Welding Tips and Tricks

For fear of "Otto Nobedder " and his "be-gone'd" threat from other posts, I thought that I should stop lurking and introduce myself. I have only posted two times on this forum, but have been watching the videos for years.
Welding is mainly a hobby as I run a small farm and have to fix all the stuff that breaks or needs to be built. In addition to farm projects, I make fishing spears, tree stands, and whatever the next project requires. I have zero formal education in the welding trades and am either self taught through reading or by interviewing professional welders. The ability to stick metal together has always fascinated me, and tends to consume my thoughts(is it weird to dream about welding?).
At the moment I only posses two electric welders: a Millermatic 180 and the AC Lincoln tombstone; both of which have served me well to date, but am longing to pick up a TIG welder and become proficient at it.
I enjoy this website immensely and commend the folks that keep it running.
Thanks,
BFT.

BFT,
Welcome to the forum.

I too have built my own tree stands and your welders are both capable of the task. Just remember that it's you 15-20 feet off the ground so over-engineering and sufficient welds are very important. Safety harnesses are there as back-up and you don't really want to spend much time hanging from one so make sure your welds are up to snuff. We have enough members here contributing from wheelchairs, so be careful.

Len

Welcome.
Dont worry about formal training.
I consider farmers to be highly creative and smart people so Im sure you'll pick it up fast. (I'm not a farmer )

Welcome, BFT,

And no worries. I get concerned only when people introduce themselves on the "I'm selling something" theme. While we want to keep an active trading post, it's intended for members to share, and when some first-timer wants to sell something, I'll challenge him every time. "We're not craigslist" and all that... and we don't need discount Ray-Bans.

Everyone interested in welding is welcome, whether for hobby, necessity, trade, or artistic endeavor.

Steve S

Welcome to the forum, and I have to agree some farmers are pritty crafty for the most part.

Welcome to the forum BFT.

Welcome to the forum! I hear from lots of welders that they dream about welding! LOL! Anyway, having someone show you want good penetration looks like might be helpful. I am sure you are very mechanically inclined and you will pick up everything you need to know. What I have learned from visiting this forum is that I really don't know much at all. So many of the guys out here are on the forum are so darn knowledgeable and good at what they do. But with all of that, these are some of the most helpful folks I have ever run across.

Hello and welcome, glad you could join this great forum. Lots of knowledgeable guys around to encourage and give guidance. Well likewise a self taught welder who enjoys learning from the pros here.

Thanks everyone,
I appreciate the warm welcome.
Thanks for the concern Braehill, tree stands are sound. I too tend to over-engineer stuff, especially if it involves supporting me 15' in the air. I purposely broke the first stand, putting 3 of my fattest buddies on it and had them bounce. It wasn't the welding that failed, but the cable supports believe it or not.
BFT