Welding observations that I have made....

[ckessel]

I would imagine the price for the light option on the Miller would be more than the Amazon unit. Plus not as bright.

 

[Phantomx]

Where are you taking the class Greg? I took a summer class in 97 at American River College. It was I think 10 weeks/4 hrs a day/4 days a week. I was working grave shift, 11-7. I’d get off of work and get to class at 7:45 and off just before noon to go home and sleep. It was grueling and I was a zombie but most of it stuck as I’m a pretty decent welder. I have an ancient miller 200 or 210 (I forget) mig machine. It’s big and bulky but has lots of power to lay it down.
Travis..

 

[Kern Dog]

A buddy of mine from Lincoln signed up at Sierra College in Rocklin, I signed up afterwards.

Our class is 8 weeks, two days a week, 4 1/2 hours each day so there is far less time than your course, Travis.
I'm enjoying the classroom stuff more than I did as a kid.
Years ago, I thought of what I'd do if I ever won the lottery or somehow fell into money....I figured that I would quit work and take classes to get better at what I enjoy doing. I'd pay professionals to mentor me to get better at bodywork and paint, engine building and of course, welding and fabrication.
I obviously never won any lottery but I'm still interested in improving myself.
It would be interesting to take a course in understanding electrical systems. That has been a real weak spot for me.

 

[khryslerkid]

I can't find my funny naked welder meme...

Now download it and keep it somewhere safe!

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[eldubb440]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

my old man used to tell me...... "always cover your dick, son; always cover your dick"

words to live by

 

[Budnicks]

Now download it and keep it somewhere safe!
View attachment 1815458

that's it...

 

[ckessel]

Another PSA for those welding who may not know. When using brake clean, or similar to de-slime what you're planning on welding, make sure it's evaporated off before pulling the trigger/striking the electrode etc. If you don't, it turns into Phosgene gas. AKA, nerve gas/agent. Very bad news.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

My son is a welder, now I don't have to weld very often. He did buy a machine to do TIG, so I am trying to get a handle on that.

 

[Phantomx]

Another PSA for those welding who may not know. When using brake clean, or similar to de-slime what you're planning on welding, make sure it's evaporated off before pulling the trigger/striking the electrode etc. If you don't, it turns into Phosgene gas. AKA, nerve gas/agent. Very bad news.

100% truth right there. I was welding on a garbage truck on an area that was 2 layers thick. I had cleaned up the area with brakleen. The area between the layers hadn’t dried and started putting out some terrible smelling fumes. I was in a very ventilated area, but had to get the welding smoke evacuator thing to finish. Terrible stuff.
Travis..

 

[khryslerkid]

Another PSA for those welding who may not know. When using brake clean, or similar to de-slime what you're planning on welding, make sure it's evaporated off before pulling the trigger/striking the electrode etc. If you don't, it turns into Phosgene gas. AKA, nerve gas/agent. Very bad news.

It's actually a chlorine (Tetrachloroethylene) that's in the cleaner. It will stay airborne for quite awhile. You may not even know it's there until you start burning. It's the reason they will evacuate a five mile radius when a chlorine train car derails and is on fire. Real bad stuff. You can buy parts cleaner without it.

Another hazard is welding some soft metals which contain high levels of lead, like some steel bushing material. If you start getting a headache and sore throat while welding, stop and evacuate the area and get yourself outside.

 

[eldubb440]

Jeezus, how am I alive?

 

[MarPar]

Jeezus, how am I alive?

counteracts the effects

 

[eldubb440]

counteracts the effects

I suppose

 

[Photon440]

It's actually a chlorine (Tetrachloroethylene) that's in the cleaner. It will stay airborne for quite awhile. You may not even know it's there until you start burning. It's the reason they will evacuate a five mile radius when a chlorine train car derails and is on fire. Real bad stuff. You can buy parts cleaner without it.

Another hazard is welding some soft metals which contain high levels of lead, like some steel bushing material. If you start getting a headache and sore throat while welding, stop and evacuate the area and get yourself outside.

Which is most likely one of the reasons that the EPA has banned the use of Tetrachloroethylene in brake cleaner. The old brake clean with that chemical was non flammable, most newer formulations are flammable these days; I looked up the MSDS for one of the pails of brake cleaner at work and it was over 95% acetone.

