Welders: Masters Of Manning Machines That Make Metal Melty

Could this be the subject that finally stumps this crowd?

I need a welder to answer a few questions. Before I waste a long explanation on a nonexistent audience, is there someone here proficient in this art? A MIG expert would be perfect, but anyone who knows anything will suffice. MIG, TIG, Stick, I’ll take what I can get.

When I was in high school, the shop teacher left his huge key ring (probably had like 30 keys on it) on a table. On a dare, I took them to a welding station and turned them into a pool of melted metal before the teacher returned. Some keys melted quickly and others took a long time, so it was kinda educational.

He was pissed! He demanded someone tell him who did it. Nobody ever said a word.

That's all I know about welding. Sorry.

No Country For Old Men... both the thief and the less-evil professional killer were welders.

Only welder I met in real life was a former Speech Writer once pulled over by the cops and told to phone the White House. He went from White House material to Libertarian and became a welder when the IRS put him at 100 percent deficiency notice which took 100 percent of any checks he got. He could barter welding amongst hippies and Libertarians. Wasn't much of a market for Presidential Speech Writers... at least not amongst Hippie Mushroom Pickers.

Quote: MakingBook

When I was in high school, the shop teacher left his huge key ring (probably had like 30 keys on it) on a table. On a dare, I took them to a welding station and turned them into a pool of melted metal before the teacher returned. Some keys melted quickly and others took a long time, so it was kinda educational.

He was pissed! He demanded someone tell him who did it. Nobody ever said a word.

That's all I know about welding. Sorry.

Lol, I remember something similar. We'd take the acetylene torch and melt nickels, dimes and pennies. Always got a kick out of pushing the little balls around the table with the force of the blast, a lot like Terminator 2. Every now and again it'd fall in a crack and solidify in a cool shape, or it sometimes remained a clean and super shiny little ball. They were like collectables for a while, you could barter them for several cookies or several packs of gum. They were a big ticket item =)

Whelp, while it doesn't have the level of WoV, I can at least say I've stumped an offshoot of the un-stumpable crowd, the crowd that's taught me everything from mineral rights to thermodynamics. Pardon me if I take a bow ;)

I suppose this time next year, this chink won't exist as I will then be the welding expert of the group. This should be fun... =D

Quote: Face

I suppose this time next year, this chink won't exist as I will then be the welding expert of the group. This should be fun... =D

I ain't too proud to brag =p

I built the entire cage in my race car almost completely by myself. But I don't think I'm as proud of that as I am with this.



This retarded thing is just one 3' piece of angle iron, two 3' x 1.25" strips of steel plate, two eye bolts, and two lawn mower wheels. I cut the angle iron into two big and two small pieces and welded them in an arch like so. I cut a foot off each of the plates and welded them perpendicular. I took the remaining foot long pieces of plate, cut those in half for four, 6" pieces for legs and welded them on. Drill holes, run a bolt for the wheels, and weld the eye bolts (minus the bolt part) on the end.

For $30 and about 3hrs of time, I made my own canoe cart!

I can't explain how chuffed I am about it. Forget saving on the $100-$125 store bought carts, this thing is just perfect. It's only 2' x 2' x 2', so I can stash it anywhere. It's maybe 15lbs, so it's easy to tote around. But the best thing, it works as if I knew what the hell I was doing. I don't even need the eye bolts, which I put on as a tie down. I just set the kayak on top of it and it slides right into place, pinching the sides and holding it fast.

I'm back on IR after tearing up my rotator toting the kayak the mile to the pond and back. Now, in no time at all, I can have it on my new cart and it's so easy to move my 5yr old can tote it around the yard no problem.

Seriously, for the vocational skills I know, welding is tops by far. It is something every man should know how to do. There's is simply no end to the things you can do with a little metal knowledge =D

Quote: Face

Seriously, for the vocational skills I know, welding is tops by far. It is something every man should know how to do. There's is simply no end to the things you can do with a little metal knowledge =D

Hmmm, I need to make something like this for a chicken coop.

Yes, welding is one of the best tech skills you can have, why I took one class and need to remember to take the 102 class then get my cert. You are right, all men really need to learn this and for that matter some other tech skills. And know what? I don't care if that sounds sexist. As a guy there are things you need to learn and get done, we used to teach that but don't anymore.

Quote: AZDuffman

Hmmm, I need to make something like this for a chicken coop.

Yes, welding is one of the best tech skills you can have, why I took one class and need to remember to take the 102 class then get my cert.

This was done with just a simple $300 220v stick welder. A 120v would've been fine, too (I only turned it up to 90v). Stick is sort of messy and crude, but it's simple, cheap, and gets the job done.

With a wire feed MIG, you can do just about anything. And after you figure out the proper voltage and amount of gas to use for your application, it really is as easy as drawing with a pencil.

Quote: Face

Stick is sort of messy and crude, but it's simple, cheap, and gets the job done.

With a wire feed MIG, you can do just about anything. And after you figure out the proper voltage and amount of gas to use for your application, it really is as easy as drawing with a pencil.

I took my first class in stick and if I had to buy for use in the home I would buy a MIG until I learn TIG that is. You are right in that stick is cheaper, mainly because you do not need to buy gas. It is great for heavier stuff like welding a car frame but for fine work it is not good.

I keep thinking my next house will be on a busier back road and I will put out a sign "Small Items Sandblasted and Welded" as a side hustle.

Quote: AZDuffman

I took my first class in stick and if I had to buy for use in the home I would buy a MIG until I learn TIG that is. You are right in that stick is cheaper, mainly because you do not need to buy gas. It is great for heavier stuff like welding a car frame but for fine work it is not good.

I keep thinking my next house will be on a busier back road and I will put out a sign "Small Items Sandblasted and Welded" as a side hustle.

Not just cheaper because of gas, cheaper because of the machine. A MIG with the same quality and voltage as my $300 stick runs about $1,800. Of course, you could just buy used. I had a guy try to unload one on me for $800. Had I not blown $2k on my car, I'd have snapped it right up.

I can't stop thinking, either. You see my car trailer in my Racing thread? That ain't nothing but boxed tube and diamond plate. All simple angles, all simple joints. The tongue, axles and fenders can be acquired at Tractor Supply easily enough. And new? That simple, bare bones trailer goes for $2,100. I could slap one together in a week no problem, even faster if I took the time to make up a jig for it.

I'm to the point I can wait to break something, just so I can weld it back up. Fortunately, racing starts in 5 days, so I should have lots to make whole again =)

Quote: Face

I can't stop thinking, either. You see my car trailer in my Racing thread? That ain't nothing but boxed tube and diamond plate. All simple angles, all simple joints. The tongue, axles and fenders can be acquired at Tractor Supply easily enough. And new? That simple, bare bones trailer goes for $2,100. I could slap one together in a week no problem, even faster if I took the time to make up a jig for it.

Little side business, make a trailer and sell it, then repeat. There is a market for them utility trailers. Even more if you could find somehow to get perm tags from some small state out west.