I have been hacking away at welding since I was 19. I never had any
training, just what I picked up listening to people I worked with that were
in the trade and reading manuals. I have an AC stick welder, made a rolling
gantry for my chain hoist with that. An oxy acetylene rig, welded my sons
cracked header tubes with that. A cheap harbor freight 110 volt MIG welder,
made my wife a whole bunch of dog agility equipment with that (cussing and
fuming because I spent as much time fixing it as I did welding with it).
Last week my sister in law gave me a Lincoln square wave 175 TIG
welder. I was he husbands, he bought it just before he became terminally ill
with liver cancer. Boy is this thing neat. I have watched TIG welding being
done but had never tried it. I think it's actually easier than using a gas
torch. I was welding 1/16 wall 3/4 dia tubing into 3/4 holes in 1/8 thick
steel strips in no time. It is much more laid back than using the MIG.
Welding with that thing was like taking a test with someone standing behind
you with a stop watch. I think I am going to use this on everything I can
just for the practice.
Jim in Palmdale
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