furry1
got the funk
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- 30
Well, time to turn from long time lurker to , er, anyway, first post. My welding life story so far!
I had a go at welding in college many years ago. Got a stick welder from a car boot sale (£20 in I think 1993..) and burned a few holes in the sills of the Triumph Spitfire I had as a student
(it had nearly no metal near the ground..) Decided maybe welding rusty cars was a bit tricky. Managed to stick a few things together over the years. (still got the stick welder, still works as well as ever!)
Last year, while in the possession of a VW Camper (There's a surprise..) I decided that maybe it'd be time to brush up my welding to sort out the myriad holes that were appearing. So, on Ebay I go, and for the princely sum of £35 acquire a Sip 130 Turbo. After a visit to Halfords to get wire and gas I try it. No prizes for guessing how that turned out. I look about for help and come across this most excellent site. How I wish I'd found it earlier, you live and learn, and I often find the hard way is the most rewarding.. (I keep telling myself that..)
I read that my Sip is quite famously, crap. I do the drive roller tie mod. I put a new liner in (a plastic one, as I got it in a packet with tips and shroud!). It nearly works. I put in the wire feed power supply mod. I change the plastic liner for some curtain wire (yes, really! It seems to work fine!!) It works! I put a little bottle of argon mix on. Revelation. I'm quite pleased with it! Big cheers to this forum!
Apparently I'd registered about this time, but forgot...
So, armed with a welder that's about usable I start on some projects, after sticking together whatever bits of scrap I find in my barn.
First proper project is for some friends who run a travelling organic cafe, they go to festivals around the country and serve tea in muddy fields on nice carpets. (the Wierdigans!) They need a transportable and easily put up and downable counter that will also survive the onslaught of rather 'impaired' folks. So, over three days we turn a broken market stall into the frame of said counter. It has stood a season of use with no probs! 1 up to Mr Sip!
Now, onto the VW. The front wheelarches are the worst. I wirebrush some loose paint near a seatbelt mount and nearly drop the grinder through the rapidly enlarging hole. Not exactly 'within 30cm of the mounting'.. there's nearly no metal in that distance... I cut and weld patches, manfully coping with bad weather, Sip wobbles, insuficient gas flow from tiny bottles and metal that vanishes before my eyes. I get it done though and get an MOT just in time for festival season! It's amazing what you can do with underseal.. 2 up to Mr Sip..
Next project is for me. I play double bass in a comedy folk band, and am often carrying it around said muddy fields. It's quite big and bulky and heavy. I have an idea for a trolley, using old Mountain bike wheels, which I have loads of as I hire bikes to tourists in the lakes to pay the bills. An old security gate succumbs to the attentions of the angle grinder to provide materials and a suitable form of transport takes an afternoon to make, which has been round muddy fields from Scotland to Glastonbury and beyond. It's probably done a couple of hundred miles now. 3up to Mr Sip..
Next, We also run an 'Acoustic Space' tent at daid festivals, which gets cold at night, so a wood burner is required. After following best advice I cut a gas bottle up, and use anything at hand, including bits of a friend's van, to make a burner of suitable size for said tent. It does a few parties too, and will regularly shoot a foot of flame in jet engine style out of the flue. And keep loads of folks warm! 4 up to Mr Sip..
Then I spot a lonely Cebora on Ebay. Very badly advertised, you couldn't see the model name or number on the pics and the description was very brief. I decide to have a punt. Maybe my 'sip' modding days are over..? After winning for half the money I'd put on it I pick it up. Random guy decides to go out just before I arrive to collect, after a two hour drive, keeping me waiting for a further two hours. Still, when I see it the wait is worthwhile, it's a bit dusty but it's hardly used. The guy says it's not used it's first reel of wire yet and is still on the original tip. He also gives me the reel of wire which is nearly full. Bargain! It's a Boxer Twin. On the same trip I pick up some rent free CO2 bottles. I now have a 'proper' set up. Sooooooooo much easier to use. Manged to butt weld 0.8mm steel with 0.8mm wire...
I then put the Sip back on ebay. It fetches nearly what my new gear cost! Am I happy? I am a lucky man, as many would agree.
Now, apart from making a rather unusual bottle opener with a visiting friend I am yet to put the thing to good use. I now have a new parweld helmet, which is a vast improvement over the dingy postage stamp sized view of the old one that I got free with the original stick welder. I've taught two people the basics, not long after I've learned them myself. I'm ready now. Lots of ideas of things to make. Lots of time to make them.
This welding's quite fun really. Beats the hell out of watching TV! Maybe soon I'll buy some new metal, or shall I just keep on recycling scrap? Who knows. Anyway, 'hi' to all.. I've read a few of your stories, there's mine!
When I work out how to post pics I will show all..
