[TheForge] autodarkening SHIELD! really

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

Thanks for your responses Dave;

Dave Mudge wrote:
> Peter,
> To answer #1
> The newer (good) shields start around $200 and quickly go up from there.
> Personally I can not afford to bounce a $200 shield across the floor.
Me neither. I take it that the new ones can't take it.
The old one really has survived remarkably well.
It's way too late to expect myself to become less fumble fingered...and, 
the way i tell when i need a haircut,is when i nod my head and the 
shield slips off and falls scattering the welding setup and then onto 
the floor.
It's a reliable method.
> 
> #2,
> How hot (in amps) are you welding and for what period of time?
> Exactly what are you welding?
> In the machine / fabrication shop where I work we have a full time
> welder (8 hrs. a day)
> and the other 3 of us weld periodically. The point is that we do
> full-time welding and don't use a water cooled machine.
> Unless you are doing some really heavy material with a lot of amps for
> long periods of time,
> I don't think that you need water cooled equipment.
Excellent.
I do a wide variety of welding in a range of materials and sizes..all of 
them ineptly. Tig welding thicker copper/bronze and MIG welding multiple 
1/2" x12" x 2 1/2' steel plates together, for architectural timber 
brackets is pretty much the heavy end,
  thus far.
The 300+ amp, air cooled MIG guns look awfully big and awkward.
Can i just use faucet water ( it's OK, i'm the water department) for the 
infrequent occasions when i do need to go water cooled?  pf
> dave m
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> On Sun, Mar 8, 2009 at 12:40 AM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer
> <artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:
>>
>> 2 Questions please;
>>
>> 1. I've an older ( 2nd replacement) Selstrom Phantom Lite autodarkening
>> cartridge ( with adjustable shade and sensitivity) installed in a beat
>> up , even older 4" x 5" (?) large window shield. I think the suspension
>> is the third replacement. With some aluminum foil duct tape i can paste
>> it back together again. I tend to bounce them across the shop floor
>> every now and then.
>> So i've been thinking that the newer one's must be a lot better by now.
>> I've noticed that the large window style that i prefer isn't common. And
>> i've read complaints about the durability of some models. Also seen
>> advertised claims that the design minimized fume intake and weight and
>> maximized comfort. Rather skip the logos and decals.
>> What i have works passably. Is it worth replacing?
>>
>> 2. Now that i have more welding amps available, the unfamiliar territory
>> of water cooled torches looms in the future.
>> The prices for off the shelf, purpose made, cooling units seems larger
>> than it should be to my uneducated eye.
>> All that seems to be required is a motor, pump, tank, radiator and
>> pressure relief valve..and maybe a filter.
>> Is there a reason i can't fake one up?
>> Thanks for letting me exploit your considerable cumulative experience!..pf
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