[entity-unknown]

Ha and I totally hear ya. I've been able to read a lot of my own welds myself which has helped a lot. Making purposeful and unexpected mistakes has guided me a lot there too. As for all the shiny talk, I don't care if I get shiny beads but I do feel that when I do it means I'm doing something right! So something to strive for but not die for.

As for the aluminum and all the shiny, well getting damn near constant shiny vs. everything else prior which was never shiny, well I will take that as a mile stone!

The key with the aluminum was the 150A setting and the pedal. If I set the machine to just above max of what I should, I'm still having to ride the heaviest tension of the spring in the pedal. Setting it so much higher let me ride the least tension of the spring and let me do lighter taps rather than heavier presses and longer travel on the pedal. The only real issue there is if something goes wrong, it really goes wrong but again I play expert setting on any game, so it's no different here

[exnailpounder]

Hey Midget! Are you hiding in my cabinets or something? You were spot on for a lot of those beads I ran I was resting my hand or as I'd move I'd get caught up on something.

LOL. No, just the length of the runs and look of beads tells us almost everything we need to know. It's like reading a book.

Don't be afraid to prop up your wrist to help you get steady. I use wood blocks I can stack to get to an advantageous weld position. I like wood instead of steel because when it's hot in the shop and my welding gloves get a bit damp I get zapped sometimes with metal. And do dry runs with your torch to see how far you can weld before you're out of position. Take advantage of welding at a bench while you can because one day your gonna be in some tight spot, doing the funky chicken and controlling your pedal with your butt cheeks. Think I'm kidding? Ask any of these guys. I'm too stupid to buy a torch switch so I know how to improvise.

[entity-unknown]

Thought wood might catch me even more but I realize I need to figure something out. I'll smooth up some board and see if life is better. The raised position I at least know is very helpful rather than contorting my wrist to get to where I want. I did use my 2" "welding table" (first stick welds after beads) and that did help out a lot but I'd occasionally catch an end. Floating the wrist has so far produced the best beads for me but if I'm a bit shaky then things don't work out that well but they do seem to work out better than dragging or just moving my hand.

I still haven't lost the mental image of using a pedal as a thigh master either I've got a torch switch that came with mine but I'm too stubborn to use it The plus side for most of my welding life will involve a bench but I know that won't always be the case say for when I go to modify some stuff on the trailer. I figure I'll be stickin that though and as far as I can tell there is no such thing as being in a comfortable position with stick. There's just "As good as it gets".

I've not got 3 zaps from TIG and the last time was because I stuck the tungsten, not just dipped. The first time I think I did the same thing too. I've felt the HF start a couple other times but I wouldn't qualify those as zaps in my world. I'm certain the moist shirt was responsible for those grounds. Fortunately I've got many years of electrical/electronics experience so I have a bit of immunity to current

[MosquitoMoto]

Don't be afraid to use the torch switch.

I told myself that I would always use the foot pedal and really couldn't see myself using a switch...until one day a job came along too big for the bench and too awkward for the pedal. It was a blessing in disguise.

I found myself having to decide on and commit to an amps setting, and also learn my way around up slope and down slope. Shortly thereafter I stumbled into the land of 'switch pulsing' and it was a revelation.

It was one of the most satisfying day's welding I've had so far.

Don't shun the switch. Remember that some of the true gurus on this forum, including stainless and aluminium guys, seldom use a pedal, yet stack beads so sweetly that it makes me cry with joy.

No rush, but getting to know how to weld competently using the switch will make you a more versatile craftsman.


Kym

[GreinTime]

Paul (TamJeff) uses a torch switch exclusively for what it's worth

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[DennisCA]

Feels good to read some positives about the torch switch, it's the way I'm gonna have to learn when my new welder arrives. No money for a pedal, if I can learn to do without I might be happier for it I think, less stuff to to buy, more money saved = a happy me.

[MosquitoMoto]

A pedal is good to have but once you get your head around up and down slope there is a great deal that can be achieved using just a switch.



Kym

[maker of things]

Really if you are doing steel and stainless, and just need to projects where you are not going to post pics on instagram, the torch switch is totally adequate. Aluminum gets a little trickier, especially when it is thick and needs to get hot to weld, but I re-welded a bunch of joints on my FIL's 16ga aluminum treadplate truck tool box that had cracked, all with torch switch.

On the plus side for learning, it is one variable that is fixed. Plus if you are not sitting down you don't have to balance on one foot which helps a little with steadiness.

[entity-unknown]

I really only want the pedal for bench work and still will shun it for awhile. I've been considering the switch with the slopes since I started because of the fixed variables but I really want to start and stick with pedal some more. It's taught me a lot and while there are still some questionable issues, for the most part I think I've generally got good control of the pedal now. It's just consistency and motion. Yeah I get it DING DING DING well that's what you'd get if you were using the switch but not necessarily since I'm handling most of what the switch would correct and still struggling on what the switch can't effect, me.

