Welding Tips and Tricks

I am new to this forum yet very impressed with the welding tips and tricks website and videos. I am currently four years away from a military retirement and in the process of preparing to open my own business once retired. I will be opening a machine and fab shop. Welding will be a major part of the work completed along with mill and lathe work. I will also be running a small CNC plasma table and anticipate building small single and tandem axle trailers occasionally. One of my biggest questions is concerning ASW certification. If I become ASW cert. (most likely SMAW and GMAW for G3 maybe more based on recommendations) will I be able to log my own welding for submission every six months to ASW? Also was curious about the Thermal arc fabricator 252. Does anyone have any experience with it. I see Jody has on his videos I would like to see him review it on one of the videos. I currently have a Dynasty 200DX, Millermatic passport, and a couple of Lincoln buzz boxes. I was looking for a machine in the 250-300 amp range committed to the shop and the Thermal arc looked pretty good.

Welcome, 300wby,

A first name, or a nickname, or a pen name, would be a help. We're a neighborhood, and a familiar name like Bob or John makes it easier to have a conversation.

I assume you are referring to the AWS (American Welding Society) D1.1 specifications for structural welding.

I'm not going to be much help there, as I weld under ASME code, where all my code welds are tested, and I don't have to recertify unless I've not done a (passing) weld in six months. There are several people here who will be able to clarify it for you, however, so have patience.

I congratulate you for making a career of the military and taking full advantage of what it has to offer, and I envy you the ability to shop at the nearest base Commisary and PX for the rest of your days.

There's much advice to be found here on every topic you can imagine, so feel free to ask anything you wish. You'll get several reasonable answers from several viewpoints.

Steve S

300wby,
Welcome to the forum. I would also assume you meant AWS as the code you will be welding to. As for your code questions it is a misconseption about the 6 month loss of certification. First I will say that there are requirements from somethat include submitting paperwork every 6 months. For the most part, your qualfications, or certifications if you have someone sign them, will be effective indefinitely technically. AWS D1.1 Structural Welding code-Steel section 4.1.3 Period of Effectiveness states "The welder's or welding operator's qualification as specified in this code shall be considered as remaining in effect indefinitely unless (1) the welder is not engaged in a given PROCESS of welding for which the welder or welding operator is qualified for a period exceeding six months or unless (2) ther is some specific reason to question a welder's or welding operator's ability." Notice that the code states the process (GMAW, SMAW, GTAW, etc) and not to a WPS. This is another misconception. You can submit your own paperwork as far as I know. I submitted my own without problem but it was under the supervision of my company. You can simple submit your tests under the supervision of your company. Also, once your company has a WPS in place that will last indefinitely as well, even if you were not there any longer.

As for the Thermal Arc 252, I tested one when they came out and they are good little machines but notice I said little. If you feel most of your time will be spent welding I would look into a bigger machine. I literally almost fried the factory gun. Good for light fabrication and thats about it, my opinion.
-Jonathan

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome, and thank you for serving. Glad to have you here.
Cheers.
-Eldon

I've used the aussie version of the thermal arc welder.
On 20deg day I've ran it for 7mins non stop on 28volts aprox and wire feed to suit.
Still not hit the cut out. This is on aussie 240volt 15amp
And it was one very hot weld!!