Wow! Just used my two most trusted job-crawlers, and yes, there's not much al work in MN. What I saw was either entry-level or straight production, meaning low wages. The only one I'd consider was in Green Bay, WI, and it didn't post a wage. The skills it asked for suggested low-mid $20s, but I nev...

Ya i have never even used a spool gun only tig. Ifs its aluminum the only way to weld it in my opinion is tig.I would love to work with you, looks like a blast. My home shop is more for helping buddies and stuff never tried to make a lot of money from it, that's kinda what my day welding job is for...

I haven't had time to learn the Dynasty. The one drawback for me is not having an option for continuous high freq. which is a biggie on anodized. Iam the only welder where I work now so the lesson on the new machine ends up being more time than just adapting what I am used to, I have siamesed togeth...

That's because a lot of people are getting away with squirting general stuff with a spool gun. But once the high end areas find out you exist, the ante moves up. Marine, Auto/cycle racing and air craft, which end up being the elite side of the process. Here is an example. And this is a rush job. I w...

Yes I do relieve stresses in various ways and also employ heat sinks at times. I do have hammers, shrinkers, slappers and dollies. Sometimes, I will fill these cavities part way with water to act as a sink, or to use the steam as an indicator of when to give something a rest or a slower cure. I have...

Another nice piece of craftsmanship from you Jeff. You make me want to get back into welding aluminum at my old job doing prototyping. Recently switch to welding stainless, nickel and titanium pipe production and its boring LOL. Thank you. AJ. The world is held together by a lot of aluminum these d...

I thought it was just me with liking the aircrafter, but after a brief search on the web, I came across quite a few seasoned welders that also claim it to be a fine piece of equipment even by today's standards. It's a beast tho. I think it weighs over 700#'! After welding on a SW, you might be tempt...

I knew there was a reason I could relate to your field of work in your previous threads. It's gotta be the coffee and the cigs. Those were the two most important tools in my shop. The coffee pot still is, but I gave up smoking last Feb after 35 years of it, which is a shame really, because it went w...

And yes, it is fun. This is sort of what I was alluding to in the starting business thread. I usually have to pass a lot of this type of work up otherwise, that would be profitable for a small op. Some of the fun with prints is having to prove them after being submitted. I have a stack of them from ...

Mainly cost and having to have it right then and it was on an older saltwater boat. We don't keep much stainless on hand. I think the alloy is 5052. Not positive about that but we had a bunch of that designation so I am guessing this is likely a drop from some of that. The part ought to last a few y...

They do make replacements in cast to boot. I don't recall the company but maybe can find out for you? It would save a lot of shaping perhaps. Typically I use what is on hand because these jobs are usually unexpected and for the sake of turn around time. You know how that goes.

Look at this owwie! Things start getting precarious once you start getting near the actual gear case, where the often 'thin' casting is under a lot of tension. Anyone who has welded cast aluminum will know all too well that sound of the dreaded "TINK", after the weld has been completed. Th...

In a different material. This is to show a little about something other than the obvious and something I find a lot of welders don't really think about outside of novelty applications. That would be annealing and shaping aluminum. I have to use it a lot in my field. Here is the part. It's for a mari...

That thing is pretty old than, can you still find them? Yes. I just saw one for sale at a local welding supply place for 600.00 with Bernard cooler, torch and regulator. I was tempted. Their only issue is with the circuit board with the gas or high freq relay, which last time I bought one was over ...

ajlskater1 wrote:Never used a aircrafter. Are they older than the syncrowave?

Yes. I think they were the machine between the ABP and the syncrowave. I may be dreaming this, but I swear that I heard or read that Miller designed the Aircrafter specifically for Boeing.

That's a neat trick. I can see why you enjoy your work.

I didn't start taking pictures until about 6 years ago when I realized I had no portfolio of my work. It's a good thing too, being as my boss always needs to reference them to show customers. I still don't know the camera settings much beyond Auto.

That's awesome.

That's true about more experience not necessarily being better cause I have seen that a bunch as well, just had really bad luck with kids straight out of school as well. I agree with you on this point as well, especially within the last 10 years or so and it seems to coincide with the attendance le...

That's wicked. That small amount of metal is probably more expensive than it's weight in gold by now. What would be the full benefit of a backer in such a situation in the event you had to use one? Admittedly, only time I ever used them was for certain open root joints in school but then we washed t...

LOL. . .it was probably me posting too many pictures. I asked here in advance if it was an issue. I just know when I have been on other forums over the years, I was always glad to see pictures in topics in order to save a thousand words.

I went to welding school for 18 months. I burned rod 5 out of 6 hrs every day, plus an extensive blue print and math for welders course that was put out by Hobart. The machines were all old Hobart rigs. When I went for my first job interview out of school, I not only passed their test, but beat the ...

Looks like it should work to me. It looks to be principled after a Hossfeld, which in spite of it's manual operation, is one of the handiest benders I have ever used.

If your machine has a remote function, might as well take advantage of it. Doesn't mean you have to use a pedal. This is even more convenient than scratch start, just for not having to mind the gas alone. This is a switch from miller, but a micro snap switch from radio shack would work as well. The ...

That's how I came upon this forum as well. From liking the approach to the videos. A couple reasons actually. One was where in one of the videos telling how you cannot talk to your wife or gfriend about welding. lol The other is where he uses the term, "fusion welding." I have been 'correc...