I had a go at welding in college many years ago. Got a stick welder from a car boot sale (£20 in I think 1993..) and burned a few holes in the sills of the Triumph Spitfire I had as a student
(it had nearly no metal near the ground..) Decided maybe welding rusty cars was a bit tricky. Managed to stick a few things together over the years. (still got the stick welder, still works as well as ever!)Last year, while in the possession of a VW Camper (There's a surprise..) I decided that maybe it'd be time to brush up my welding to sort out the myriad holes that were appearing. So, on Ebay I go, and for the princely sum of £35 acquire a Sip 130 Turbo. After a visit to Halfords to get wire and gas I try it. No prizes for guessing how that turned out. I look about for help and come across this most excellent site. How I wish I'd found it earlier, you live and learn, and I often find the hard way is the most rewarding.. (I keep telling myself that..)
I read that my Sip is quite famously, crap. I do the drive roller tie mod. I put a new liner in (a plastic one, as I got it in a packet with tips and shroud!). It nearly works. I put in the wire feed power supply mod. I change the plastic liner for some curtain wire (yes, really! It seems to work fine!!) It works! I put a little bottle of argon mix on. Revelation. I'm quite pleased with it! Big cheers to this forum!
Apparently I'd registered about this time, but forgot...
So, armed with a welder that's about usable I start on some projects, after sticking together whatever bits of scrap I find in my barn.
First proper project is for some friends who run a travelling organic cafe, they go to festivals around the country and serve tea in muddy fields on nice carpets. (the Wierdigans!) They need a transportable and easily put up and downable counter that will also survive the onslaught of rather 'impaired' folks. So, over three days we turn a broken market stall into the frame of said counter. It has stood a season of use with no probs! 1 up to Mr Sip!
Now, onto the VW. The front wheelarches are the worst. I wirebrush some loose paint near a seatbelt mount and nearly drop the grinder through the rapidly enlarging hole. Not exactly 'within 30cm of the mounting'.. there's nearly no metal in that distance... I cut and weld patches, manfully coping with bad weather, Sip wobbles, insuficient gas flow from tiny bottles and metal that vanishes before my eyes. I get it done though and get an MOT just in time for festival season! It's amazing what you can do with underseal.. 2 up to Mr Sip..
Next project is for me. I play double bass in a comedy folk band, and am often carrying it around said muddy fields. It's quite big and bulky and heavy. I have an idea for a trolley, using old Mountain bike wheels, which I have loads of as I hire bikes to tourists in the lakes to pay the bills. An old security gate succumbs to the attentions of the angle grinder to provide materials and a suitable form of transport takes an afternoon to make, which has been round muddy fields from Scotland to Glastonbury and beyond. It's probably done a couple of hundred miles now. 3up to Mr Sip..
Next, We also run an 'Acoustic Space' tent at daid festivals, which gets cold at night, so a wood burner is required. After following best advice I cut a gas bottle up, and use anything at hand, including bits of a friend's van, to make a burner of suitable size for said tent. It does a few parties too, and will regularly shoot a foot of flame in jet engine style out of the flue. And keep loads of folks warm! 4 up to Mr Sip..
Then I spot a lonely Cebora on Ebay. Very badly advertised, you couldn't see the model name or number on the pics and the description was very brief. I decide to have a punt. Maybe my 'sip' modding days are over..? After winning for half the money I'd put on it I pick it up. Random guy decides to go out just before I arrive to collect, after a two hour drive, keeping me waiting for a further two hours. Still, when I see it the wait is worthwhile, it's a bit dusty but it's hardly used. The guy says it's not used it's first reel of wire yet and is still on the original tip. He also gives me the reel of wire which is nearly full. Bargain! It's a Boxer Twin. On the same trip I pick up some rent free CO2 bottles. I now have a 'proper' set up. Sooooooooo much easier to use. Manged to butt weld 0.8mm steel with 0.8mm wire...
I then put the Sip back on ebay. It fetches nearly what my new gear cost! Am I happy? I am a lucky man, as many would agree.
Now, apart from making a rather unusual bottle opener with a visiting friend I am yet to put the thing to good use. I now have a new parweld helmet, which is a vast improvement over the dingy postage stamp sized view of the old one that I got free with the original stick welder. I've taught two people the basics, not long after I've learned them myself. I'm ready now. Lots of ideas of things to make. Lots of time to make them.
This welding's quite fun really. Beats the hell out of watching TV! Maybe soon I'll buy some new metal, or shall I just keep on recycling scrap? Who knows. Anyway, 'hi' to all.. I've read a few of your stories, there's mine!
When I work out how to post pics I will show all..
I wanted to post the photo link but am exhausted tonight having spent all my energies on super cool web technology this afternoon.
