Funny, I do computers for a living, but perhaps due to my deep genetic lineage of farmer's, something compels me to pick up a physical tool and be handy with it. The last thing I want to see when I come home is another computer. So I’m pretty versatile at mechanics, carpentry, plumbing, electrician, and electronics, even grooming my dog. Jack of all trades you can say. My motto is - there isn’t much that can’t be fixed ... and getting into welding just take that to the next level. I think as a DIY’er, being able to weld is the final liberation of "can do".
I owned/ride motorcycles, and I recently got an old Starcraft aluminum boat I'm in the restoration process - both offering various degrees of countless future welding opportunities/projects, but 1st I need to get skilled at it. I my three weeks of just diving-in has been rough I’d admit, even after all the countless videos I’ve watched and notes taken. So I got mad-respect for all of you who are really good it, as I know first-hand how hard this is. But hard isn’t the right word here ... "Skilled" probably fits much better, I see my main challenges are to be muscle-memory and reading behavioral characteristics (warning signs) within the welding process. As with operating a motorcycle, if one "thinks" about the clutch, shifter, throttle, brakes, etc.. the brain just trips and stumbles on itself, thus you’ll be rough on the controls. It isn’t until your foot wrist, hands have done their-thing enough times until those actions become precise automatic and your brain then is free to focus on the not-so automatic dynamic things. And once this happens, you’ll find you are so very smooth on the controls without even thinking about it. Same is with welding, I'm sure. I can't wait to get over that hump, as right now I have to think about everything little insignificant thing I am doing at the same time and my brain is not good at multitasking – just ask my wife when I’m watching TV. So I already know THE only salvation is practice, practice, practice so that my brain will begin to learn "let go" of my wire feed hand, let go of my torch hand, propping, and foot peddle action making the basics auto-pilot thus freeing my mind to think on the weld itself and identifying good and bad signs. BTW, I just learned that my local community High school has a beginners welding class open to the public to anyone. I might take up that offer just to force myself to get solid dedicated tig time on a regular basis and have the luxury for someone to critique my methods - as I do fear unknowingly self-teaching myself “bad habits” at this stage.
A few initial projects I'd like to tackle is a lift/stand for my bike, and some patchwork / fabrication on the aluminum boat. I decided NOT to wait on playing with aluminum coupons. I'm going back and forth between steel, stainless, and aluminum - and SHOCKER ... my verdict so far is, I sure LOVE steel - LOL ! Aluminum is just a different world on so many levels it isn’t funny. Heck, I’ve even witnessed my fair share of "arc blow" before I even knew what that was – yet it all makes perfect sense knowing what I know about current, induction and magnetic fields.
Anyway, just saying hey, hope to learn a lot. Thanks for reading my (long-winded) intro if you indeed made it down this far.
