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Topic: Welding... (Read 11621 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Welding...

Reply #15
Good work, should pick up some very useful skills.
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Re: Welding...

Reply #16
Had a quick look at helmets and choice is enormous - don't mind spending a bit more on a good one, is there anything in particular I should be looking for when deciding?

Re: Welding...

Reply #17
I'm not a pro, but I just picked up a reactalite one, make sure it's got a sensitivity adjustment, as you don't want it darkening if you're working in a particularly light room.
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Re: Welding...

Reply #18
I got a generic £30 one off eBay. perfectly acceptable, and has auto dark. I just had to buy some new batteries, had been stashed in the garage for a few years with very little previous use since first getting it....


This kind of thing
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402732193275?hash=item5dc4b595fb:g:b1gAAOSwzylhA7Hn

I wanted the naked lady one but knowing I'd be out on the driveway I opted for just the carbon fibre look

Re: Welding...

Reply #19
Spot on, thanks.

Young fella's doing it with me (or am I doing it with him), so he's swotting up on all things welding.

As I'm forking out for the course fees, he's paying for his own gear, trouble is he's that tight I didn't want him settling on something unsuitable just because it was the cheapest he could find.

Re: Welding...

Reply #20
Well started last week, first night was as expected and a lot of talking about the weeks ahead, but this week they let us loose with Mig and stick welding.

One thing they have said is to think of a 'project' to complete over the term.

Apparently about £55.00 of the course fee was set aside for materials though I get the impression they'll not be too worried if you use more, within reason.

I was wracking my brains and eventually thought maybe an electric grinder pedestal (nothing too big, have to get it home after all) - saw this one on eBay, looks like someones own design / work but just what I'd imagined too. Even the grinder in his advert is the one I have so know it'll fit.



Anyone any other ideas?

 


Re: Welding...

Reply #21
I have to admit having something to do is my biggest issue. You learn by practice, but apart from running lines alone scrap metal I could never think of a project to do.

I did Google 'simple welding projects' and came across a few idea, even a couple of PDFs. One of the first things most people do is a trolley for their welder, but mine was a big one on wheels so that wasn't needed, the next seems to be a welding bench. And people like to add little brackets on the side to hold the torch etc or other nifty addons to make it special.

I think the stand you've put there would be a good idea, it has various joints, fillets and even some nuts/bolts welded on the side. It will need to be straight and true and well balanced so will be a good test of the fabrication accuracy as well as the welding skill. And is both quite simple, but also complicated enough - if you get what I mean.

Re: Welding...

Reply #22
It's a small'ish class, 8-10 people and I think about half of those seem to be reasonably accomplished welders already, just there to use the facilities.

Been some talk of welding tables etc. so thought there shouldn't be a problem with my much smaller stand getting the go ahead.

The rolley for a welder is a good one. Will definitely be getting one at some point, might be wiseto see what one we'd go for now so it'll suit.

Would be one for the son to do maybe, he's struggling to think of something too.




Re: Welding...

Reply #23
Just been having a look round t'internet for ideas.

I mechanics car creeper came up and I thought that was quite a good idea.
https://www.wcwelding.com/mechanics-creeper.html


One of the things I've thought of doing is a mover for my motorbike.



If you haven't already have a look on Mig Welding forum, there's a projects section https://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/forums/projects.18/ with lots of inspiration and on the whole as a forum most people are OK but they get a bit shirty if you ask the questions that have been asked a million times already - like what welder should I get?


Re: Welding...

Reply #24
I made up a nice set of axle stands about 30 odd years ago, scaffold pole centre and some solid bar, been using them ever since, I trust them more than Halfords crap, they could probably take 3 tonne on them, slight overkill lol.

Re: Welding...

Reply #25
There were mudflaps on the car from new, VW ones with those metal clamp affairs. Unfortunately that'd caused some localised corrosion to the rear edge of both rear arches.

My car has had VW flaps from new too.  They are a nice feature now if you still have them but the fixing is nasty.

To avoid that corrosion I flood the area with wax if I adjust the flaps.  Have done from new and that area has not rusted.

Re: Welding...

Reply #26
That is really great fabrication work. Half the battle (if not more).

I learnt initally from youtube videos but it wasn't until I had a mobile welder (andy classic and customs based in coventry but travels all over the country) who showed me how to set up my machine and actually weld that I had the confidence to work on the car.

I now do bits like you are doing but I leave work where it's on show - such as an arch - to Andy as haven't got the confidence yet.

Re: Welding...

Reply #27
One thing I keep meaning to make is a hose tidy to screw to the garage wall for all the car cleaning gear.
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Re: Welding...

Reply #28
At the moment it's really thick pieces of steel we're practising on, but there was a more regular car panel thickness piece in the 'junk' trolley that I had a go on... completely different ball game and not in a good way, looking forward to when we focus on that side of things.

Plenty of good ideas, and got my imagination working. Garage stuff is probably going to be the main source for projects.

One I had thought of was a rack or even individual hangars for spare wheels / winter tyres, to get them up out of the way. The free standing ones I have at the moment do the job, but they're quite unstable, I'm always bumping into them then having to grab the stack before it leans over and falls. 

Re: Welding...

Reply #29
Yes, thinner gauge steel is a lot tricker to get right and not blow through.

I really want to make a tyre rack too, we have so many kicking about, it'll be good to get them out the way.
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