Welding Tips and Tricks

Well, as we we're heading off to a field with a tractor, the engine started knocking.

It was about 2 miles from home.
The engine has to be running for the steering to work. So we couldn't tow it.


Anyway, we busted out our 40 foot tandem duels gooseneck trailer, and our new 10,000lb winch, and a big loader battery.

Used two triangle shaped pieces of 1/2" steel.

Enjoy the pics.....







































































She made it home safe, we chained the tractor to a tree, pulled forward a little, then let her down with the winch.

A success.

Thanks for watching.

~John

Job well done. And you certainly live in some beautiful country. Wow!

LDB

Some jackass with Alaska plates cut me off just this morning. These pictures prove it wasn't you...

I agree, nicely done. A creative solution, a fast solution, and some very nice 7018 work as usual. Who's the bearded gentleman? Family, friend, co-worker?

You might be surprised how many Alaska plates I see in south Louisiana. I missed an opportunity because I didn't have my camera, but I saw a pickup with AK plates parked next to an SUV with Hawaii plates in Covington, LA. I'm guessing that's one tough SUV, to make the drive from HI...

Steve S

ak
how many passes did you make on those
beautiful welds?
craig

motox wrote:ak
how many passes did you make on those
beautiful welds?
craig

Just as many as you see in the pics.

John
Great job - as usual!
Thanks for sharing the pics

Trev

At picture 5 and 6, why do you weld in two different directions? Is it to avoid distortion or something?
I'm going to alaska sometime, looks beautiful!
Great work:)

Kentweld wrote:At picture 5 and 6, why do you weld in two different directions? Is it to avoid distortion or something?
...

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that he simply ran out of electrode, and just started again from the other end so as to finish over the top of the previous weld. John will come back with the real reason though.
Trev

TRACKRANGER wrote:

Kentweld wrote:At picture 5 and 6, why do you weld in two different directions? Is it to avoid distortion or something?
...

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that he simply ran out of electrode, and just started again from the other end so as to finish over the top of the previous weld. John will come back with the real reason though.
Trev

Easier to start on the end and weld to the middle, then restart in the middle.

Yep, I agree. Good thinking!

I love it! The old shop, operated by the old man, who does all and knows it all! AND!! I bet that shop owner can pinpoint some obscure part that he set down in a particular place five years ago …. Because the man knows his space! Great welds, great work. Problem solving, what the USA is all about!

Nice welds!

You make every job look like an adventure, John, set against picture postcard scenery.

Awesome.


Kym

He does that on purpose you know. That way people see the snow topped mountain and say oh my what a great weld.

Cant wait for his winter work photos, average high temp 18C over summer.
Bugger that.

Otto Nobedder wrote:Some jackass with Alaska plates cut me off just this morning. These pictures prove it wasn't you...

I agree, nicely done. A creative solution, a fast solution, and some very nice 7018 work as usual. Who's the bearded gentleman? Family, friend, co-worker?

Steve S

Thanks,
And per your question on the bearded guy, I guess you could say a little of each.

~John

Hollywood1 wrote:Nice welds!

Thanks man.

MosquitoMoto wrote:You make every job look like an adventure, John, set against picture postcard scenery.

Awesome.

Kym

My pleasure, as well as any viewers, if they feel so inclined.

Coldman wrote:He does that on purpose you know. That way people see the snow topped mountain and say oh my what a great weld.

That's funny bro.

ex framie wrote:Cant wait for his winter work photos, average high temp 18C over summer.
Bugger that.

Yup.

Boomer63 wrote:I love it! The old shop, operated by the old man, who does all and knows it all! AND!! I bet that shop owner can pinpoint some obscure part that he set down in a particular place five years ago …. Because the man knows his space! Great welds, great work. Problem solving, what the USA is all about!

Thanks for the enthusiasm.

TRACKRANGER wrote:

Kentweld wrote:At picture 5 and 6, why do you weld in two different directions? Is it to avoid distortion or something?
...

