Welding Tips and Tricks

I didn't mean I'd skip a weld because of being in a hurry. It's mostly when I'm stick welding I rush the weld. At my day job we build bobcat and tractor implements. We get paid production so you guessed it, we try to weld hot and fast. It carries over sometimes.

jroark wrote:I didn't mean I'd skip a weld because of being in a hurry. It's mostly when I'm stick welding I rush the weld. At my day job we build bobcat and tractor implements. We get paid production so you guessed it, we try to weld hot and fast. It carries over sometimes.

What kind of implements do you build?
And here is the question I've wondered for awhile-what process do you use for that-short circuit, spray, dual shield? And what do you use stick for on them?

We build buckets, brush cutters, augers and anything else. We just run our wire up to about 800ipm and around 30.5 voltage. I stick weld when I do repairs for other people. Not at my day job. We also don't use dual shield. I guess it's too smoky for an indoor application. Especially with gen or twelve welders.

jroark wrote:I didn't mean I'd skip a weld because of being in a hurry. It's mostly when I'm stick welding I rush the weld. At my day job we build bobcat and tractor implements. We get paid production so you guessed it, we try to weld hot and fast. It carries over sometimes.

Skipping welds was just an example, not accusing you of it.

There are many ways to cut corners when welding or fabricating because there is lots to do. So why are you concerned your not doing your best or its not perfect?

It's cool. I didn't take you that way. Right now I'm building some tables and it seems like no matter how hard I try I can't get it the way I want it.
I guess I just want everything to be dead nuts square and machine shop quality and sometimes I might have something a bit out of square or a little bit of spatter on something after it's already powder coated . I don't have my own machine shop so I guess I'll have to settle but I've been buying better stuff as I go and I can tell I'm getting better results .
When I look back on all my work there's just something that I wish I'd have done different or better. It's all good though. So far everyone's been happy and nothing has broken so I'm happy too. I just want to have some WT&T skills. I'll get there. Maybe when I originally posted this I was just having one of those blues moments.

jroark wrote:It's cool. I didn't take you that way. Right now I'm building some tables and it seems like no matter how hard I try I can't get it the way I want it.
I guess I just want everything to be dead nuts square and machine shop quality and sometimes I might have something a bit out of square or a little bit of spatter on something after it's already powder coated . I don't have my own machine shop so I guess I'll have to settle but I've been buying better stuff as I go and I can tell I'm getting better results .
When I look back on all my work there's just something that I wish I'd have done different or better. It's all good though. So far everyone's been happy and nothing has broken so I'm happy too. I just want to have some WT&T skills. I'll get there. Maybe when I originally posted this I was just having one of those blues moments.

I feel you man, I am in the same shoes as you.

We look back at some of the first stuff we built and at that time it was god like but now its crap, I even went and rebuilt something because it looked so bad to me now

It happens, I think of everything being handmade and uniquie, its not a robot, its not 5 different people, from cut to shape to weld to finish, its all me. That's special and it will have its flaws to show it

Its a good viewpoint to have, it keeps you on your toes and keeps you wanting to improve, that's important.

The devil is in the details.

That is the bane of any craftsman's existence. When you're there making something and there's that little something that coulda shoulda woulda been better if...

I have a ton of those little things in places from the church down the street from me to St. Patrick's cathedral in New York. No one else ever notices.

If one of your welding buddies looks they might see it though. That's what I always ask myself. "What would Kent say? Or I wonder if Josh would notice that?"
They probably have the same thoughts though. They probably don't worry if I'd see their mistakes though. Haha.

Oh yeah, I get that. We used to be especially hard on new guys in- of all things- barge repair and restoration. Dirty rotten metal that would never see the light of day after the welds were done. But a new kid would ask "How does this look?" and we'd give it the old "Hmm... " stink eye. It pushes progress and skill though, and the do have to be good, no matter where they're at.

PeteM wrote:Oh yeah, I get that. We used to be especially hard on new guys in- of all things- barge repair and restoration. Dirty rotten metal that would never see the light of day after the welds were done. But a new kid would ask "How does this look?" and we'd give it the old "Hmm... " stink eye. It pushes progress and skill though, and the do have to be good, no matter where they're at.

