O.C.G.D. Thread, part two

[brendonv]

Picked up the last piece of the firewood puzzle today. Should go nice with the super splitter.

Have some odds and ends, belts, grease, couple pillow blocks, but overall not to shabby.

I wasn't power washing it, I swear.:what:

 

[sotc]

Nice score!

 

[canadiantreeman]

Cool, Brendon. You'll have to put up a pic or a vid of the whole rig in action.

My FIL just bought a barely used (original b&c) 460 with less than 20 hrs on it! Lucky bastid.

 

[brendonv]

Somehow this thing followed me home today. Gotta read up on the Tig books. I got tipped off about it from some one on a welding forum. Lightly used Miller Syncrowave 250 tig/arc. It was owned by an art school in NYC. Very seldom use. We wheeled it out of the school into my truck.

 

[SkwerI]

What a shame, Brendon. You should really donate that old POS back to the school.

 

[brendonv]

LOL, I know right. I only gave 1,000 for it. About the price you'd pay for a brand name 110volt mig.

I have a project coming up involving aluminum. I got prices of 15-1800. I said screw it, I've done a bunch of SS Tig one winter, and there is nothing wrong with learning and having a big assed welder in the end.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I don't know anything about that particular welder, but judging by all the gauges and switches, it's a good one. I payed over twice that for my Panasonic, and it can't do aluminum. What does a bottle of Argon gas run you over there? Here it's about a hundred bucks, the price having gone up. The gas outfits won't loan you the bottles anymore either, you have to buy one. They say the hard times compels it. Good luck with the welder!

 

[cybergeek23851]

Brendan, you practically stole that. That will be more machine than you'll probably ever need. Just remember, aluminum is a fickle bird to weld until you get past the learning curve of tigging it. Use your cleaning obsession to your advantage with your material preps... use a dedicated stainless brush and acetone to prepare and clean every joint.


The big kicker is, do you have enough electrical system to power it? I know you've redone all of the electrical at your place, I just didn't know if you went with a 200 or 400A service. The machine, if I am recalling the specs on the one at the school shop was on a 100A disconnect.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Hey Jason, long time no read!

 

[Husabud]

Brendon, I would have spent a G in NYC to get that as opposed to that EHAP tickler today. Awesome!

 

[rskybiz]

Very good score!

 

[Dave Shepard]

Very nice Brendon! Does it have the regulator and foot/thumb switch? My Miller needs 112 amps for full load, but I've never tripped the 50 amp breaker that I run it on. I like welding aluminum, so neat and clean, until you dip the tungsten into the puddle.

 

[brendonv]

Yep, regulator, foot pedal, and torch.

 

[cybergeek23851]

I like welding aluminum, so neat and clean, until you dip the tungsten into the puddle.

Ahhh thanks for the reminder, on Tungsten's, Dave. I know there are dedicated grinders available, but at the cost of a cheap bench grinder, why bother in a home shop? To sharpen them, dedicate one new wheel on a bench grinder for each type that you would be grinding(to keep from contaminating electrodes)...keep it simple, keep it down to 2 to 3 choices maximum for the typical home user. Straight (100%) Tungsten electrodes should be able to handle your aluminum (AC) operations, and 2% Thoriated (Red) works well for DC operations (or Thin Aluminum).

When I was sharpening 20-30 at the time, I found that using a cordless drill with a smooth trigger worked great to get a smooth, even taper on the tip. First, chuck the tungsten up in the the drill. Next, I would hold them against the tool rest vertically (parallel) to the edge of the wheel and slowly turn them on the low speed setting with the grinder running. With this you can go short, long, or anywhere in between, depending on the angle that you grind against the wheel.

 

[woodworkingboy]

They never said anything at the Panasonic welding school about contaminating tungsten. I don't imagine it would stay contaminated long.

 

[Dave Shepard]

I use 100% for Aluminum. I have 2% Thoriated, but have only done Al with my TIG. I just snap off the contaminated part with pliers and ball up the tungsten on a scrap of aluminum. For SS or plain steel, you need a point. Grinding marks must go toward the tip of the point, not around the circumference, or you will have arc wandering.

 

[brendonv]

FOR SALE: One well used New Tribe saddle, spurs included. I'm hanging them up in trade for three levers.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

DO WHAT!???

 

[Burnham]

Looks intriguing...newly yours, Brendon?

 

[brendonv]

Ya,

Giving it the once over with wax and cleaner, then hitting the trees.

 

[Burnham]

Congrats...better give us the whole story now .

 

[PCTREE]

What is the working height of that rig???? Ive never really got the whole bucket truck thing but maybe thats because I have never run one??? Since seeing the hypnotist Ive actually been digging climbing again, to me I dont see climbing being that hard on your body, its the ground work that kills ya IMO.

Educate me B

 

[bonner1040]

Thats a great looking truck Brendon, congratulations!

 

[sotc]

Sweet, congrats B!

 

[brendonv]

Thanks.

60' Paul.

Just tired of climbing every single tree. Whether it's to cut one branch, or many. I've got all the tools for my niche to make things move on the ground. It took two times working for a guy with the identical truck to make me a believer. They are tree wrecking machines, no bullshit.

Thats from a guy who said he'd never own a bucket truck. I was adamant about that too.