Mid-Life Welding Crisis

[skotl]

Welcome, @Paul Bush

I was about your age when my wife told me I needed a hobby. That was 14 years and many tool purchases (including five welders) ago!

Your first attempts at stick welding are far better than mine were, so just keep plugging away. Beg and borrow(!) as much scrap steel as you can, give it a good grind and keep going at it

 

[duncans]

yeah where cold cut off saws are concerned mate buy brand new ones I've just learned that lesson wanted to get cracking on a load of jobs I've got to get done and the stupid thing will not start I was well pp off I was never going buy a second-hand one again cheapest I can find is £250.00 Evolution S355CPS 355mm TCT Steel Cut Off Saw (EVOSAW355) 110V but with it been Xmas i don't know when the shop is open in Swadlincote damn exchange mart want £300 and you have to wait 3 to 5 days not having that 50.00 over the price I can get it for and its in stock

 

[Paul Bush]

yeah where cold cut off saws are concerned mate buy brand new ones I've just learned that lesson wanted to get cracking on a load of jobs I've got to get done and the stupid thing will not start I was well pp off I was never going buy a second-hand one again cheapest I can find is £250.00 Evolution S355CPS 355mm TCT Steel Cut Off Saw (EVOSAW355) 110V but with it been Xmas i don't know when the shop is open in Swadlincote damn exchange mart want £300 and you have to wait 3 to 5 days not having that 50.00 over the price I can get it for and its in stock

Hi Duncans,

Thanks for the tip. I have been looking at cut off saws but not confident I know the difference between a cold cut and abrasive. I think cold cut is preferable option but I'm struggling to know what I'm looking.

Was looking at this:

https://kendaltools.co.uk/product/fox-f20-140a-355dia-metal-cut-off-machine/

I recently bought a SIP belt sander from them and was very happy with the service and speed of delivery. What's the name of the shop in Swadlincote?

 

[gaz1]

as a hobby an angle grinder is just as good for cutting up

I have a abrasive chopsaw that i hardly use myself prefer the grinder

cut off saws well i have them for joinery work anyway but never used them much on metal

personaly id buy 2 grinders one for cutting and one for grinding discs/flap discs its what i tend to use more

 

[duncans]

the one ive put mate are brilliant I cut 6mm angle iron no problem the next one will have 3yrs guarantee same as the Kemppi Evo 200amp I'm buying on Tuesday

 

[duncans]

Gaz have you ever tried cutting 6mm angle iron in a perfectly straight line I ain't messing about with a grinder that saw will cut box section etc perfect square in 1 go you are not spending ages getting square

 

[500e]

I have an unfortunate toolstation / screwfix addiction.
Don't worry @Paul Bush are amongst friends at least 50% here have the same problem & worse

 

[duncans]

Hi Duncans,

Thanks for the tip. I have been looking at cut off saws but not confident I know the difference between a cold cut and abrasive. I think cold cut is preferable option but I'm struggling to know what I'm looking.

Was looking at this:

https://kendaltools.co.uk/product/fox-f20-140a-355dia-metal-cut-off-machine/

I recently bought a SIP belt sander from them and was very happy with the service and speed of delivery. What's the name of the shop in Swadlincote?

i had a clark one they are not that good sparks every where but if you do decide to go down that route mate I've 2 brandnew blades u can have free they are no good to me

 

[Barking Mat]

@Paul Bush ,

Welcome to the forum, I joined to learn to arc weld...

Many years later, I can and have arc, mig and tig. Still raving amateur at alu.

Then I found excuses to buy lathe, cold cut saw, big ancient bandsaw...

it's the tool obsession, bought on by this site. You have been warned...

Not just the welding gear...

Good place to be ...

 

[duncans]

@Paul Bush ,

Welcome to the forum, I joined to learn to arc weld...

Many years later, I can and have arc, mig and tig. Still raving amateur at alu.

Then I found excuses to buy lathe, cold cut saw, big ancient bandsaw...

it's the tool obsession, bought on by this site. You have been warned...

Not just the welding gear...

Good place to be ...

hahaaa to rite mate your for ever buying tools

 

[Paul Bush]

@Paul Bush ,

Welcome to the forum, I joined to learn to arc weld...

Many years later, I can and have arc, mig and tig. Still raving amateur at alu.

Then I found excuses to buy lathe, cold cut saw, big ancient bandsaw...

it's the tool obsession, bought on by this site. You have been warned...

Not just the welding gear...

Good place to be ...

Hi barking mat,

Thank you for the welcome and warning.

I've already accumulated a fair number of "essential" tools for the garage. Nothing on your scale but enough to get by.

However I'm sure this site will offer plenty of inspiration for new additions.

 

[gaz1]

Gaz have you ever tried cutting 6mm angle iron in a perfectly straight line I ain't messing about with a grinder that saw will cut box section etc perfect square in 1 go you are not spending ages getting square

try 3/4" x 13"

3/4" x 6"

all done by angle grinder

 

[duncans]

I've got about 100 cuts to do that would take me a long time with my angle grinder and then there is getting them square with the chop saw its so quick cut flap disk done in a few mins mate yeah if there were only a few like in the picture then may be mate

 

[gaz1]

but if within set tollerences then id use a chopsaw

use it with wood often if doing the same id set it up with blocks and get chopsawing as they will be all at set lengths for speed and easy refernce for doing nominal a grinder is just as good
i just dont pull out the metal chopsaw enough and its still got the same blade it had on from 2011

though its 5mm blade does my head in on a 14" abrasive chopsaw

 

[duncans]

i got rid of the abrasive chop saw was rubbish I couldn't get it to cut square at all the Evo evolution 335 does cut square and cuts a lot quicker and hardly any sparks at all

 

[skotl]

One o the things you'll notice, @Paul Bush, is that threads tend to veer off-topic fairly regularly

 

[500e]

No more so than. The VP thread

 

[Feet 'n Inches]

I'm thinking that my welder's digital read-out is off as I look to be getting better results at an amperage which feels too low. Bead hight is roughly 2mm so other than the 2 blowouts I don't know where I am with penetration.

Down at my local Men's Shed I use an old 'NU-Arc' buzz box which is around 40 years old. Current is adjusted by turning a triangular wheel. The current indicator (a piece of wire visible via a cut out in the top of box) is in no way accurate so setting the current is something I do by 'feel' that is the result of loads of practice. Give yourself time and as has been said practise on thicker steel and as you become more experienced, work towards thinner steel. Before long you'll be welding 2 mm steel with 2.5 mm rods and wondering what the problem was.

 

[fizzle]

I'm a bit late to the thread but have seen a few DIY attachments to use angle grinders as a chop saw if you are looking for a small starter project. These have probably been discussed on the forum before. One example below:

 

[gaz1]

one thing with grinders always make sure they fire away from you

if any frame gives on you then its coming at you at speed

ive had a 9" grinder bury itself into the ground and im no fool with grinders until it blew the power fuse when it did it, it was fast and im holding it really hard the problem was i couldnt take me finger off the trigger for holding onto it

so remember that when its on a cheap frame