Hey Mike, I would say it is as much an attitude of, "We have never used one in the past, why start now?", type of thing. As we get older it is definitely harder to change especially when something works as well as it obviously does for your shop. For me, I love the pedal for bench work and...

Here is a project I thought I would do just to test my tig welding abilities. I realize this probably means nothing in the grand scheme of things, but I wanted to see how I would perform in a makeshift 3G test. The perimeters are: (2) 1/4" plates 3" wide by 12" long. They were gapped ...

Thanks for all the info guys. This is exactly why I joined this forum. Excellent information and well put.

I'll be on the lookout for -9 flex head water cooled torch. I'll be on the lookout for the components to build a cooler too.


Thanks again,

Jason

Thanks for the reply. Do you have a brand you would recommend? Should I go with the Lincoln specific torch or any flex head? I will be buying online because I live far enough away from a decent shop it's just not feasible to go test any out.

Thanks again,

Jason

Hey, I'm looking to upgrade my 9 series torch on my Lincoln Square Wave 175. I did some 3g practice welding and about burnt my hand off. I realize this machine isn't a production style welder, but I would like to upgrade to a better torch (especially 25' from the 12' now) and then possibly use this ...

Hey, Lets not forget about a side business. Its more like what i was getting at. Chop saw stick welder in your garage away from your "normal work" could make a little money on the side. I agree, though, if you are going to go full on weld fab shop/contractor there is not a lot of room for...

I would like to see the responses to this. I work for a pipeline company (not welding) but would like to test the waters on a side business in the not so distant future. I'm hoping to amass most of the tooling I need to get started while working at my real job. Maybe it's a dream, but I would like t...

This isn't flexible but it does the same type of thing. You can buy these, but being a fabricator it seems easier just to make and you can make it fit what you need. Hopefully it is ok to post a link to another welding forum. http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=48154 This isn't my thread on weldi...

I realize this is a really old thread, but I thougtht I could add something useful for someone looking at this in the future. I'm no expert by any stretch, but I have found that amperage is only relevant to the machine your working with. I had a Miller trailblazer that would weld like a dream at a c...

Just starting out with MIG and I have a question about welding up a rectangular frame out of 2" square tubing. I've seen guys on youtube tacking up the entire frame using jigs and whatnot, then welding the entire joint after all is tacked. I'm wondering if it is best to do the same... tack eve...

Hey, I Find that they are an easy way to be sure of your gas flow. Because all gauges are different and read differently . Especially if they are old, worn. Some times a lot of people just turn the gas on and fiddle with the adjustments untill they get a decent weld . Not a great way to do it if yo...

Nice job, I like that design. I may have to use your design for a gate I'm considering installing on my driveway. I will probably use 2 gates and would like to have openers on them. Do you have any idea of the weight of the completed gate?

Thanks,

Jason

Hey Heres a link for a flow meter/gas checker. It says for mig but they work for tig too. http://weldingdirect.com/gasflowchecker.html Mick Thanks Mick. I was not aware of a tool like that. I will order one next time I order consumables. I just realized that my gauge was a pressue flow gauge. I hav...

That looks good! You should clearcoat it at least, even if its just a can of spray-on lacquer. Thanks. I agree with you. I'll probably clearcoat with laquer. I thought I had some clear powder, but I was mistaking. By the time I get some here and try to powdercoat, I think I'll be out of time. Thank...

I have to cap tubes like that often as well. Usually, the standard hole cutter sizes aren't the same and I end up cutting some on the band saw. I guess I should be glad I get to use aluminum. One of my next projects is to make a stand for my 4"X6" bandsaw and make a table to use it vertic...

looks good! And it's probably nothing that they ever expected to get,which makes it an even better gift. Making the end caps is the most tedious part for me , too. A drill press and hole saws work good, but it takes time, a lot of cutting fluid and you have to flip the piece over or it gets jammed ...

If they don't absolutely love that, I'd suggest coal for next year's stockings! That's a lot of work, and it looks great even before paint. Thanks Steve. I just got the thing painted today and I'll take a final pic of it tomorrow. Your right, they better love it. Ha ha, just kidding. I have way mor...

Hey All, I'm thinking of building a cart for my Lincoln Square Wave 175, Miller Spectrum 375 and my O/A setup with a hose reel. My question is other than it being a large heavy cart that will require the appropriate casters, is there any reason not to do this? The reason I'm asking is because I have...

Here is my last Christmas present post. I also made this for my brother-in-law who sells the steel. I thought he would really like it sitting on his countertop at work. To me, it seemed like a good idea to display some of what he sells in a creative way. I wish my welds were a little more presentabl...

Thanks for the compliments. I was gonna try to bend the "S" out of a single piece, but I had a messed up piece from a previous project so I just made another 90 degree bend on my JD2 bender (using my new stand from my earlier posts) and then welded the 2 pieces together forming the "S...

Here is a Christmas present I'm making for my sister and her family. The letters are 1" round tubing and the horizontal and vertical pieces are 2" x 2" square tubing. Nothing special, but I think they will like it. My brother-in-law sells new steel so he will like something made from ...

That is awesome. Unbelievable craftsmanship.

Thanks,

Jason

Craig,

Yours is looking good. I didn't have the patience to build my own bender.

What dies are you using? The dies for the JD2 are anywhere from $135 for a 1/2" small radius to $405 for the largest 2" die.

Thanks,

Jason

Here's a crappy video of the bender in action. I'm bending 1" 0.083 wall ERW tubing. It bends about 45-60 degrees per pass. It takes about 3.5 full extensions of the ram to make a 180 degree bend. It's probably a little faster than doing it manually, but it is way easier and much more accurate ...

I'm not even getting the stack part yet. It's more like a pocket full of change. And lint, a button, and maybe a Werthers Original.

Thanks,

Jason