Welding Tips and Tricks

I may be the only one here that is bugged by this, but this video is a good example of why we need engineers. When Jody was cutting out the large radius he cut out a semi circle. He forgot about the difference in tangent points between the large circle and the small one.

When it’s done, to me it will look like Fido’s butt. Will it do the job? Yes for sure. But it will look bad.

If it had been laid out in a cad program or the old fashioned way with pencil and paper it would come out looking much better.

I noticed that as well but I also noticed it looked like he was using drops of material. The compressor looks dated. Perhaps the cost prohibited cutting into a larger piece, or purchasing material for the job.

Hey,

In the long discription of the video, Jody says that he would have done exactly what you are saying but it was a job that had to be done and looks really didnt matter.


The answers to a lot of questions can be found if one searches a little harder or re examines the information on hand.

Mick

TamJeff wrote:I noticed that as well but I also noticed it looked like he was using drops of material. The compressor looks dated. Perhaps the cost prohibited cutting into a larger piece, or purchasing material for the job.

There was enought material left at the top of the arc that he could have brought it around some, maybe not to the tangent points. but enought to make it look better.

Hey,

Read my comment it explains it......

Mick

Sometimes, it has to be perfect.

Sometimes, "Down 'n Dirty" will do the job with a lot less time and fuss.

Steve S

OMG, This reminds me of the time I misspelled the word hobbyist and some guy who had a pet peeve for misspelled words ranted on me.
I am not a cad user... its on my list of new things to learn. I did make this thing out of leftover drops but yes I did have enough material to do it right had I slowed down to really think it over. Once the mistake was made, it just was not worth going back to fix to make the curves run smooth. I am a busy guy and the belt guard really is good enough. I finished it today and bolted it on the compressor and looks ok from my house.

jody

frederick flintstone wrote:There was enought material left at the top of the arc that he could have brought it around some, maybe not to the tangent points. but enought to make it look better.

I could still see where to cheat that some before it's welded. I get what you are saying, though. I built a project recently where I had to put a visible butt seam in a pipe on a project I posted on this forum. I cut the rings to tight size for the initial fit up and knew to take a 1/4" off of each piece for a nicer fit and leave a 1/4" gap for a flush weld. It was a pain in the ass curving those pipes exact. So I cut one side and the phone rings. Nobody answers it. So I stop what I am doing to play secretary, come back and cut another 1/4" off of the same piece I already cut. Now my joint was off center like a rookie. I wasn't about to form another piece. Prototype error as far as I am concerned by now. Nobody said anything at any rate.

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey,

Read my comment it explains it......

Mick

FWIW I read all of the email that Jodi sends out, then I watch the video.
when I go to the video page there are a bunch of adds blocking the text, so I dont read them.

Hey,

Grammar Nazis and now belt guard nazis..... I like things to be right but don't go second guessing and contradicting the guy who made the video. It works and is only hiding out the back, so deal with it.... If it was wrong, yeah speak up, but it really really doesnt matter, so just deal with it.

And as Jody said, it looks good from his house....

Mick

Holy Jebus!

Does it do the job? yes/no
Does it hold up? yes/no

I'm assuming it's a non-paying shop project so some OHSA nazi doesn't come after you and fine you more than Goldman Sachs trying to make up the deficit on the back of the small business owner. You've never done those before?
S/F....Ken M

I have an older rebuilt speed-air compressor with no belt guard. The plastic factory one is double ugly and 'had' belt/wheel wear-thru's in a couple spots. I was initially jealous that the one in the video was getting a new one. I really wasn't expecting fabrication tips when I joined on this site anyway. I thought the tacking/fit up process went particularly well and straight forward and basically underlined the video's intentions well enough.

Even if he had done a full layout, someone would have found issue with not making the side band out of one piece and before you know it, the part ends up being worth as much or more than what it goes on. Something along the lines of lipstick on a pig or something, which occurs to most fabricators on any given day.

Psshh... As long as it gets the job done, who cares? And it ain't like welders or boilermakers need to know how to use that incredibly user unfriendly program...