[TheForge] RE: Welding

[Bob Ehrenberger]

While we are shairing our opinions about arc welding, I have one.  I have an
arc welder in my shop and couldn't do without it. It's great for fixing
broken farm equipment, building work tables, and fixtures to make my
blacksmithing easier.  But I try not to use it on the stuff that I sell.  On
that I use a lot of rivots, tennons, and collars and a few forge welds (I
still need work in that area). When biding a job I try to steer the customer
towards traditional jointery.  If they want it arc welded I try to hide the
welds so that you have to look for them to find them.  Maybe only other
blacksmiths will noitice the difference, but I try to make things the way I
like them.  It drives me crazy to see stuff that has been plasma cut and mig
welded passed off as iron work at the craft shows.  Money is tight, but if I
have to resort to making things I'm not proud of in order to make a living I
would rather go back to working in an office.  But I digress.

Bob Ehrenberger
Shelbyville, Mo