Which itself would not be a good idea to have in a welding environment.

 

[khryslerkid]

Which is most likely one of the reasons that the EPA has banned the use of Tetrachloroethylene in brake cleaner. The old brake clean with that chemical was non flammable, most newer formulations are flammable these days; I looked up the MSDS for one of the pails of brake cleaner at work and it was over 95% acetone.

Which itself would not be a good idea to have in a welding environment.

Checked my non flammable brake clean...

 

[Budnicks]

It's actually a chlorine (Tetrachloroethylene) that's in the cleaner. It will stay airborne for quite awhile. You may not even know it's there until you start burning. It's the reason they will evacuate a five mile radius when a chlorine train car derails and is on fire. Real bad stuff. You can buy parts cleaner without it.

Another hazard is welding some soft metals which contain high levels of lead, like some steel bushing material. If you start getting a headache and sore throat while welding, stop and evacuate the area and get yourself outside.

or welding zinc or galvanized coatings like they used on pipe, sheets
even some older cars metals

 

[Kern Dog]

or welding zinc or galvanized coatings like they used on pipe, sheets
even some older cars metals

Like this stuff?

I made 4 turning plates for at home front end alignments and had a section left over. The nephew and I used a piece for the floorpan of this:

It didn't produce any weird vapors but did leave a weird chalky residue near the welds.

 

[Photon440]

We were always taught to be aware of the fumes when welding galvanized, or welding on zinc ore concentrate cars on the railroad. Using a fume extractor, or using a breeze to advantage when not using breathing apparatus.

From a website, regarding welding galvanized:

Here are some health issues for you to be aware of:

• Fever from metal fumes. This can happen in the process of vaporizing the zinc coating. The resultant zinc oxide fumes are toxic. It can lead to what’s called metal fume fever. Symptoms include nausea, headache, fever, and chills. Though these are only short-term effects, it is your job to mitigate them as much as possible. Get the best PPE possible to breathe the minimum amount of ambient air you can.
• 
  
• Longer-term health concerns. The zinc coating contains a small amount of lead. Fumes made of lead oxide are not only toxic but dangerous. Inhaling lead oxide fumes can lead to brain cancer, lung cancer, and nervous symptom complications. Wear the proper PPE!
• 
  
• Be appropriately trained and, again, don the proper safety gear. Safety training cannot be overstated. Keep the welding shield and your face away from resultant fumes. Maintain a proper position relative to the weld to maximize clean airflow. The safety gear you’ll need includes:
  • A high-quality, industrial-grade respirator mask
  • Industrial-strength, heat-resistant welding gloves
  • Welding helmet
  • Safety boots
  • Leather jacket

 

[Kern Dog]

This week has been TIG welding. Holy crap! This sure is a clean and quiet method. Hardly any noise at all, the welds lay a lot flatter to the point where I question the amount of penetration I'm getting.
It is very frustrating though....You have to hold the torch one handed without support from your other had because the other had feeds in the filler rod AND to make it even more complicated, the amperage is determined by a FOOT pedal. WOT is the full amperage that you set the machine, half pedal is somewhere between zero and full so at least it is linear.
If you have steady hands, you can do well with this. If you're a bit shaky, it will be hard to keep a straight line and consistent weld beads. GUESS which category that I fit into? I think that I could get better at this along with the stick welding.
Back to class tomorrow....
At the risk of looking like a guy that learns a little and suddenly thinks he can teach, I do have another observation....
This teacher is helpful when you can find him and ask for help but he isn't around the students during "Lab Time" in the shop. You have to go looking for him. That is a bit annoying. Maybe that is the standard protocol?
It would be a much better experience if the teacher were to stop in and watch each student as they are working to spot and correct any errors in their technique. This goes to the core reason that I took the class...I have been stumbling around for years with inconsistent results not knowing if my technique was bad, if the materials were wrong, if the tools were defective and if there was anything that I could do to improve. In wood framing, I was always looking for ways to do the job easier and faster and constantly learning from my mistakes. Maybe I was just a natural with that and not so much with welding. I could have watched YouTube videos to learn what I have picked up from this class. When I trained guys in construction, I did what I expected from the class here: I watched and made corrective suggestions to keep the apprentices on the right path. That seems like a better way.