Second welding class starting

[gauthier]

Just started vertical,well keep at it,I was doing the same thing about 25 years ago.I can't believe your afraid of a few little burns,you might not make it as a welder.I don't think carpenters have to worry to much about getting burnt, maybe..... RICHARD GAUTHIER

[egon]

Gary:
There is protective clothing and there are procedures to keep most of yourself out of the way. You'll develop some more arm muscle too.

Egon

[CJDave]

Gary,....I'm with you on this getting burnt stuff. I STILL have a spot on my forearm that has never quite returned to normal since a crater was burned in that spot. [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] I look at my leathers sometimes and see the really deep burns on them and think: "Yow! That would have been my skin!" [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] Here is a tip for you along the lines of what Ergon was speaking to: When you have to go hour-after-hour with a stick machine, choose a rod holder which is LIGHTWEIGHT and grips the rod tightly so it will not overheat from resistance at the jaws. I prefer the rotary-head JACKSON holders and then I cut about two inches of the "sleeve" off of them so the whole thing can disappear into my glove for getting into tight places. THEN, the last ten feet of my welding cable is of minimum size.....I have it coupled with a quick-tach connector to the big cable that runs 60' from the welder. I also carried a second 10' "whip" that had the jaw-type holder for digesting rods which would not go into the limited opening on that twist-type Jackson. If I needed to use a BIG rod, I could change "whips" and get the different holder. [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[gauthier]

Remember this too when you try some overhead,gravity,it will get you everytime. RICHARD GAUTHIER

[CJDave]

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Well Gary; we've REMOVED ALL OF THE EXCUSES by giving you all of this sage advice and cautionary tips. What this means is that when you step up to that seam, the monkey is now on YOUR back. As they said on the Alaska pipeline job: "Over 5% porosity is a cut-out; [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img] and a cut-out is a automatic airplane ticket home!" [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[Stoneheartfarm]

Yep, that hot stuff will light you on fire too, if it hits anything flammable. Set my pants on fire once.

Steve

[Gary_in_Indiana]

After reading a little of this, I think I'm going to spend tomorrow night working a bit more on my verticals unless I can at least get some leather sleeves to use. [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] At least in class I won't have to be flat on my back welding directly over my chest and throat (like I'm sure I will in the real world). [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[egon]

Gary:

In the real world you are in a 9 ft deep hole with about six inches of water in it. There is maybe a foot of clearance between the water and the bottom of the pipe. It's probably about -5 C with a light snow falling. You are lying on some pallets that just about keep you out of the water.

And best of all the weld will be xrayed.

Egon

[CJDave]

That is a PERFECT description of real world welding [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] I have NO IDEA what makes people want to be pipline welders. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I can't envision the situation where anything I do will be X-rayed (thank goodness) or in a 9' deep hole. Those are about the only differences, however. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

I can envision being flat on my back on a tarp over snow and muck under a semi tractor or trailer with a nice 35 mph wind blowing up my coveralls. [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]