Welding by Gaslight 6
You know…. sometimes it’s just not going your way and you can’t seem to get it together.
So occasionally you make your own fun.
Welding by Gaslight 5
Here is the progression that I’ve been making since I started ths course.
The joint on the left is a lap joint: connection two offset pieces by welding the edge of one to the middle of the other while both are parallel.
The middle joint is a fillet weld: two pieces connected at the edges at a 90 degree angle, or whichever angle is necessary.
The right joint is a T-joint: the edge of one piece connected to the face of another at a 90 degree angle, welded on both sides. This is by far the trickiest to date because once you’ve welded one joint the nature of welding the second joint changes. There is extra metal on the other side of the joint, thus the torch has to work harder to heat the metal to make it liquid.
I shall continue to post when I make further progress. Or I may post every day, I’m not sure.
Welding by Gaslight 4
Today the subject is butt welding. Yeah, laugh it up.
Two pieces are place side by side and tack welded into place. A gap of at least 2mm needs to be left otherwise the weld won’t penetrate between the pieces, it’ll just stick on top.
It’s easy enough to do when you know how.
The Mad Industrialist Part 7
Today, we have the welding test. It’s also our final day. It was a ten week course yes – but we missed one week, and did two double weeks, so there’s only 7 posts.
I shall allow the pictures of my completed test pieces speak for themselves.
Stick welding is great, and I’ll definitely have to revisit it. Possibly as a career.
Welding by Gaslight 3
Every day I’m improving. Practice makes perfect.
Welding by Gaslight 2
It’s amazing what one can do with a little training. And this was just us practising before we got our assignment for the day.
To see that, click after the jump.
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Welding by Gaslight 1
And here, ladies and gentlemen, are my first (well the best of my first day) welds laid down using the process known as Gas Welding
The process is simple enough. The welder uses a high heat torch to melt the steel until it is molten on the surface, then a filler rod is dipped into the molten steel and it melts (with help from the blowtorch) and forms the weld.
More posts forthcoming.
The Mad Industrialist Rides Again
So before I’ve even finished my 10 day course, I’ve been accepted to a 6 week course. Unlike the last course (Manual Metal Arc Welding) this one will be Oxy-Acetylene welding.
It requires different safety gear, such as the goggles pictured below.
A picture of a practice weld after the jump.
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The Mad Industrialist Part 6
Laying perfect weld is always awesome. However, today was a remarkably stressful day because next week is the test. Trying to get each and every weld perfect can really stress you out. And when you’re sitting or standing at the same table for hours in a boiler suit next to metal you’re purposefully heating up by running 108 amps through it… gets hard to concentrate sometimes.
Check out the results of the pressure after the jump.
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The Mad Industrialist Part 5
Today was a good day.
We kept on welding the three composite runs the same as we were doing last week: One foundation run, and two further runs for strength.
However there was a slight twist. We were welding a curved piece of metal, and I personally think it was easier than welding a straight piece. Though today – I welded some fantastic straight joints.
Best click after the jump for proof
Devolution passed!
It’s over. Devolution passed. Now Stormont has control over all of it’s own affairs, and the terrorists can go home.
For those of you out there that don’t know, ever since the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, they have been trying to transfer power from London to Belfast in a process know as devolution.
The main issues have been:
1. The dismantling of the paramilitary (terrorist) groups in Northern Ireland.
2. The removal of the British Army and it’s bases.
3. Establishment of Power Sharing between the main political parties.
4. The devolution of policing and other services.
There are more issues than that, but those are the main ones.
The paramilitaries have disarmed (mostly).
And as linked above, the police are devolving.
There’s no point fighting any more on the part of the terrorists. All you’ll be doing is killing other Northerners. You can plant bombs, shoot cops, whatever it is you want to do… but there’s no point.
You’re not fighting for Britain or Ireland any more.
All you’re doing is blowing up your own people. Which is fairness, is what you’ve been doing this whole time.
It’s over. There are years of healing to go yet. I give it two generations before no one gives a shit any more.
It’s over lads. It’s over.
Beard Update
Still growing strong. I’ll make it the year yet.
The Mad Industrialist Part 4
Today was an awful day. It was long, hot, and difficult.
What’s worse, I could not get into the swing of welding at all. Laying down loose welds, full of holes, spatter everywhere…
Got many many sparks inside the helmet, got a spark right down my back. That hurt. Caught weld flare twice. That sucks more than anything.
Did I not enjoy today?
Don’t get me wrong, I love welding. But when you can’t get into a rhythm on it, it can be a punishing mistress.
Click through for more pictures.
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