I figured I needed the pedal regardless because the parameters are fixed and one adjustment could throw everything else off. With the pedal it's all on me and through observation I can mentally see where a lot of those dials belong to accommodate me and my work. So I don't believe starting with the pedal was in vain, just really a way to feel my way around and figure out where I'll want to set those knobs so I can use the fancy features of this fancy machine

Once I get over my Expert level hang up and I feel I really understand the pedal I'll start using the switch too. ALMOST plugged it in yesterday for some tacks since I understand the pedal isn't the best for those....

Hey Kym, Sam, & Jon! You guys are awesome and thanks for your continued support. I owe a lot of people some BBQ and/or beer/whiskey!

Hey DennisCA! These guys are very helpful here. Once that new machine arrives don't be afraid to reach out as you might have figured out. You can post the shittiest results and not feel bad because they'll just tell you where you need to go and what you're doing wrong rather than tell you your work sucks or whatever. Wonderful mentors here especially if you don't want a career in welding and/or you're not afforded the time to go to a true welding class/school which they'd all suggest over their own advice but will still carry you along your ripply path ahead. Enjoy!

[entity-unknown]

Random ? for the day...

What do you do with all those stubs of filler? Lay wire and gap fills? Bob's cash for scrap metal? Something more useful?

[maker of things]

Random ? for the day...

What do you do with all those stubs of filler? Lay wire and gap fills? Bob's cash for scrap metal? Something more useful?

If you are not careful they can go in your tires.

[entity-unknown]

Hey Jon! Fortunately my welding station is pretty far from the car and bikes but doesn't mean it won't stick in a boot when I can wear em again. Very good advice! I've been pickin mine up now and I'm going to put them in container of sorts. I'm thinking I'll use these for lil gap fills and/or any short lay wire run I might need to do.

Picked up a 202CF tank which was as large as Vern & Lewis had. Holy heavy tank Batman! Skinny kid who can lift about 3x my weight but damn! The circumference is what made loading that in and out of the Outback even more difficult. Picking up my fully loaded (minus oil) rear axle for my Bronco which had a shipping weight of 250 Lbs felt lighter and more manageable than this thing. I could curl that axle but no way in hell would I try it with this tank. Hopefully it'll be a while till I exchange it...

The bonus was I can now see my Argon regulator now since it's behind the machine/cart and with those shorter tanks I just hoped pressure was good and walked over to look at it once in a while.

[maker of things]

I usually throw them away, but they could come in handy for spacers or shear pins.

I upgraded to the T size tank a few years ago. 300CF but the argon fill cost the same $40 as the 125CF. That year I paid for the tank upgrade in less than a month. I don't even pick that thing up. I made a bracket to chain to to the wall and tip it in/out of my truck.

[LtBadd]

Random ? for the day...

What do you do with all those stubs of filler? Lay wire and gap fills? Bob's cash for scrap metal? Something more useful?

If it's titanium or another expensive filler you can butt them together and a quick tack, and it's long enough to weld with if you're in a pinch

[MinnesotaDave]

Random ? for the day...

What do you do with all those stubs of filler? Lay wire and gap fills? Bob's cash for scrap metal? Something more useful?

I use the short ones for tacking and toss when they too short for that.

"Lay wire" doesn't actually mean to lay it down and let go of it.

It means to keep the tip of the rod in the puddle while controlling the amount of rod that gets fed in.

If you lay it down and walk over it you lose the ability for precise control of how much filler gets added to the puddle - sometimes it won't be enough.

[Drunken Moose]

I have a coffee can I toss mine in when they get to small. Along with mig wire I clip off and electrode stubs from stick. I've stated somewhere on this forum i'm cheap. So i'll bust the flux off the electrode stubs from stick, and collect all this stuff together, and it does add up . . . when the can is full, it gets dumped in my metal garbage can of scrap metal for recycle. It all adds up, and keeps the work area clean (yes, i am THAT cheap lol).

[entity-unknown]

Hey Jon, Richard, Dave, & TheMoose! I used a couple lil pieces that I clipped in half to fill a couple keyholes I made and it worked out pretty well. Far from perfect "but in a pinch" it got the job done. I doubt I'll have any fancy titanium for a long time at least until I can get aluminum, then stainless down.

I see 1Lbs for grade 2 at $59.99 from weldcity. How much have titanium prices increased over the last say 5 years or so? Just bought my 10Lbs of 1/16 silicon bronze and $127 was pretty F'in brutal but I can't imagine any of these rods will ever be any cheaper, just more expensive....

