Welder Question

[Anonymous Poster]

WHarv, the absolute definition of fun is 3 days around the clock after a cable splicer poured parafin into a splice case with 4 1200 pair cables in the middle of an intersection of 2 4 lane highways. The splicer was absolutely sure the cable was paper insulated. Unfortunately, he was also absolutely wrong, it was plastic.
Naturally, the engineers wanted to try saving the cable in place first. Just as naturally, it was January and the temperature was in the negative numbers. That may well have been the beginning of my beleif there had to be a better way to make a living, other than hanging cable on poles.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I have a Miller 35 wire machine and I have welded stuff with it that was SUPER critical, like the bit on my trailer hitch that had to pull a 10,000 lb trailer. I have never considered the wire welders to be anything but a total-penetration machine; unless of course it was in the hands of some ham-and-egger who didn't know squat. I suspect that the no-penetration thing got started when the wanna-be welder kids went out and bought a 120V MIG that would fit in the WIRE COMPARTMENT of my Miller. How does GMC put it.........???Oh yeah,..."We are Professional Grade". Yew gets what yew pays fer.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I learned to splice in the Army in a combat zone. I thought I was the cat's meow cause I could slide my own tubes and twist and solder thirty plus pair an hour nineteen gauge pic. When I got out of the business I'd quit one telco twice and had been an independent contract splicer for years. With new technology I would drop into a MH and bend in, open, splice, and close, an eighteen hundred a day.

If you think following a wayward splicer was bad you should have been in my shoes when I was in my early thirties. I was responsible for seventy splicers in two states, more fun than man was meant to have since they outlawed polygamy and about as much pressure to perform./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

What is crazy was I was as passionate about splicing as I am about welding or just about anything else I do. I can remember standing in front of classroom full of wannabees and explaining to them that I could open a splice tell if it was done by a splicer or a connector mechanic no matter what process was used. There is a way that an someone does his work that reflects thought and pride.

That's true in everything. But I believe there is a secret to discerning both ends of that. You have to have a passion about something to identify someone else's passion in their thing. Then you can appreciate them both for what they are.

Just a perfectly unbiased opinion, /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif right?

 

[marrt]

With regard to the question of Gas vs an AC/DC welder, I have noticed that a lot of people suggest that one START on Gas because it will make you a better welder in the long run. That was also the recommendation of that dude who wrote the welding book a lot of folks recommend (Finch I think was his name). I have no doubt this is true. However, in my case, I don’t want to be a professional welder. I just want to do acceptable work. For some reason, I have the impression that gas is harder to learn than an AC/DC welder. I also imagine it heats up the material more. However, it would be nice to have a welder that would cut and weld.

 

[marrt]

Maybe I’m imagining this, but I thought I read somewhere that those auto-darkening helmets are dangerous to use over time. Apparently is takes a millisecond or so for the glass to react and during that brief time you are exposed. Apparently, it adds up. For example, the flash of one camera shot has no long term effects. But if you are exposed to that flash 100 times per day, then it adds up. Probably would not be an issue for the occasional welder however.

 

[Hoeman00]

CJ;
I'll second that 'Yew gets what yew pays fer.'
I've got a Lincoln ideal arc 250 w/ seperate
wire feeder.
Dad and I have built lots of things w/ mig
and never a problem.
But he also taught me to weld when I was 7
w/ craftsman buzzbox.
Stick has it's place w/ 7018 and hard surface
but wire for everything else.
We learned to gas weld as freshmen in
vo-ag class.

 

[Loges1]

Hoeman,
I'll second your second.
I also learned how to weld in Vo-Ag. Gas first then stick with a Lincoln buzz box. MIG was no problem after that even though it was a few years down the road.
Where the trouble starts is when someone uses a 110v muffler welder to paste heavier material together and it fails. Then all wire feeders are "junk". In reality if the welder(operater) works properly then the welder(machine)works properly. Now when I weld I crank up that big ol' Miller and burn 1/16" flux core wire and what I glue together stays glued.

 

[Rockyroad]

Maart-

I had not heard that about auto darkening helmets. However, what you say makes some sense. I don't think I will have a problem since I weld occassionally and the cumulative exposure should be minimal if there is any truth to this.

I do know, however, that it has helped my terrible welding greatly. I frequently have to weld broken prongs to the drum of my home made lawn aerator. I had a lot of trouble starting the arc in exactly the right place until I bought the Optrel. Now I can start the arc exactly where I want to and get it right without a lot of grinding to fix my mistakes.

I agree with "you get what you pay for" and for that reason bought a top end auto darkening helmet. The pros may not need them, but they are sure handy for us amateurs!

 

[EdDekker]

The auto-darkening helmets always block the dangerous UV wavelengths

The ANSI spec for auto darkening hoods requires the equivalent UV protecton to a shade 14 fixed lens at all times. The LCD only modulates the *visible* light levels passing through the lens. Permanent UV filters are bonded to the LCD to handle the UV. It doesn't matter if the LCD is working or not, the UV filters always are, just like a fixed shade (or better since you won't be nodding your head to shake the hood down as you strike the arc.)

If the LCD and electronics totally failed the worst that would happen would be your seeing spots for a while, but you will not be hurt.

 

[dourobob]

Thanks for that explanation. I am a "learning welder" - very early stages - and am considering an auto darkening helmet.
Are there specs that I need to look for to be sure I am getting the best protection.

Bob