if you have a welder

[hughie]

My shop has a mix of engineering and wood orientated tools, which leads me all over the place at times .
This time to fabricated tool rests and a interesting discovery, that these tool rests act like cast iron tool rests in so much as they absorb vibration. When I first started out I had a cheap Chinese knock lathe with cast iron tool rests. Tool rests that were thin on the wings, ideal for poking down inside when hollowing. Yup I broke the wings off, welded them back on a couple of times, but it was obvious that this couldn't continue. The bowls I was turning got bigger and bigger, allowing the tool rest to go further and further into the vessel.
So came up with fabricated tool rests as simple and cost effective , over the years I have made many and as I changed lathes most went out with the lathe. The beauty of it is any short lengths of flat bar or SHS will do fine, and if curved is required or some other shape, again no problems. With curved etc you will have to bend the individual pieces prior to welding This one is a small 8" straight rest a mix of SHS and flat bar with heavy tack welds. Fully welding may induce all sorts of unwanted curves and twists as it cools down, too date I have never had a welding failure.

 

[Bill Alston]

I was taught how to gas weld many years ago. I did look into the various other types about 20 years ago and decided that TIG was the way to go.
Someone offered to give me lessons but in the end I couldn’t justify the cost of the equipment for the amount of use it would get. A very handy skill to have though.

 

[hughie]

I was taught how to gas weld many years ago. I did look into the various other types about 20 years ago and decided that TIG was the way to go.
Someone offered to give me lessons but in the end I couldn’t justify the cost of the equipment for the amount of use it would get. A very handy skill to have though.

TIG is quite easy especially if you come from a gas welding background. But I agree the welding set up is costly with on going cost of gas. These days I have an antiquated arc welder that can only handle a couple of rod sizes.

 

[John K Jordan]

I’d be lost without welding capability.

I was a welding inspector for years for everything from bridges and buildings to piping in nuclear power plants. I know what makes a good weld but when starting out it sure is harder to do than it looks! It’s MUCH easier to make a bad weld than a good weld!

When I designed and built my shop I added a welding room. I roll a big horizontal metal-cutting bandsaw front of double doors that open to the outside.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61+iNDoR-ML._AC_SX679_.jpg

This lets me support the end of a 20’ length of steel stock out in the driveway. I keep a Portaband for quick cuts or cuts away from the shop. I made a 50 amp extension cord so I can weld outside when the weather is nice.

I have gas welding (excellent for very thin steel), stick, MIG, and TIG. Stick is great for heavy welding, good around the farm, for support beams, tractor buckets - not too hard to learn. MIG is like drawing with a pencil - the easiest for beginners to learn. (An inexpensive flux-core welder works just like MIG, a good way to get started - doesn’t need shielding gas but has more spatter.) TIG gives amazing results especially on small things, very precise. It’s done with a filler rod very much like gas welding but easier to control the heat. (They say TIG is the only kind of welding you can do in a white suit without getting dirty!)

The most fun toy is a plasma cutter! Easily cuts up to 1/2” thick, even stainless steel. For those not familiar, all you need to cut steel is electrical power and compressed air.

A good vise, lots of clamps, bench grinder on a pedestal, angle grinders, wire wheels, drill press, and a 20-ton press round out the little weld shop.

I give an introductory welding lesson to anyone who is interested - One odd thing: I’ve found that female persons from teen to old were generally more interested in learning to weld than the guys! Why is that?

JKJ

 

[hughie]

I’d be lost without welding capability.

I was a welding inspector for years for everything from bridges and buildings to piping in nuclear power plants. I know what makes a good weld but when starting out it sure is harder to do than it looks! It’s MUCH easier to make a bad weld than a good weld!

When I designed and built my shop I added a welding room. I roll a big horizontal metal-cutting bandsaw front of double doors that open to the outside.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61+iNDoR-ML._AC_SX679_.jpg

This lets me support the end of a 20’ length of steel stock out in the driveway. I keep a Portaband for quick cuts or cuts away from the shop. I made a 50 amp extension cord so I can weld outside when the weather is nice.

I have gas welding (excellent for very thin steel), stick, MIG, and TIG. Stick is great for heavy welding, good around the farm, for support beams, tractor buckets - not too hard to learn. MIG is like drawing with a pencil - the easiest for beginners to learn. (An inexpensive flux-core welder works just like MIG, a good way to get started - doesn’t need shielding gas but has more spatter.) TIG gives amazing results especially on small things, very precise. It’s done with a filler rod very much like gas welding but easier to control the heat. (They say TIG is the only kind of welding you can do in a white suit without getting dirty!)

The most fun toy is a plasma cutter! Easily cuts up to 1/2” thick, even stainless steel. For those not familiar, all you need to cut steel is electrical power and compressed air.

A good vise, lots of clamps, bench grinder on a pedestal, angle grinders, wire wheels, drill press, and a 20-ton press round out the little weld shop.

I give an introductory welding lesson to anyone who is interested - One odd thing: I’ve found that female persons from teen to old were generally more interested in learning to weld than the guys! Why is that?

JKJ

Yes had several welding positions over the years, from heavy industry to light weight in the packaging industry. These days have wound it back to just stick, plasma arc due to time and space