My guess (and it's only a guess) is that he simply ran out of electrode, and just started again from the other end so as to finish over the top of the previous weld. John will come back with the real reason though.


Trev

An engineer, a doctor, and a lawyer out hunting got caught in bad weather. They came upon a cabin, finding it unlocked they went inside to wait out the storm.The wood stove they found was built up 3' above the floor. They discussed among themselves why it might be so. The doctor felt it was better for one's back to not bend over to put wood in. The engineer felt it maximized the efficiency, sleeping in the loft, it wouldn't need wood all night. The lawyer felt it was for safety, out of reach of small children, or above propane fumes in a lamp leak.

The owner arrived home, after explaining their predicament, they asked about the stove.

"Ran out of stove pipe" was his response.

Nice welding. I hope to keep practicing enough to someday lay down beads like those. I do have a question/comment.

Why not center mount the winch or do you intend to always use a snatch block?

The older gentleman appears to be trying to feed the line onto the spool as you're pulling the tractor onto the trailer. I assume you're aware of the energy that builds into the cable as it tightens. I've seen these lines snap and literally split hoods and roofs of vehicles. It would be well worth you or your friends life to place a coat or blanket over the cables, in the center, to absorb the energy if the lines break. Your other option is to replace the steel line with synthetic rope.

ttreb4 wrote:Nice welding. I hope to keep practicing enough to someday lay down beads like those. I do have a question/comment.

Why not center mount the winch or do you intend to always use a snatch block?

The older gentleman appears to be trying to feed the line onto the spool as you're pulling the tractor onto the trailer. I assume you're aware of the energy that builds into the cable as it tightens. I've seen these lines snap and literally split hoods and roofs of vehicles. It would be well worth you or your friends life to place a coat or blanket over the cables, in the center, to absorb the energy if the lines break. Your other option is to replace the steel line with synthetic rope.

We use a snatch block all the time.

Bought this bus at an action 50 miles from home.
Hauled it.

That winch sure is handy.
And for the guy that asked, it layers great.
I had all the cable spooled out.
It coiled up all by itself.

Are you starting a school, or is it a hay hauler? I'm pleased to see it's a diesel. I have a 427 tall block in a C65. The gas engine could do with more power, and it's expensive to run. Perhaps in Alaska diesels are hard starting, You'd prefer gas. 427 starts on third revolution at 0 F

You'd be in good company in Mount Tabor right now. The Rainbow Family of Living Light is here. Old school busses seem to be the preferred form of transportation. Clean out the cellar, all the part cans of paint must be thrown on the buss before they will like it. Numbers expected to reach over 10,000 hippies by the 30th. Quite too many for a town of 200 residents!

Willie

You see I'm an electrician, I misspelled bus.

Bill Beauregard wrote:Are you starting a school, or is it a hay hauler? I'm pleased to see it's a diesel. I have a 427 tall block in a C65. The gas engine could do with more power, and it's expensive to run. Perhaps in Alaska diesels are hard starting, You'd prefer gas. 427 starts on third revolution at 0 F

You'd be in good company in Mount Tabor right now. The Rainbow Family of Living Light is here. Old school busses seem to be the preferred form of transportation. Clean out the cellar, all the part cans of paint must be thrown on the buss before they will like it. Numbers expected to reach over 10,000 hippies by the 30th. Quite too many for a town of 200 residents!

Willie

It's actually insulated and wired with a generator (6.5kw Honda). Shower stall too

350v8 gas, allison auto C60

Couldn't get it running to drive it on the trailer, so we brought the winch.

Nice photo set as always John despite the weather looking like ours & we should be right into hay at the moment !so you planning on living in the bus like Parker Schnabel ?

@ Bill - is it me or did anyone else think of CW McCall crispy critters ?


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Noddy that's just what I needed to hear today! Well Done!