[TheForge] Welding

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

Good advice Paul:
I'll add that this approach results in an industrial mindset which is 
efficient and structural.
It's a world of linear puddle pulling.
When it comes to arty stuff, some of those limits don't apply.
Many mistakes can be used as techniques later.

Paul N wrote:
> A lot of good advice has been offered. Let me tell my story:
> 
> This got a bit long, but e-mail is free :-)
> 
> About 1.5 years ago, I picked up a used Lincoln wirefeed welder at a 
> very reasonable price so I could repair my mower deck. It wasn't a 
> critical piece that would  be hazardous if the weld failed, so I wasn't 
> too concerned about the safety of the result.
> 
> After several attempts, I got a decent weld. (BTW, this part of the 
> process is where you get your "Master" certification with the 4 1/2" 
> angle grinder, as you grind out "bad" welds...)
> 
> I posted my "success" here, and Frosty provided one of his many pearls 
> of wisdom, and convinced me to take a welding class to I could be sure 
> to make safe, proper welds.
> 
> Well, I did. I've been back "at school" for a year now, and not only do 
> I love it, here are a few things I learned:
> 
> Safety:
> You can get a green cotton, fire resistant welding jacket for $12-15 
> dollars. I didn't think I needed one, but now have gotten so used to it, 
> I always use it. (As stated elsewhere, sparks fly everywhere. 
> Particularly with stick) As blacksmiths, we're used to this, but the 
> welding jacket is pretty convenient, and cheap.
> 
> Fumes:
> Be very careful here. As posted here, some residual deposits on metals 
> can give off toxic fumes. Some solvents can turn to things like phosgene 
> gas in the presence of UV light and quickly kill you in even minute amounts.
> 
> Vessels:
> This may be common sense, but residual deposits or vapors can go boom in 
> a hurry.
> 
> Now on to actual welding:
> I've learned that welding is a lot more than just sticking two pieces of 
> metal together. It required a lot of practice. The "Welding 101" class 
> cost me $200 (2 credit hrs), and I surely burned through more than $200 
> of steel and electrodes/rods before the end of the class. (The steel is 
> donated from local fab shops, so for the school, it was "free")
> 
> I learned the vocabulary, along with how to avoid undercut, porosity, 
> etc, the importance of the groove spacing for a groove weld, 
> penetration, proper mult-pass welds and more. So much so that I decided 
> that I'd go further with it.
> 
> I won't claim that WEL-101 made me a welder. But it did enlighten me 
> about what I didn't know. I've since taken classes covering MIG and TIG, 
> and while I don't know if I'll ever TIG anything outside of the 
> "classroom", the process has taught me a lot about arc control.
> 
> Since that first class, we've also done some destructive testing, which 
> also goes a long way to seeing what you're accomplishing (or not). Cut a 
> weld or two in a cross-section, grind and polish the surface so you can 
> see the penetration or lack thereof.
> 
> Anyway, I'm not saying you can't learn on your own. But you might find 
> it fun, enlightening, and even economical to take a class.
> 
> I guess I've rambled long enough. Anyway, that's a quick(?) summary of 
> my experience. So go ahead and play with it, be careful, and consider 
> getting some hands-on advice from someone that really knows how to do 
> this stuff.
> 
> **Paul
> 
> 
> toolgypsy eh wrote:
>> 1 buy a box of 6011 rod(6010 is dc only do not buy for an ac welder)
>>
>> 2 set your welder on 110 amps and forget about it for now,  and clamp your workclamp to a piece of 1/4 inch steel say 3in by 10
>>
>> 3try to start an arc by scratch or tapping,when the electrode sticks(and believe me it will stick)wag it back and forth to break it away.(do not try it with your gloved hand as the grounded rod will heat to red hot very quickly)when you get an arc going run a bead(remember to keep feeding the rod into the work as it is used up)
>> 4 do this till you can start an arc and run a bead quite easily(might be at this point after a 5 lb box  of rods if your a quick learner)
>> 5 dont worry about your bead appearance or rod sizes until your comfortable with starting and running a bead
>> 6 practice is the key ,you can read all about it later  but nothing will teach you to start and run a bead but hands on practice,practice ,practice(you get my drift eh)
>> 7 ps a self darkening helmet makes seeing to start a lot  easier
>> 8 make sure your covered up with fire resistant clothing as you can give bare skin a bad burn with over exposure to arc rays and do not breath the fumes
>> 9 watch for fires between beads as you will be amazed the way sparks can fly
>> 10 be careful out there and have FUN and like blacksmithing you will never know all there is to know about welding in this lifetime
>> Pat
>>
>>
>>  		 	   		  
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