Looks good! Digging the CNC cuts. Especially like how it's giving me the finger WV style

I'd start with what CJ said. But then you'll run a bead without having learned a damn thing. So start there, but then also run a bead with it 20 amps hotter than that baseline, then run it 20 amps cooler. Then bump your cleaning up 10%, then bump it down 10% from that baseline. Then start moving you...

I looked at them a bit a couple months ago when people started talking about them. Look to me like the same no-name, off-brand, bottom of the barrel, cheap chinese machines you can find all over ebay and amazon....just with a bit more money put into marketing. Personally, I would avoid them. But for...

I'd think you'd have the local pick of the litter being in CA. Figured they'd be the ornamental iron capital of the world with all those mansions. Even the lower-end neighborhoods seem to be covered in it over your way. You are referring to the security gratings ................. ? :twisted: LOL. M...

I'd think you'd have the local pick of the litter being in CA. Figured they'd be the ornamental iron capital of the world with all those mansions. Even the lower-end neighborhoods seem to be covered in it over your way.

My supplier won't shear the raised expanded metal, as someone else had mentioned. I just lay the full sheets on a few 2x4's, mark with a tape measure and sharpie, and then zip through it with an angle grinder and cutoff wheel. It cuts way faster than you may think it would.

Wire diameter and heat for the thicker part, gun pointed at the thicker part too. Wash onto the thinner piece quickly then back onto thicker. I'm with CJ on this one. That's exactly how I do it for MIG on structural type things when needing to go thick to thin. I always default to the "hotter&...

Looks like you're on the right track, especially with the chill bars. Warping on things like that can be inevitable, though. Only thing I would do a bit different than what I see you doing (at least in the second pic), would be to get several tacks all around the perimeter first (alternating sides o...

You just need to sweet talk those Russian girls a bit before you talk to Matt. They're the ones who really get things done. Tell Tatiana and Katya I said hello

From what I can tell, QQ150 is some sort of import welder. If you're looking at this same torch I came across (only thing that really came up when searching for QQ150), I can't say what type of consumables it takes. Almost looks like some sort of hybrid when it comes to the threads. It does mention ...

Very nice!

I have a 200DV. I'd say yours is broke. Call Everlast for a warranty claim.

Marketing professionals from all industries really need to start studying the aura, mystery and desire surrounding 7018 rods when it comes to people wanting to use it to run a few repair beads on their tractors and the like, and how much those same people will fret about it. It's mind boggling.

....or use body filler. I think this^ is the best option for that type of restoration. Welding metal that is both thin and rusty is really a nightmare. To hopefully put it in perspective for you, I've got years of experience doing exactly that, and have gotten pretty good at it...but even I would b...

You have two things working against you. It’s very thin, and it’s likely corroded/pitted a bit due to age. That’s a big ticket for someone new to welding, especially since they are “one of a kind” type things where you can’t really just grab another piece of stock if you booger up the first one. I’d...

30 seconds is actually a long time to overdrive your torch that much. Doesn't seem like a big difference, but at 185A, you're actually exceeding the spec by almost 25%. I would keep the overdrives at that level to about 10 seconds or less, but that's just my opinion. Either way you may want to call ...

Its a ck torch. I run about 18cfh. Hmmmm. Perhaps the gas lens was not fully threaded into the torch head. This would cause a build up of heat in the GL if it was not able to properly transfer much of that heat to the torch head itself. Make sure that you are following a proper order of installing ...

Yup, you cooked it real good. Not all torches are created equal when it comes to their ability to overdrive them. I'd guess that your 17 is an import torch, which likely has less thermal mass in it than a name-brand/more expensive torch which has more of that expensive copper-bearing metal in the he...

Alright, I'm going to give the win to Walz10 for the first closest guess of wire spooler. Just a bit more utilitarian in nature than JayWal's guess of toilet paper holder...which I guess was also close :lol: It's a spooler to hold those massive/heavy 8" diameter label rolls for feeding into a p...

Getting a bit warm, but can't label anything as a correct guess just yet. I'll give it til this evening and then whoever was "close enough" first will get the Jazzy 10 kit.

CJ - Indeed. That fixture plate rocks!

Can anybody guess what it is/what it will be used for?? I'll send a Jazzy 10 ceramic kit free of charge to the first person that guesses correctly...but that's a bit doubtful. Hints: It's for me, and not a customer. It will be partially painted. It's heavy...1/4" thick flat bar for the base. IM...

Quicky repair/mod to a custom bike frame. 11ga MS to 16ish-ga chromoly tube. It was a bit more awkward getting in there than it looks! Repair was needed due to a classic failure that I've seen at least a dozen times. The original support had the maker's logo laser cut into it, which led the plate to...

My recommendation: Less typing. More welding.

Hood down. Arc lit.

10 minutes of that will teach you WAY more than 100 hours of reading forums or making spreadsheets comparing welders.

Buy a welder that meets your basic needs. Any welder. And then start welding.

Get filler in various sizes. Everything from .035" (sometimes even .030") all the way up to 1/8". Hood down. Arc lit. Try each one on different materials and different joints over and over again. Rod selection will become second nature after that. You won't even have to think about it...

I do wonder if the name has hurt their sales at all over the past year or so. Are you referencing Harvey Epstein? Who would confuse the two? It's not that people would necessarily confuse the two, but it creates an instant negative connotation with the brand/store for many consumers, and can hurt s...