Bare-bones tools necessities for "home" shop????

[Big Wave D]

I have no experience TIG welding.

So, is it a case of being able to teach yourself with time and practice, or would the bad habits "learned" suggest one should seek actual schooling for an easier learning curve?

The "art work" I've seen produced from welding always seems like they were done with TIG. It's just so smooth and flowing almost organic in look.

 

[gauthier]

TIG is like oxy/act welding without all the heat and flame.
Slow,but what you see is what you get,meaning if it looks good,it generally is.
Thing about tig is you need someone to get you set up,alotta little pieces,cups,collits,tungstun,flow meters,etc,,ways you shapen the tungsten,etc,etc,but its just like oxy/act welding,without,,,

If you don't have anybody to show you how all of it goes together,than a few classes at a vo/tech or comm. college will do that,very good for precise work,can weld about any[all probably] metals with it,can weld pop cans together,to inch thick steel.

 

[Big Wave D]

gauthier,

I've seen videos on YouTube of people doing the pop can thing. Yes, some people are able to join the two without burning through or great distortion, but the one's that can join the cans and it looks like they were molded that way; they have my awe and respect.

It's a skill I'd like to obtain some day.

As to the actual welding, then it seems as if the devil is in the details, set-up details, that is

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...As to the actual welding, then it seems as if the devil is in the details, set-up details, that is

I'm no welder, but the more I learn by doing, the more I find that last statement to be correct. To call someone a good welder is almost a misnomer since the actual welding is the easy part. It's the surface prep and equipment setup that make a weld good.

 

[Big Wave D]

Iplayfarmer,

If that's the case, then I'm in like Flynn because I've done a lot of painting and quite a bit of that was for commercial purposes; therefore, as you say for welding, so goes for painting, prep-prep-prep.

And people wonder why an excellent paint job costs so much, time. There really aren't any shortcuts.

I haven't done a great deal of welding, but I am meticulous about keeping the metal bright and clean

 

[dex3361]

I tried searching for that cold saw on Harbor Freight Tools and I couldn't find it. Do they still sell it?

It looks like it is only sold in stores and not online. What a bummer.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

It looks like it is only sold in stores and not online. What a bummer.

That's all good and fine, but my local store has only been in business for a few months. It helps them immensely when I bring in an ad or item number of what I'm looking for.

 

[Big Wave D]

So what does a Harbor Freight store look like on the inside? Similar to a Tractor Supply, hardware store, Wal-Mart but for tools?

I guess I have one about an hour away from where I live.

Everyone talking about the company has made me somewhat curious.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

So what does a Harbor Freight store look like on the inside? Similar to a Tractor Supply, hardware store, Wal-Mart but for tools?

I guess I have one about an hour away from where I live.

Everyone talking about the company has made me somewhat curious.

HF reminds me more of a grocery store that anything else mentioned. You walk up and down the aisles picking out what you need for this week and putting them in your cart. You stand patiently in line because you know that you are going to hold up the line with your coupons just like the current customer.

Like most of what's in a grocery store, many HF tools are "perishable".

 

[tulenutn2o]

I was wondering what some of you master fabricators would deem as the bare minimum in the tools department to have in a "home" shop considered usable/capable of fabricating low to mid-level challenge projects?

I know that what some consider a must have others might call a luxury. That being said, there is going to be overlapping areas of needed tools that all agree are really necessities of a truly functional shop.

Lastly, if looking for quality, used tools, what kind of a budget would you guesstimate to furnish said shop.

Thanks to all for their time and comments.

I tend to think that I NEED any tool that I currently do not have. I go to auctions when there are a lot of tools and buy what I think is useful. It's good to have more than 1 of everything. Hand tools are a must. I went without a welder and torch for years before I could afford them. Aquiring the right tools is a lifelong journey/passion. .