Kind of reminds me of welding school when watching somebody else's bend test-making noises that make it questionable and then they get real worried. Then crap gets real serious when they actually fail but you still mess with them regardless

Farmwelding wrote:

PeteM wrote:Oh yeah, I get that. We used to be especially hard on new guys in- of all things- barge repair and restoration. Dirty rotten metal that would never see the light of day after the welds were done. But a new kid would ask "How does this look?" and we'd give it the old "Hmm... " stink eye. It pushes progress and skill though, and the do have to be good, no matter where they're at.

Kind of reminds me of welding school when watching somebody else's bend test-making noises that make it questionable and then they get real worried. Then crap gets real serious when they actually fail but you still mess with them regardless

We'd always watch the track cutter as it cut the coupon. When the torch hits a slag inclusion the molten steel shoots up like a little geyser. Everybody would cheer like old faithful just went off. "Yeah!!! We have a winner!" and such.

jroark wrote:Thanks to Jody and some of you guys outstanding looking work I've developed a complex. I can't seem to do a job any more without wondering if Jody or some of the great welders I know would approve. I'm not welding skyscrapers or anything like that but sometimes I feel like I have to say "ok, that's good enough". I give it my best but I ALWAYS feel like it could be better. So do any of you guys feel like this? That is those of you that don't weld as good as Jody.

And the rest of us are just bummed about having a small pee-pee

exnailpounder wrote:

jroark wrote:Thanks to Jody and some of you guys outstanding looking work I've developed a complex. I can't seem to do a job any more without wondering if Jody or some of the great welders I know would approve. I'm not welding skyscrapers or anything like that but sometimes I feel like I have to say "ok, that's good enough". I give it my best but I ALWAYS feel like it could be better. So do any of you guys feel like this? That is those of you that don't weld as good as Jody.

And the rest of us just fret about having a small pee-pee

There he is!

A few people were speculating about your where abouts. There were a few threads that were missing your special touch.

exnailpounder wrote:

jroark wrote:Thanks to Jody and some of you guys outstanding looking work I've developed a complex. I can't seem to do a job any more without wondering if Jody or some of the great welders I know would approve. I'm not welding skyscrapers or anything like that but sometimes I feel like I have to say "ok, that's good enough". I give it my best but I ALWAYS feel like it could be better. So do any of you guys feel like this? That is those of you that don't weld as good as Jody.

And the rest of us are just bummed about having a small pee-pee

NAIL! Finally, your back.

I was starting to get worried you were actually doing some work for once

Olivero wrote:

exnailpounder wrote:

jroark wrote:Thanks to Jody and some of you guys outstanding looking work I've developed a complex. I can't seem to do a job any more without wondering if Jody or some of the great welders I know would approve. I'm not welding skyscrapers or anything like that but sometimes I feel like I have to say "ok, that's good enough". I give it my best but I ALWAYS feel like it could be better. So do any of you guys feel like this? That is those of you that don't weld as good as Jody.

And the rest of us are just bummed about having a small pee-pee

NAIL! Finally, your back.

I was starting to get worried you were actually doing some work for once

Nahhh...just got into an extended battle wrestling with my conscience...and I killed him

Good man! I guess he revived after the last one and you had to finish him off a second time?

exnailpounder wrote: Nahhh...just got into an extended battle wrestling with my conscience...and I killed him

Glad to see you back. I was getting worried.

I didn't think this was the place to talk about our pee-pee problems. Haha

jroark wrote:I didn't think this was the place to talk about our pee-pee problems. Haha

You can talk about anything anywhere around here, just look at Nail

Olivero wrote:

jroark wrote:I didn't think this was the place to talk about our pee-pee problems. Haha

You can talk about anything anywhere around here, just look at Nail

There is always a point of bo return as well so just watch it and make sure it doesn't get out of hand

Farmwelding wrote:There is always a point of bo return as well so just watch it and make sure it doesn't get out of hand

The law has been laid down!

LtBadd wrote:

Farmwelding wrote:There is always a point of bo return as well so just watch it and make sure it doesn't get out of hand

The law has been laid down!

I knew right especially coming from me. And of course there was a spelling error

Farmwelding wrote:

LtBadd wrote:

Farmwelding wrote:There is always a point of bo return as well so just watch it and make sure it doesn't get out of hand

The law has been laid down!

I knew right especially coming from me. And of course there was a spelling error

...and another one...

Well crap... I can't win today. Sorry everyone for the improper grammar. I well trie two ficks it laetir wen I git two English claesss

Good thing a good welder doesen't need to spell perfectly