Ironman Anyone

[Capricious]

And I am telling you that my welding equipment is 1) rock solid; 2) supports the process that I need; 3) is better than my capabilities; and 4) isn't any more complicated or expensive than it needs to be. This is the same discussion that there is with cars. I strongly prefer a car without a bunch of extra stuff that I don't care about and will break. Others may like vibrating heated seats, but I live near Atlanta and I could care less. Give me power steering, power brakes, and AC and I am just fine. I don't even need, although it is convenient to have electric door locks and windows.

At my age (60), my 'stone age equipment' as you call it, will probably outlast my welding years, and has done a lot of welding repairs that have held up 100%. What more could I want? Well, to lose a bit of weight but we won't go there... <grin>

Man, I coulda wrote that post (except I am only 55)

When it comes to options on autos, I choose options this way: if i would not pay to repair it, I don't want it on the vehicle. No computer screens, no electric this, no power that. Windows with crank handles are fine, and so forth. And rubber on the floor instead of carpet. "leather trimmed" seats? Are you kidding? Give me vinyl i can spill coffee (or worse) on, and wipe clean.

My welder is an ancient Marquette 100 amp 240 volt A/C only stick. I bought a cheap 200 amp A/C Northern Tool stick unit on sale but have yet to even un-box it. I weld, but I don't know how to. But everything I melt together has stayed together, so far.

Keep it simple and cheap. Just like me.

 

[IslandTractor]

Am I mistaken to say that most of the new welding technology is only to benefit high production/repetitive work? Seems it's a lot to dial in and get right for repair type work. While technology is nice, even if it were affordable for the average joe, it would still be useless. I think that is what Thomas is trying to say as well.

I think that is fair but it is also the case that such technology will trickle down to benefit the typical DYI handyman too. Some of the features will probably never be relevant to someone fixing a crack in their lawnmower deck while others will make that sort of repair easier, cleaner and more reliable. I don't claim to know where the line is but I certainly find my newer inverter based highish tech Miller welder to be easier to use and helps me make better welds than my first tombstone. I don't need a welder to make me a cappuccino but if the technology advances to the point that I can just enter the thickness and type of steel and type of weld into the machine rather than running a few test beads to find the optimal settings, that will help me make better welds and waste less material and time.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

I think new technology is cool - I just don't want it in my shop very much because I can't afford to fix it.

My best welder is my 1963 Airco tig/stick - 900 lbs of awesome right there
My mig is the Millermatic 210 - no digital readouts needed.
They will both outlast my two inverter machines - which are handy and light - just won't last long.

I generally run 10-15 years behind technology anyway.
Mostly because I can't afford it, but more importantly I don't trust it until it's been around at least that long.

I like anti-lock brakes and air conditioning, auto vs stick doesn't matter, power window and locks - don't care.
Drum vs disk in the back of my truck - don't care - but I like disks up front.
Power vibrating lumbar heated/cooled seat - not yet, but ask me in 20 years when I'm 64 and that may change :laughing:

I'm simple and cheap...but I like my women smart, hot and cheap

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

I think that is fair but it is also the case that such technology will trickle down to benefit the typical DYI handyman too. Some of the features will probably never be relevant to someone fixing a crack in their lawnmower deck while others will make that sort of repair easier, cleaner and more reliable. I don't claim to know where the line is but I certainly find my newer inverter based highish tech Miller welder to be easier to use and helps me make better welds than my first tombstone. I don't need a welder to make me a cappuccino but if the technology advances to the point that I can just enter the thickness and type of steel and type of weld into the machine rather than running a few test beads to find the optimal settings, that will help me make better welds and waste less material and time.

Yep, sounds reasonable.

 

[IslandTractor]

Oh please. I didn't suggest that I wanted to get something that was 30 years old, just something that wasn't overly complicated and suited the task at hand. I didn't suggest bias tires, I said vibrating heated seats, and no I didn't mean as opposed to no seats, let's not get ridiculous.

Some might suggest that I need to buy a CNC controlled cutting table instead of a router, and I beg to differ. A good router is not inferior to a CNC table, it's a different tool. Just like many welders are, certain types are geared at certain work. The ones with pulse on pulse are used in some high production manufacturing jobs. I have yet to even turn the pulse on on mine, as it isn't used in the welding process that I am doing.

Go ahead and buy your triple negative pulse on positive pulse stepped square wave digital welder that will also give you current weather settings. I will just look up at the sky myself before I weld... <grin>

I understood your reasonable earlier post. Trouble is that we all tend to either overly enthusiastically embrace or reject new technology. I understand your point but there really are changes that might end up being advances we comfortably adopt as experience shows us they are worthwhile. Vinyl seats rather than cloth were at one time just newfangled plastic stuff. Automatic transmissions were slush boxes. Bias ply tires were state of the art and folks made fun of fancy European cars with wizbang radials.

Welding equipment will change as the science of welding advances. We can still use a horse and buggy to go grocery shopping if we want but most of us have accepted that newer technology generally has benefits. No need to run out to buy the newest Tesla (wouldn't mind taking one on a spin however), but even those of us who resist change (me too) will eventually be won over by legitimate improvements in available transportation and welding technology.

Besides, wouldn't vibrating air conditioned seats be nice on a long drive on a hot summer day?:cool2:

 

[muddstopper]

Shucks, I need to learn to use what I got before jumping into something I cant even turn on

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Bias ply tires were state of the art and folks made fun of fancy European cars with wizbang radials.

Besides, wouldn't vibrating air conditioned seats be nice on a long drive on a hot summer day?:cool2:

Well.....they were European....

I think my Harley qualifies as having vibrating air conditioned seats - and it's nice on a hot summer day

 

[Reverser]

Well.....they were European....

I think my Harley qualifies as having vibrating air conditioned seats - and it's nice on a hot summer day

Good answer, Dave. :laughing:
Now, if they could just invent a way of keeping bugs out of our teeth.

 

[Reverser]

.. I'm telling you to give up your 1970's technology at all.

I think Yomax intended to use the word "not" in there.

 

[MinnesotaDaveChalmers]

Good answer, Dave. :laughing:
Now, if they could just invent a way of keeping bugs out of our teeth.

That's easy - stop smiling at all the pretty girls that are wearing next to nothing in the summer

...on second thought, maybe not so easy