Interesting Article on Welding

[babzog]

Found this this evening, thought I'd share:

Zen and the Art of the Weld Puddle.

 

[finoke]

Nice article, thanks!

 

[nate379]

How many people still torch weld. I know a few old timers that perfer it to using a welder.

 

[bimmer1980]

I'm 28 and I used to be able to torch weld pretty decent. It really helped when I moved to tig welding. Back in high school, we had to weld all sorts of configurations and the teacher would pass or fail all of the different welds. You had to keep welding at a joint until you could get one to pass.

I would often times get all of my math class stuff done ASAP and the teacher would let me head down to the welding shop to get some more time in. Sometimes there is an advantage to being a nerd.

For what it's worth, the welding classes and auto shop classes in high school was some of the best experience for being an engineer.

I have a hard time with engineers that have never built much. In my opinion, you can't design it if you can't build it.

 

[Falcon67]

Haven't torch welded in years - have a kit but no tanks (no room just yet). I learned in Jr. High. Good shop classes back then, the instructor was a military guy that took zero BS - screw up or goof off, drop and give me 20 kinda stuff.

I did practice some in high school - they were re-doing the pool and I spent a couple of long leisure weekend evenings practicing on the rebar installation. Flame cutting, hot bending, **** welds, etc - my friends were very impressed. School admins can be so humorless sometimes.

 

[nate379]

I have a torch but I just use it to heat up rusty bolts, bend metal, or cutting.

 

[mikeyr]

How many people still torch weld. I know a few old timers that perfer it to using a welder.

I have all 3, torch, MIG and TIG, I still use torch mostly, does that make me a old timer ? I am only 52, I can't be a old timer yet !!!

 

[Falcon67]

I have all 3, torch, MIG and TIG, I still use torch mostly, does that make me a old timer ? I am only 52, I can't be a old timer yet !!!

Oh hell no, that's barely middle age. Said the 52 yr old snot nosed kid.

 

[tcianci]

I havent torch welded in years but I do remember doing it. As a kid in HS we all had to learn to weld, braze, stick weld, and run a miller and a lathe. I doubt if you can find a kid now-adays who knows any of this stuff, it's kinda a shame really. You can't fix a busted lawwnmower handle with a video game.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I Ox/Acetlyne Weld all the time. I also have an AC/DC Stick Welder and a MIG welder. I'm going to purchase a TIG Welder soon. I think as soon as I get the TIG, the others will collect mostly dust.

 

[lilredex]

As a kid in HS we all had to learn to weld, braze, stick weld, and run a miller and a lathe. I doubt if you can find a kid now-adays who knows any of this stuff, it's kinda a shame really. You can't fix a busted lawwnmower handle with a video game.

So true. Oxy-acetylene is my first love. (when it comes to welding)

 

[nate379]

Yup... old timer. I consider anyone older than my folks an old timer and that is several years older.

I have all 3, torch, MIG and TIG, I still use torch mostly, does that make me a old timer ? I am only 52, I can't be a old timer yet !!!

 

[mechamunch]

I havent torch welded in years but I do remember doing it. As a kid in HS we all had to learn to weld, braze, stick weld, and run a miller and a lathe. I doubt if you can find a kid now-adays who knows any of this stuff, it's kinda a shame really. You can't fix a busted lawwnmower handle with a video game.

I dunno, they've got some pretty strange games in Japan now...

 

[Steve from Socal]

I Ox/Acetlyne Weld all the time. I also have an AC/DC Stick Welder and a MIG welder. I'm going to purchase a TIG Welder soon. I think as soon as I get the TIG, the others will collect mostly dust.

You are correct; I only use my torches to heat, cut and braze. Not only is tig faster than draging out the torches, for me but, the HAZ is much smaller and control is much greater. Gas welding IS the best method to learn from scratch, if you can gas weld OK then TIG will come easy.

Steve

 

[ears]

I have mig tig stick and torch, prefer gas welding but use them all. Tig I mostly only use on stainless, mig when there's lots to do and torch for whatever else.

 

[Racecarl]

I will torch weld if it is something small and quick because my torch is the easiest welder for me to use at the present time.

For bigger jobs I will get out my Miller 251. I found out that I don't have a large enough breaker to run my old Lincoln buzz box so I don't use it much. When I get the shop built that problem will be taken care of.