Welders? Any welders on this site?

[Cobleskill]

Stick is worth learning. Keep watching C.L. and Marketplace for a good cheap AC DC machine, or just an AC. Cheap and you can do heavy stuff.

It takes a bit longer to learn than mig. Vids will be a good tool. And the peanut gallery critiquing you will help also. Welding is fun. Funny how few people can do it. My dad took a night course and could get by on the farm with that bit of training. Later he had me do it. I took a year of half a day training in high school. Great way to get out of the classroom for half a day and actually learn something useful.

 

[Tree09]

It's not rocket surgery, hell even i do it welded some steam lines, then a water line, then a fuel line today, all stick. I learned mig first but stick is where it's at. All positions, all non rain weather anywhere, in the wind and mud and water (dc only, you'll get zapped but you usually don't die where ac will simply kill you). Just smack it with a hammer to knock the loose rust off, hit it with a wire wheel or grinder a bit then light er up. It's just as fast as mig is until you get over 250 to 300 amps, and you can change what you're doing by simply grabbing a different rod. Rods for open joints, low hydrogen rods, smaller rods to run hotter without adjusting your heat, different metals, all ready to go in an instant. Mig has it's place, I've welded more mig than any other process working production and fab shots, but for fixing stuff and working on trucks, trailers, and equipment stick is gonna be what you want.


That said they're screaming for mig hands around here in the factories and shops, starting pay is just under 25 an hour for most places, with likely as much overtime as you wanted. The bigger factories even train you first, so you can literally go in knowing nothing making over 20 an hour right out the gate. Not great money but not bad starting out, especially if you count the learning to mig weld for real as part of it. I took night classes at the local community college when i started, but with welding most of what you learn is by doing it and then fixing your mistakes as you go.

So post pics of your efforts, and we'll do our best to help get you dialed in, because when it comes down to it i can teach you all the physics and theory, the rod angles and the like, but then you gotta go do it and that's where you actually learn it. You can also learn a ton by watching YouTube videos where they show a filtered arc shot so it's just like a hood. Watch the rod angles, the manipulation of the puddle with the rod or gun, the travel speed, how big the loops or steps are, what the different parts of the puddle look like.... When i started running pipeline i worked as a helper, which means no welding just running the grinders, dragging the tools around, handing the welder rods, and adjusting his heat as he welds. I wore a flip front welding hood for a grinder shield, and watched the welder weld as much as i could. Even though i had been welding xray pipe in all processes for over a decade i still learned an absolute ton by watching other welders. Welding is probably 60 percent simply setting the machine correctly to make it do what you want, 20 percent skill and knowledge, and 20 percent wilfully suffering from the sparks and being in an awkward position and holding steady.

 

[SeanKroll]

Link good videos, here, ok?

 

[flushcut]

Sure! More content the better.

 

[flushcut]

His guy has a lot of good info.

 

[flushcut]

 

[greengreer]

Finally wrapped up my winch project.
Cut one off a bandit and modified it to work.




Also built the rake/scoop rack out of some scrap and mounted some d-rings & angle to hook ramps into to load the dingo in the f-550. One man band or just the wife helping lately so having everything in one truck is paramount.

 

[pigwot]

Another project for Kyle. I think this is the same fellow, who would like us to take his tree down in exchange for the very valuable, walnut log. 🤣😂

 

[flushcut]

She’s a cream puff!

 

[BlackSmith]

Is that the walnut tree growing up through the welder?

 

[Dave Shepard]

I'm currently working on a welding project. Details at eleven! (Hopefully earlier).

 

[Dave Shepard]

Finished. Took the best bits of a pos splitter with a seized engine and made it tractor powered and mounted. Design inspired by junk at hand.

 

[flushcut]

Junk at hand is very inspiring.
Nice frankencobble!

 

[Dave Shepard]

Thanks. Going to add a table all the way around to catch the pieces that need resplitting.

 

[Tree09]

And a cup holder right? Lol

 

[flushcut]

It’s not legit unless it has a cup holder.

 

[Tree09]

Looks good man, i might be tempted to add a cheap hoist to pick those rounds up with. Put them on the table and roll them around rather than lifting them by hand.

 

[BlackSmith]

After all these years I just put an ATV winch on my splitter “boom”. Life is good.

 

[pigwot]

Looks ready to rock! Variable cycle time based on engine speed?

 

[pigwot]

Picked up a Hobart Stickmate LX two days ago. Fellow had it taking up space in his garage and rarely used it. I ordered Lenco panel socket and cable ends Dinse-style. Can’t stand a welder with short leads hard-wired into the box.

 

[Al Smith]

Much ado about log splitters like it's the Indy 500 or something .It doesn't have to be all pretty like it's going to a rod and custom show .It doesn't have to be lightning fast .Not everybody can cobble up one from piles of junk laying around .It takes a dumpster diver with an imagination--guilty as charged .Almost anything beats a wedge and sledge or an axe .Unless you stay 25 years old ,which you won't it gets harder as the years march on .You will tire out but that engine never gets tired ,doesn't needs a coffee break .It does need fuel and the oil changed every so often .A small price to pay .

 

[Dave Shepard]

Looks ready to rock! Variable cycle time based on engine speed?

I pretty much run wide open. It's fast, I'm using both backhoe pumps for a combined 19 and change gpms.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Beast

 

[BlackSmith]

“It doesn't have to be all pretty”

You don’t know how glad I am to read that.

 

[FireFighterZero]

That is an appropriate speed.

Not everyone is a retired geezer who likes to spend a half day with the splitter....