Weekend Welder

I've bought a new welder.
My original one was a gift, I asked advice about what sort of welder to buy.
My advisor upped an gave me a MIG welder.
Shock!
I was very grateful.
Trouble is I now know that for my application it's NBG.
Too strong for vehicle body work.
And rubbish - according to the welding hacks at MIG Welding - the DIY Guide
Which could explain why I was finding welding difficult.
I didn't expect to produce beautiful welds at a first go.
But I did expect to improve.
And I didn't.

• A bad workman can blame bad tools.

Seeing as I'd budgeted for a welder; nothing really lost in buying another one.
(Freaked Out Economics)

I am now improving with every attempt.
Welds are not beautiful but serviceable and consistent.
Beauty I can live with out - for now.

The new blue baby welder is gasless which is meant to make welding outdoors easier.
But I'm no longer convinced about this.
The fluxed wire seems very messy and makes keeping a regular arc hard work.
The slag contaminates the weld and the wire.
Today I'm going to fit the gas option and see if I like it better.

As for outdoors I came across an elegant design for a wind shield for welding.
Cardboard box and masking tape.
(I can never see simple solutions!)
If it catches fire, tear it off and stamp on it.
Oh and turning the gas up helps.

Welding and Walking

Another ordinary weekend.

Well it was for us.

Saturday attacked rusty section of camper's wheel arch.

I've decided not to fuck about.

If it's rusty it's coming out.

I don't weld too well but the repairs must be better than rust.

(Delicious is a new playground so get this.)

I've also decided that if I need practice, doing it is the ticket.

Sunday

We went for a walk.

Having strolled around the Peak for about 30 years it gets a bit familiar.

So I tend to work in themes rather than just wander looking at the sights.

So we've had stints of

• finding Roman sights,
• certain plants and animals,
• famous people's graves etc.

The current fad is geology and this weekend we identified different sorts of limestone.

I've always wondered why Harborough Rocks were pinky-orange and kind of funny looking.

Now I know.

It's Dolomite.

Marvelous.

Some credit due to local geologist Fred Somebody and his book.

Hussar - The Weld Pool Grows

Very quick post

This weekend I twigged Arc Welding!

Always I'd been able to happily create spot weld and tacks.

But continuous seam welds had defeated me.

Until now.

Two weeks ago I put in a repair panel into the rear near-side quarter on the Camper.

Usual struggle with seams, no problem with spots.

Mussing happened.

about a week ago I sussed it.

Build a weld pool before moving off down the seam.

I couldn't wait to try it and when I did sho nuf nice continuous seams.

I'm sure you're interested

Slackness

I've finally decided, the semi-psychotic person with the ultra up-tight expression, stary eyes and air of compulsive order is none other than the Smith-monster. Unspokenly we've decided not to acknowledge each other. Maybe she's not sure enough to get my attention but i'm not giving her opportunity. Strictly no eye contact. I'm not really sure why I should be scared. Answers to the usual place - tell me why. I seem to remember a cloying closeness, an other-worldlyness and weird non-verbal cues. Nothing really offensive, just unsettling. Whatever it was i'm not risking it.

Fitted more oil gallery plugs at the weekend, just the problem of the plugs I shouldn't have pulled and haven't got replacement ones for to deal with. My answer is some 16mm round bar, widen the holes to suit and weld them in. Should be a laugh, i've never welded aluminum before.