tricks of the trade

[shorerider16]

Hello Matt I do have some tricks of the trade and one that I learned the hard way was to wear safety glasses when looking at your weld. I was taking a test when I was very young and thought I knew it all. I would weld a little and then push my glasses up on my forehead and look at my weld while pressing the high freq button as it gave you a better view of it. I did this all day and an old timer told me that it was going to burn my eyes if I did not keep my glasses down. I thought how could I burn my eyes with the high freq as it was not welding. Well that night I thought I was dying and had to go to the emergency room. I dont know why but with the glasses being worn properly you will not burn your eyes while looking at the high freq.

Wheelchair

Any good quality safety glasses block nearly all of the UV radiation that is emitted while welding, they just don't block the light. This is also why you will end up racoon eyes if you do a lot of tacking without you hood down.

[Izzy's Cages]

Earplugs are cheap insurance, just like safety goggles. I rarely do anything without earplugs in while out in the shop. You'd be surprised at just how loud MIG welding really is.

As far as tricks.... always easier to make/modify cardboard than steel. Make patterns/templates for everything and write down what project they were for, which way they pointed and what modifications you had to make in case another one comes in the door later.

If you've got kids, cereal boxes are great for templates. Plus, you're recycling!

[Darmik]

Well when you die grind aluminum use WD40 on the metal and on the bit and you will get the best results. But remember use a full face shield and guantlet type gloves.She really cuts up a storm

[terry welds]

keep the gloves on and the jewelry off i was welding overhead and had to put steel incert in a ceramaic brick and weld it with a mig welder thin i check the weld and the cherry fell out and stuck to my watch i could not get it off until it cooled and i did i pleed off the skin thats real smart terry welds

[weldingman251]

try teaching someone to weld is always good it gives u the chance to train someone but also evaluate how u weld in the process. Then u can change ur style around a little bit and possibly either learn a new technique or tweak ur own so tht way ur welds are a lot better.

[Wheelchair]

Any good quality safety glasses block nearly all of the UV radiation that is emitted while welding, they just block the light. This is also why you will end up racoon eyes if you do a lot of tacking without you hood down.

Absolutely, I always wore them when I was working we would get written up the first time you were caught without them 3 days off the second time and termination the third time. I am an advocate of glasses

Thanks
Wheelchair

[nick]

Thank you Steve for helping clarify my earlier post. Ventilation is very important when welding any material especially galvanized/zinc. However I did want to add another idea, when welding tube together a small hole by the weld allow the hot gases to excape and prevent porosity in your weld.

[nick]

When you have to grind your weld grind "with" the weld so your grind marks go across your weld not through it. This will help prevent a failure in your weld.The failure is more likely to go across your weld instead of through it.

[link523]

"keep the gloves on and the jewelry off " I was whereing my wedding ring in class got a piece of splatter stuck to my ring burn my finger all the way around and took a nice chunch of my ring

[monte55]

If you preheat to weld..........never test it with your tongue...
Never jump out of an airplane while tigging.....
If these help, I have a lot more