spo307
Gold Member
congrats, :thumbsup: I have been to Appleton a couple times to the pierce factory where the build firetrucks, nice place big deer
Off to Wisconsin
- Thread starter wroughtn_harv
- Start date
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Scooby074
Super Member
Good job, made it further than most:thumbsup:
Sounds like Miller really treats their guys good, plus they know how to put on a show. Makes me happy that i got a barn full of blue
Too bad we cant have them sponsoring the welding forum. Wonder if our current sponsor will have a weld off at their plant?
Sounds like Miller really treats their guys good, plus they know how to put on a show. Makes me happy that i got a barn full of blue
Too bad we cant have them sponsoring the welding forum. Wonder if our current sponsor will have a weld off at their plant?
OP
wroughtn_harv
Super Member
I almost spun my head off my shoulders when I saw their place. I like red trucks with trick utility beds.
OP
wroughtn_harv
Super Member
I can't say enough for Wisconinites. We've only had one bad experience and that involved Enterprise and a car that someone had smoked in. That was remedied as promptly as possible.
The loss was of my doing. Best way to explain it is I had a mindset and I didn't abandon it when I should have. I had figured out some time ago that the project had to be a table. I built one in my mind and became set on it. I might have to make it in my shop just because I liked it too much.
I had two big problems. The first was the time constraint. The second was the hand tools they had for us to use. What I should have done was abandon my original plan and made something that I could do with what I had and the time they gave me to work.
I'm a prideful sob and this time it caused me to produce something I'm not proud of, end of story.
Now the upside, Miller has a new work station that is totally trick. It was perfect for what I was doing except that it wasn't bolted down to the floor. One of the judges was in charge of the department that makes the Arc Station. After we were done we discussed it and the next thing I knew we had the engineer responsible for it there talking to me about my ideas. Their perspective on the station was for the professional. Mine was from the point of view of the home shop and adapting the Arc Station for mobile use on a truck. I gave them some things to think about.
An even better upside is I made some friends that will always be close even if we never meet again. Some of the competitors ended up being closer to being brothers in arms than adversaries. Most of that comes from their great personalities and obvious good nature. But I have to believe the warmth of the Miller community contributed to it also. When you're treated like family you can't help but see others the same way.
This morning we got to play in the mig welding lab. I bet some at Miller thought they were going to have to call the National Guard to get us out of there. It was that good, well, it was better than that. I've never been that much of a mig fan. I am now. Some of their stuff not only works slicker'n anything I've ever seen. It does so without losing the experience of welding, if that makes any sense. Even though the settings are mostly done with the computer chips in the machine,you still get the pleasure of playing with the puddle, such fun.
One of the competitors drove up and they left early this afternoon. Most of the others caught flights out today. I asked Miller if they could arrange my flight out tomorrow from Milwaukee so my wife and I could visit friends and family while we're here. They did just that.
This evening we had dinner with some of my mostest favoritest people in the whole world. One of them is an 85 year old teenager not unlike the kids at our high school. He lights up the room by just walking in. He's the kind of person that everyone at TBN would like to have for a friend and almost all of us want to be when we grow up. One more reason for me to thank Miller for their generosity and kindness.
We'll be flying back to Texas tomorrow evening. I've got some serious catching up workwise for the next couple of weeks. After that I'll just be busy.
I haven't seen the videos and photos yet. But up front I apologize for not only not having the voice for radio but being seriously deficient in what it takes to look good on screen. That won't stop me though from finding and passing on all the links to everything that happened this week.
I appreciate all the comments of support. It proves my opinion about TBN being family as spot on.
Oh, there's one other thing, I hammered everyone that would pause to listen at Miller about the value of group projects like our infamous ATV Bridge. There couldn't be a better result than having Miller assist us in a great group project. If you doubt me all you have to do is ask anyone that was there when we did the ATV Bridge for Don and Karen. It's still one of my most favorite projects of all time.