I figure in time I'll get good and not have key holes to fill so chances maybe I'll just start a collection of nugs and see how big the pile gets. Maybe I'll make enough to buy another 1Lbs case or make a bunch of rod non-action figures

Got the base stand for the bandsaw made and it'll need a bit of grinding as some things of course went wrong. All Home Depot had was 1/16ga 1 1/4" square steel tube which I only had plate time on but figured I'd wing it and see how well I did. Not well! But there are welds! I'm not posting those pix since I felt really sick after eating yesterday before I did this and it was 110F in the garage so I was not doing good at all. Did get at least two decent joins but eh.... Will grind and stack some more!

[entity-unknown]

60A plasma cutter set at 50A using a 1.1mm nozzle seems WAY too much for 1/8 and 1/16 steel! I swear this cut faster than I could cut butter (without a really hot knife). First time I finally got to play with it since it's my first day I can wear boots again I'm getting a set of .8mm tips for 20-30A which should help out...

Got the base and up-rights for my bandsaw done with one of the cross members to hold the bandsaw in place. Got three braces to go and then it will at least stay in place on it's own.

Found out a torch switch does wonders for tack welds but so does a gapless point to tack at.
Got to learn a bit about warpage on the uprights too but it wasn't anything several wacks with a 1lb shorty sledge couldn't fix! The sledge confirmed my welds are true welds too since they didn't budge and a good sanding of the bottoms to smooth out the welds I did there showed I had full penetration. SCORE!
Learned that when I have a T fitting, heating the horizontal plane starting the puddle there and angling the torch up into the upright to bleed the puddle in with a dab of filler once it did puddle was my best chance at not blowing a hole through but had no issues with a butt joint in the same configuration so I could just run a straight horizontal bead n filler.

It's coming along nicely and I'm finally usin all dem skillz I've lernded!

[MosquitoMoto]

EU -


Look at you go. I remember when practise had been all I'd done, it felt so good to actually be making something useful. First thing I made was a race stand for one of my bikes. I look at it these days and laugh at the standard of my welding but it is still strong, used every day and a great reminder of how far I've come.

One tip - Jody has a great video somewhere that details the sequence of joint welding that should be used to control weld 'pull' and warpage. Done right, everything remains almost 100% square. Do some searching, it's well worth a look.

As always, great to see you enthusiastically working away.


Kym

[entity-unknown]

Thank you Kym! I won't be making a race stand but I will be adding some spools to my swing arm so I can use our race stand

I can't wait to look back at this and be like "damn man, you've come up!" Still happy with where I'm at. I did watch Jody's video on distortion and attempted to apply some of that logic but had several stupid struggle points. I did all those base welds standing up with a pedal and trying to guide the torch. Went alright....

I did also borrow a lot of this concept from Jody when he made his stand. The one upgrade I'm making is a cable and rod trigger, trigger. The idea in mind is I'll groove the angled trigger button slightly so I can noose a ferruled cable around the trigger, have it run through an eye hole on the rear base stand to give some rearward tension, and then the cable will loop through the eyehole towards the front stand. The cable will end at the front stand and lock in through a cut out that another ferrule end stop will hold in. I'll put one bar from the front stand pointing to the rear to act as a lock with a slight downward bend at the end. Finally I'll have a hole drilled in the center piece that connects everything with a 3/8 round bar in that hole so I can press down on the cable and have it held in place by the other bar with the bend. That way I can keep the saw on without touching the trigger, and if shit goes wrong, I can bump the bar and it'll pop out and I'll keep most of my arm

[MosquitoMoto]

Sounds like you've thought it all through.

When I made my stand I used the torch switch and controlled heat using up slope and down slope so that I could be free of the pedal and more mobile. For instance, if I was running too hot, releasing the switch gave me 6 seconds of gradually lowering amps to cool down...often, well before those 6 seconds had elapsed, any risk of melt-through or overheat had subsided and I was back on the switch, moving up slope and welding again.

It was something of an eye-opener for someone like me who had always considered pedal the only way to go.

Looking forward to seeing more of your welding. It is a fascinating, addictive hobby for those who value the learning of a skill.



Kym

[entity-unknown]

Hey Kym! I'll give the torch switch and all them fancy dials a chance soon enough For now I need to work with what I know and now I'm starting to understand the parameters and Amps I'll be applying to those configurations.

Getting better as I keep going so this is a very inspiring project for me It's also my birthday today so I'm considering this a gift to myself but unfortunately it won't be complete today. I'm done for the night but this has been a great day and it's about to get better

[Drunken Moose]

I'm complaining to Everlast. They never told me I had the option of a red head!

[maker of things]

Actually making something is very satisfying isn't it? I doubt that stand will be falling apart.

[entity-unknown]

Ha nice Moose! That's my awesome professional fire performer and girl of over 3 years We laid our first beads with stick together too

Thanks Jon! It's been fun so far and can't wait to see it finished. I think this stand will outlive me