of the stick, nice and steady and the same distance from the work. As a result, every now and again I get too close or too slow and blow a hole in the stuff, and then it's no fun at all. I was getting better by the end of this job - the knots of molten metal dropped from the size of grapes to less than the size of garden peas, so I didn't have as much to grind off. By the way, when you blow a hole in it, you know you're getting penetration.

Seriously, we dug it into the ground pretty good, and it held. Like you said, I ain't Steinway...
 
   / Bucket mounted root rake #26  
Re: Bucket mounted root rake - finished

Don,

I hope you do give some thought to welding. It's handy and a lot of fun. I do have some comments on how to learn it, however.

<font color="blue"> Get a good book (like the "Welder's Handbook") and practice practice practice until you get it. </font>

I'm not sure about that. There are a lot of things I think you can learn from a book and perform with a good degree of skill with some practice. With apologies to all of my electrician friends, I think very basic electrical wiring may fall into that category.

With skills that are as much art as science I think having some personal instruction is a huge help. I think things like welding and finishing drywall and plaster fall into this category.

Depending on where you are, you can probably find a basic arc welding class you can take for a reasonable cost. You might want to try a local community college or career center. I took 60 hours for something under $150 including all materials. For me it was money well spent and I recommend something like that.

<font color="blue"> "MIG is easier to learn initially" </font>

I don't know about that. I learned ARC first and then took a MIG class. In fact, the ARC class was a prerequisite for the MIG class. I didn't fully understand why at the time. I do now. You really learn the 'process' of welding doing ARC. Once you have that behind you, MIG is easier and you can make a good MIG weld.

The part with which I do agree is that you can weld. You just don't know how yet. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Bucket mounted root rake #27  
Re: Bucket mounted root rake - finished

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I ain't Steinway... )</font>

Actually, I am a high-end guitar builder so I tend to over-build stuff and tend to be as picky about appearance as structure. For my current outdoor furniture business, I have to almost yell at myself to quit and say "good enough" for something birds and squirrels cr@p on!

Anyway, thanks to all for the tips. When I have a few spare $ and time, I plan to take a class at a community college for welding. The local one has a beginner class that starts with gas and exposes you to MIG and TIG as well. I bought a little MAP-gas set to try brazing with (mostly to keep from losing some bolts.)

We'll see.....

Mark
 
   / Bucket mounted root rake
  • Thread Starter
#28  
Re: Bucket mounted root rake - finished

Looks good OkeeDon Hope it worked well for yah.
BradK /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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