The loss was of my doing. Best way to explain it is I had a mindset and I didn't abandon it when I should have. I had figured out some time ago that the project had to be a table. I built one in my mind and became set on it. I might have to make it in my shop just because I liked it too much.
I had two big problems. The first was the time constraint. The second was the hand tools they had for us to use. What I should have done was abandon my original plan and made something that I could do with what I had and the time they gave me to work.
I'm a prideful sob and this time it caused me to produce something I'm not proud of, end of story.
Now the upside, Miller has a new work station that is totally trick. It was perfect for what I was doing except that it wasn't bolted down to the floor. One of the judges was in charge of the department that makes the Arc Station. After we were done we discussed it and the next thing I knew we had the engineer responsible for it there talking to me about my ideas. Their perspective on the station was for the professional. Mine was from the point of view of the home shop and adapting the Arc Station for mobile use on a truck. I gave them some things to think about.
An even better upside is I made some friends that will always be close even if we never meet again. Some of the competitors ended up being closer to being brothers in arms than adversaries. Most of that comes from their great personalities and obvious good nature. But I have to believe the warmth of the Miller community contributed to it also. When you're treated like family you can't help but see others the same way.
This morning we got to play in the mig welding lab. I bet some at Miller thought they were going to have to call the National Guard to get us out of there. It was that good, well, it was better than that. I've never been that much of a mig fan. I am now. Some of their stuff not only works slicker'n anything I've ever seen. It does so without losing the experience of welding, if that makes any sense. Even though the settings are mostly done with the computer chips in the machine,you still get the pleasure of playing with the puddle, such fun.
One of the competitors drove up and they left early this afternoon. Most of the others caught flights out today. I asked Miller if they could arrange my flight out tomorrow from Milwaukee so my wife and I could visit friends and family while we're here. They did just that.
This evening we had dinner with some of my mostest favoritest people in the whole world. One of them is an 85 year old teenager not unlike the kids at our high school. He lights up the room by just walking in. He's the kind of person that everyone at TBN would like to have for a friend and almost all of us want to be when we grow up. One more reason for me to thank Miller for their generosity and kindness.
We'll be flying back to Texas tomorrow evening. I've got some serious catching up workwise for the next couple of weeks. After that I'll just be busy.
I haven't seen the videos and photos yet. But up front I apologize for not only not having the voice for radio but being seriously deficient in what it takes to look good on screen. That won't stop me though from finding and passing on all the links to everything that happened this week.
I appreciate all the comments of support. It proves my opinion about TBN being family as spot on.
Oh, there's one other thing, I hammered everyone that would pause to listen at Miller about the value of group projects like our infamous ATV Bridge. There couldn't be a better result than having Miller assist us in a great group project. If you doubt me all you have to do is ask anyone that was there when we did the ATV Bridge for Don and Karen. It's still one of my most favorite projects of all time.
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Brad_Blazer
Veteran Member
Harv,
Congrats on having a great trip. Your design would have had my vote.
I grew up in WI and visit my family there every year so I'm biased but in terms of people, lifestyle and hospitality it can't be beat.
I like the group project idea. I get in on a little of that here with Eagle Scout projects. It might be a lot easier to get sponsorship if we put together community service projects. Lots more fun than just getting together for a picnic. We can generate some nice youtube content too. Heck, it might even be worthy of reality TV.
Congrats on having a great trip. Your design would have had my vote.
I grew up in WI and visit my family there every year so I'm biased but in terms of people, lifestyle and hospitality it can't be beat.
I like the group project idea. I get in on a little of that here with Eagle Scout projects. It might be a lot easier to get sponsorship if we put together community service projects. Lots more fun than just getting together for a picnic. We can generate some nice youtube content too. Heck, it might even be worthy of reality TV
.MF1455v
Platinum Member
Harvey, you and Glenda looked good on the videos. Sounds like you had a great time and I loved your table. I've been to the Miller welding expo a few time here in Dallas and they are always such good people. Just can imagine how great they must be at the home facility.
James
James