help needed urgently!!!

[girly_welder]

hi guys.
thanx for ur comments. its not too late as i never slept i wink last nite till about 6 this morning cos i was worrying so much, so nvr went in to do the training today. also when i did get up i remembered i had to collect money from the credit union today cos its closed tomoro and im away sunday. its all a bit of a disaster really.
called the training guy and he was fine about it and said just come in tomorro no bother. if im doing well he said hed stay back for an extra hour or so for more experience which is ace. so early nite tonight for sure!!

i will get in touch with my mates who are already on the job and find out the procedure and any other specifications that i will need.

wen i was at that company up north i managed to walk the torch quite well and found that if u do use too much pressure it tends to slip a way up the pipe so id hold it just lightly and then it worked no bad. yeah, ive experienced the sore hand after a days practice. this is probably more because my technique isnt at its best yet.

yeah the tailing off is quite important (as with any welding) so i will be sure and do that. the boy teaching me before said i wasnt spreading the metal enough at first and it would cos me problems in future so when welding now my mind keeps telling me to spread more. seems to work or mabay im just mad!!

i promise to keep u posted on the outcome of my quest to pass this darn test.

thanks again so much for ur replies.

lorraina xx

[Lasgambler]

Hurricunning,Your instructions to Girly Welder brought back memories of things I had forgotten long ago. Time flies, 29 years ago I was a certified tig welder in Louisiana working in construction of Petrochemical Plants. I quit welding for a living in 1982 and started working with wood. I still enjoy welding. You were right on with the things you said, to bring back alot of memories. Back in the day, we had asbestos cloth and packing available, I made a index finger stub glove so I could run the root passes by placing index finger on work piece and not get to hot. I would then "walk the cup" for fill and cap. Have a good day.

[toecutter]

girly_welder!

hope ya made out good and kicked butt

[Heavy D]

Just a breif comment Go for it and good luck posative thinking will get ya started the rest will come

[Craig in Denver]

"i will send u a private mgs tomoro and tell u how i got on."

That'll never do. We all want to know how you did.

My sister was the City and County of Denver's FIRST female firefighter. Yep, she kicked down the door on the good ole boy's club, 1984.

Good Luck!!

[girly_welder]

well todays the day and im absolutely bricking it and this is just the practice!!!!
leaving in half an hour. will get back to u all soon
thanx for the moral support. really nervous about this.
hav a good day yourselves xxxxxxxx

[fun4now]

Hope it goes well, always good to add to the knowledge in the noodle.
try not to stress too much.

[hurricunning]

...Back in the day, we had asbestos cloth and packing available, I made a index finger stub glove so I could run the root passes by placing index finger on work piece and not get to hot...

Oh yea, in efforts to keep my hand from burning up I have sometimes used a piece of 1" pipe over a finger or extra fingers and bits of old gloves snipped off and layered on. Do whatever it takes to be comfortable!

[girly_welder]

hi guys.

im just back from my training and wanted to tell u all my great news first!!

I HAD AN ACE DAY!!

goodness knows how i found the place i needed to be, i just guessed it after the motorway as the only directions i got was right at the round about, then look for TA building then left, left, left. got there in plenty time and was sitting in my car to hav a quick cigarette before i went in an started to feel queasy. think it was my nerves. was fine after meeting the guy who was going to train me though. he was very sympathetic and really knows what hes talking about. not boastful about his talents either.

he set up a 6" mild steel pipe in the 6g position then i told him to weld a little bit so i cld watch then try to copy it. UNBELIEVABLY my root went in perfect! (well on the back side anyway) the outside looked a bit ruff as it wasnt a fine fillet and it was too far out for my liking. my travel speed is too slow at the moment he says, but im putting the right amount of wire in and the edges are getting burnt no bother. im just not aiming into the root face enough and putting it more on the sidewall than i should be. he thinks ill get there tho.

the boss guy came over a couple of times an showed me a few things and said my welding is very neat which is good. they were supposed to close at 1 today but said before if im progressing well he wld let me stay longer which he did and he didnt charge me the full amount for a half days training either!! right nice guy and so helpful too. so much so, he said i can go back tomoro for a whole day when they dont even work a saturday!!

im so delighted with today, its given me some confidence and i might actually pass this test. but like my trainer said, its the time issue thats against me as the test is on tuesday. i am very inexperienced at this and i know it. my friends think im mad for giving myself such a challenge as i dont hav the hours on the job. im mabay aiming too high but al sure find out on tuesday!!

the gaffer on the job is from my neck of the woods and we hav been on another job together so he knows i dont hav experience. a good friend of mine called last nite saying he was speaking to him an he said not to worry or panic about a thing as i will be well looked after. ( theyve already got a girls toilet sorted out for me and ive not even started yet!!) its hard not to worry though when iv put myself in this position.

got to be my biggest challenge yet. will tell a story about my modeling days when i was in the shipyards another time, that was probably the most boldest thing ive ever done before this.

i am so keen to be a tig welder and be a very good one at that cos being ok is just not in my vocabulary! i need experience tho and hopefully this job will giv me the chance to get it.

also did a 2" mild steel pipe and the root was good with that too. not finished it yet tho. doing the stainless in position tomoro.

thankyou, all of u, for ur moral support on this issue. i am most greatful and speaking to u has helped me no end. cant talk to my friends about how im feeling cos they dont hav a clue what im talking about!!

best wishes lorraina

[fun4now]

glad to hear all went well.