chadwarden, If you are using pure tungsten I would have to agree with your teacher. I weld Aluminum with thoriated tungsten and sharpen it to a point. That being said, I usually let the tungsten decide how sharp, meaning if the end doesn't split at whatever amps I'm welding I sharpen to a needle. If...

I think if I remember right @ 5 years old it might well have rested on my chin but not by design. LOL

Len

The only limits we have are the ones we put on ourself. I'm not sure what all tools you have to use, but you need to clean the rust off as well as possible. Rust and paint are some of your worst enemies while trying to weld steel. The rust may seem to melt into the weld but it actually becomes poros...

If we could all find that guy we would all be happy welders. Earlier when you said it rained then the sun shines and then rain again I thought we might be neighbors. Sounds a lot like Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Glad to see your welds are looking a little better.

Len

9weld6,

Can I ask what shielding gas you use. I'm trying to figure what different effects the shielding gas plays.

Len

Qwerty12,

Looks like by the time you're finished it will be made of more 6013 rod than Opal. Who knows, maybe you can start a car manufacturing plant using just your buzz box and a lot of 6013 rods.

Len

Jack, I know that neither Steve's or my post answered your question, but rather turned into commentary about a whole other issue. That said, I think it would bring out more people's ideas if they had say a specific joint or design to comment on. I'm thinking on the lines of somebody asking me where ...

I too still have the flip front Fibre-metal that I would guess was purchased sometime in the late sixties. I know it's that old because when I was 5 years old and trying to teach myself to weld in the basement I was using it. But my mother said "You're stinking up the house and running up the e...

Aleks86,

They both look well made and both great ideas. Good job. I would get more use out of the tool cart because I suck at fishing.

Len

qwerty12, My offer was not intended to insult your pride but was intended to applaud your intiative. You should know that the kids that I would give this same helmet to here could make enough money mowing their own yard to pay for it. I paid my 19 year old son (who doesn't live at home) yesterday $4...

qwerty12, I am not that firmiliar with international shipping, but if I can find a way to ship it to you, I have an auto darkening Harbor Freight helmet that I will send to you. It's new and I bought it on sale just for the neighbor kids to wear when they watch me work. I use the same one to weld at...

Qwerty12, One thing I can think of that might help you is if you can find an old piece of copper to hold behind where you are welding to stop the burn through. It would have to be fairly thick and I'm not sure how you can hold it there while you use a hand held shield. Another thing that might help ...

Seems like a fair price and a decent machine to me. I would opt for their better foot pedal and negotiate it into the delivered price (Made by SSC I believe). May add a 100 or more to the price but it will be worth it in the long run. My opinion only. Plenty of people on here with more experience wi...

Steve, You responded to the post about the propane tank sickening you. This conversation does the same to me. Each town used to have their own hanging tree and only one or no lawyers and we prospered. Now we've replaced one tree with a monster legal system and a person who tries to build something t...

I'll second Steve on the Wolverines. That said I am wearing a pair of 511 Tactical boots at work right now that are very light with a composite toe and shank (Sportsmans Guide). They slip on but are still fairly snug. I too stand on concrete all day. When I worked on the highway sawing concrete and ...

We used to keep the deterent for this type of problem in the middle of most towns, it was called a gallows. It made people think about what is was that they were about to do. As I said in my previous post, consequences. Gone.

Len

If your budget allows for that much money you should be able to find a imported inverter welder to do the task at hand. You can rent or lease most sizes of argon cylinders or you can buy up to an 80 cf cylinder for around $200 US. Refills in my area are around thirty dollars for an 80 cf and 55 for ...

Silentneko, There are quite a few people on this forum that recomend Everlast welders and I have found no reason to knock them. The price and waranty seem to be fair for the quality of their welders. Welding Aluminum requires a High Freq. start and A/C mode that most low end welders don't have. Weld...

Greg, You could build a small enclosure around it like you would for trash cans (Can't be sealed tight because of relief valve on tank). If you leave it hooked up all the time you can remove the handle so they can't shut it off, nobody wants a leaking tank of propane in their car or truck. Most tank...

I'm having no problems, so might be on your end or might be resolved. Working fine for me.
Len

There have been any number of alternative fuel gases used to cut steel. The key to cutting steel is the oxygen, the gas just gets it hot enough for it to oxidize the ferrite in it. Once the cutting starts you can shut off the gas and keep cutting as long as you can keep moving. I have cut steel with...

TamJeff, I truly enjoy seeing some the the projects that you make. People who have never built things out of tubing can't truly appreciate the skill that it takes to make all of the compound bends and the like and have them all line up. You are a true artist in this regard. All the shop jigs in the ...

Things that are zinc coated have trace amounts of it and also pigments from Asia in yellow, red ,and orange may have higher than normal amounts. I think that if your welding cast magnesium you would have the most to worry about, gearboxes and such, for it's used in those items to make the casting st...

Maybe try A98/C2 gas. Just a thought.
Len

CK 4 Series are also stubby gas lens for a #17 torch. I also use them quite often and mostly on a CK flexloc torch. Only set back I've encountered is the fact that you can't use a brand new stick of tungsten because it sticks out about an inch. As often as these old shakey hands touch the puddle wit...