Ok,ok, it’s far from perfect, but it was a rush job to change the baffles in a stainless exhaust for a customer. Normally, a simple enough job, cut open the end of the silencer, modify and re-weld. But - I’m unpacking all my kit after moving out to Madeira in Portugal, and I’m still setting up my wo...

Otto hit the nail squarely on the head... I'm out here now researching ( also it's classic car week - a nice diversion) It's peaceful, with lovely weather, nice people, and the house we have found is stunning ( complete with massive workshop!) I've found the main welding supplies place, and we will ...

Hi, I'm not sure if there is anyone here from Portugal ( preferably Madeira), but this could well test the forum to its limits! I'm thinking of emigrating from the UK to Madeira, and as I am going through the workshop kit I'd like to take, I find myself looking at my gas cylinders, wondering how muc...

Hi Johannes, I had the same query when I bought mine. Backup is everything with these. In the uk, we have the same "generic" Chinese ac/doc TIG welders that go for about £400, and I'm not so happy going with a machine that has no local support. i did find a few "branded" chinese ...

Yes, I agree. Normally, I'd grind out and weld back in - but it would be easier to re-fabricate. But in this case, the exhaust coupling isn't "lace curtains", it's serviceable - just very thin. So "buttering" the thinnest bits with bronze is a way I can thicken up the thin bits u...

My limited experience... Welding cast iron can be a bit fraught... The high carbon content makes the material very hard. Or more precisely, it gets tempered by the sudden change in temperature. You will observe Jody doing a small quick test on a small piece of material, and it goes as hard as glass....

Yeah, my scratch start inverter has a wp9, and it's lovely and small!
I need to think carefully about leads and pipes, so it stays small, light and flexible.

I've been thinking about getting a pea shooter flow gauge for a while... Will go and get one... I'm down to my last set of consumables for the 26 size torch too, so I think it's time to upgrade to a wp20 - I'm getting tired of the huge "euro" style torch... Next project - a water cooler! T...

Ok, all sorted now - I had a few issues, all stemming from the first. Moisture in the gas. I fitted a gas drier to the gas line - I'll pop a photo up here when I get a moment- and ran the dregs of the old cylinder through it. The dessicant just started to turn from blue to pink, showing the presence...

Re: the overheating, try increasing the current. The temptation is to go easy and "sneak up on it" But all that does in build heat in the job. I find I need to put some more heat in to get it started, sometimes maxing out the machine - I only have a 160 amp welder- so on thick stuff, I hav...

IMPORTANT NOTE... If/when you carry out this repair... Make sure the flywheel is earthed directly to the welder! If you earth the machine, or the engine block, then the path that the arc has to take is likely to be through the main engine bearings. If this happens, you will trash a main bearing thro...

I've never seen it worked out, but it looks right. The only other thing to consider is that a 2 second preflow would be darn annoying in practice. Also, it takes time for ALL of the shield gas in the pipe to exchange with air by brownian motion alone. This is measurable In minutes. With nothing acti...

Mmmmm. That sounds very possible & plausible. As pressure reduces, any water in the gas cylinder will tend to evaporate, as the overall pressure drops. Increasing pressure does the opposite ( as proven by the water that gathers in a compressor air tank!) The cylinder was standing in the sun too....

Having some problems tig brazing today. Tig brazing on thin steel - the part is an old rare and expensive VW exhaust, and has rusted very thin In several areas, so I am re-welding the flanges, and I want to reinforce a couple of really thin bits with braze - basically butter it with braze, rather th...

Yeah, Tig is a whole new world after MIG and stick welding. Practice practice practice.. I'm having a lot of fun with the TIG brazing - it's a novelty to be able to join two dissimilar non-ferrous metals, or successfully repair cast iron manifolds etc. I found that some cheaper welders don't start t...

Yup, it's easy to get carried away with a list of kit, but the sure fire way to bankruptcy is to not have a plan... To fail to plan is to plan to fail. What's the hourly rate, what are the overheads, what's the expected time to break even. Insurance is a must As is the ability to book- keep (for the...

Hi GSB, I've read your very well written posts, and you are exactly where I was when I was your age. I hated maths, and wanted to build electronic things and play with big boys toys... ( I worked as a barman!) Then I met an engineer who explained it all to me - I'm really glad you are here asking th...

The gas situation was bad in the UK until the last few years. I've always been lucky, as a friend runs a fire extinguisher company, so I got co2 for mig at a very low price (£7 a 10 litre fill), and he gave me a cylinder. Prior to this, it was £20 a cyl per month, and £40 a fill ( for a small 10 lit...

I got the thing running ok, so I'm off the hook.
For now!

$350 - that is cheap...

In the UK, a 10 litre argon costs £35 a refill - but it's a 200bar cylinder
But I just upgraded to 20 litre, which was £43 if memory serves.
So I guess Jody pays about half what it costs in the UK.

I've got to do a similar job on my Land Rover exhaust ( adapt a Range Rover v8 exhaust to fit a Landrover 90)
Let me know how you get on.

My Rtech AC/DC machine is pretty much the cheapest I could get that wasn't a Chinese generic machine. It's definitely the cheapest IGBT machine in the UK , and is absolutely fine for my use at the moment. It came highly reccomended as a starter AC TIg by a welder in Rolls-Royce aero engines. The nex...

I'm going through exactly the same here. I'm smitten by my TIG set - and mines a "cheapo" £800 Rtech AC unit - almost the cheapest I could find ... I can't wait to try something expensive like a Miller, Lincoln or Kemmpi - in time, I can see myself upgrading to the Kemppi 2300. I really li...

Nice sculpture. You are more creative than I am - my idea of a perfect sculpture is a cube..... A neighbour is a famous sculptor - he has done several war memorials, and I am often invited in to see his latest work. I am in awe of his ability to make things so realistic and meaningful. He says he's ...