Tacks are your friend. Use many and skip weld. Try to do only small area at a time then let it cool. You must limit your heat input but it's tricky under the best of conditions. Sounds like a cool project. Be sure to post pics. Before, during, and after are all cool to look at imho.
Cheers.
-Eldon

Can anyone here comment on welding after having LASIK performed? I've been considering it because trifocals are a giant pita..I'm wondering how well it works for the distances needed to see what you're welding. Thanks
-Eldon

I'd advise against welding in the rain just from the sheer unpleasantness, but the risk of cardiac arrest is, of course, an even better reason.

I used to have a cage around the exhaust pipe of the old Lincoln on my service truck. On large repairs I'd put several handfuls of rod in there and it would stay nice and toasty. Not sure it actually helped but it "seemed" to weld more crisply with less rod stickage. Then I got a new machi...

Thanks MinnesotaDave. I hadn't considered the hybrid solution. I think I shall commence sketching

I still do a fair bit of stick welding with 7018 but I must admit to not using proper rod storage. I only buy small packs at a time but a rod oven that uses no electricity would be nice. Has anyone ever thought of or done this? I see solar cookers all the time so the heat is there. Someone more clev...

I have an old electric chainsaw sharpener with a fairly fine wheel. Not sure the type of abrasive. I just chuck my tungsten in a drill and grind against the side of the saw sharpener wheel.. works ok for me.

Greetings. I just got a 280DX myself after extensive research. I considered the 200DX which would probably be adequate for my needs, but figured having a bit more on tap couldn't hurt. Also I believe that machines last longer when not operated near their max capacity. Good luck making your decision.

Welcome to the forums. Have you tried increasing your travel speed with the same settings? If you're getting sag, you may just be staying in one spot too long. Or not. Just a thought...

Welcome. Always good to see another person entering the welding profession.

Welcome to the forums. I used to get bored hard facing under scrapers so I'd write jokes just to see if anyone ever got under there and looked. Apparently they never did

Welcome to the forums. Always good to get more members

Owr wrote:I just like to take pictures of welds that are interesting to me. Sometimes you should just use stick for stainless:

Sounds like a good hobby. I'm always scrutinizing welds when out and about. Drives my friends nuts!

I'm a little skeptical of multi-machines myself. Still have bad memories of wasting money on an enduro back in the '80s. That said, My shop is quickly filling up and I must allow plenty of space around and between everything to be able to maneuver my chair. For a hobbyist it might do ok but right no...

I have too much time on my hands right now, which inevitably leads to looking at and drooling over stuff for my shop. I've been looking at the Smithy Granite 1324 3-in-1 combo lathe/mill/drill press. Do any of y'all have experience with these? If so I'd love to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly :?:

Greetings Drew. Glad you joined us.

Welcome RootRoot, and thank you for your service. Here you will find friendly folks with a vast collective pool of knowledge. Glad you're a member.
-Eldon

@sparkness
It's a bit of a read but that is a fascinating look inside the world of shielding gases. Thanks for sharing.

Looks like it oughta do the job just fine. I love it when old metal is given another life as some new project. Nice work.

I had '67 Firebird 400 with a spooled diff and I rebuilt the engine myself but was young and dumb and ignored the advice of the old timers who told me to go with a low end torque build. Went with a mid to high end cam which the Pontiac engines didn't like. It'd go like a stabbed rat but after about ...

Plus it just looks cool.

I'm sure it's just my eyes playing tricks, but in the first photo it looks a bit like a crack near the top of the vertical weld.

I didn't realize it when I ordered it, but it comes in a pack of 3

going stir crazy.

Cool. He is lucky to have such a neighbor.