Anything welding

If you can afford a decent Plasma table you could pick up a platten table cheap although moving it around can be interesting .

Just what precision parts are you building that you would need a Blanchard ground table

 

You missed the ship it is a Forum started by The Bend tech people for pretty much sharing our Fabrication Skills with youngins or those just starting out. Promote Bend Tech

 

What would cause a ridiculous bright arc? I checked my helmet and it’s working normally. Had all the settings maxed out and on shade 13. Verified it wasn’t the helmet by looking at the sun and welding some other mild steel.

I was welding stainless steel with normal filler wire and C25 (I know, not exactly ideal) but it’s just an old free exhaust I got. Is it because it’s SS? Because I’m using the improper wire/gas? I ended up having to position the arc behind the gun so I couldn’t see the puddle. Welds still came out decent enough though.

 

going to be reading a lot of pages in this post.

Getting a used flux welder this evening for next to nothing. Never have welded anything before and have always been itching to learn some basics.

Where should I start? Is there a good place online I can find basic info? Also, aside from the welder... what else will I need to purchase? Auto darkening helmet is first thing on my list.

 

I would venture either your cover plate was getting dirty or you had the hood positioned just right the sensors where blocked.

At 13 I would not have been able to see the arc

Nothing with the process should have caused you to get flashed

 

Some good You Tube videos out there

Your going to need a hood , safety glasses, Ear plugs , 100% cotton sweat shirt and some type of gloves

 

That’s what I thought, assumed it was the helmet which is why I did some other testing like looking at the sun, welding mild steel, messed with lighting near me, cleaned off the sensors. I don’t know, at a loss. If it continues when I weld other things I’ll warranty the hood.

 

By chance there was not a Mirror behind you ?

Arc reflects off Mirror onto the inside Cover plate it has happened but the Mirror has to be involved

 

White will reflect but not flash like a mirror

 

Every ones eyes are different .

Back in the old days in the seventies Our course outlines mandated the shielding lens darkness you needed .

I started with a 10 (SMAW 3/16" 70180) my welding sucked The teacher saying you can do better" well If I could see I know I could"

The Arc looked like a candle about 20' feet away

 

You are cordially invited to my thread to vent..
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tinnitus-who-has-this-bs.436605/

Tinnitus is not fun.

 

I also tried welding with ear plugs in today for the first time and gotta say, it’s fantastic.

 

I'm building my first tube bumper with the software. 1.75in .120 DOM Basically 4 bends involved and plenty of notching. After a few more bumpers/projects the roll cage is next.

 

For anyone that reads this, I'll reiterate.. Please wear hearing protection while working or doing anything with loud noises!!
You'll never understand how miserable ringing in your ears is until sometimes its too late... And when it's 24/7 for years it sucks so bad.. Sometimes I wanna put a round thru my head and not being cute, take this serious fellas.

 

i love when it is self inflicted when you hear the radio from the other side of the intersection when both vehicles windows are closed

 

For me it makes welding so much easier because my focus is all with my eyes .

No distractions

 

Since I was well on my way long before computers I never got into software Heck we had Mechanical Drawing.

Even CAD was years away

If I was young I would use every advantage to make things easier

 

That’s how I felt as well. Could still hear the arc enough to make judgements off it, but much much quieter.

 

Absolutely...I re designed my tube bumper without it, I can say I would be able to build something off with tubes without the software but why not taking advantage of new tools? got it on sale plus I enjoy learning new stuff.

 

After all these years I don`t need to hear things to know it is close.

The longer your welding the hotter and faster your settings will be