Learning to Weld

[Magyars]

I'm not a very good welder but I'm great at grinding!

 

[HoughMade]

Slightly, but not completely OT- anyone know of a good place to get shielding gas in the Region?

 

[Creedmoor]

Slightly, but not completely OT- anyone know of a good place to get shielding gas in the Region?

Do you own or lease bottles yet?

I'm own a few 80cf 75-25 mixed and Argon bottles from Air Products and lease a few jumbos from them also.

 

[ghuns]

Slightly, but not completely OT- anyone know of a good place to get shielding gas in the Region?

Praxair bought up Mittlers locations around here. I'm sure they have locations near you.

 

[ghuns]

I learned on the farm...

Hey... Me too.

And I still weld more like a farmer than a welder.

At least with the old arc welder in the shed. I'm a little better with my garage MIG setup. Much better with the TIG at work. We also now have a laser welder here at the shop that makes about anybody look like a welding genius.

 

[rhamersley]

This would be my welding expertise;


That's why I'm an engineer...

 

[MrSmitty]

Some large businesses will offer training , I learned at the weld school at Jeffboat, up graded to first class ( over head, and vertical welding) learned stick, and flux core,a version of MIG, learned TIG on the job, and got a Navy certification for stick at Newport News shipyard

 

[ghuns]

This would be my welding expertise;
View attachment 339744

That's why I'm an engineer...

I mean, as long as it holds.

 

[Aggar]

This would be my welding expertise;
View attachment 339744

That's why I'm an engineer...

That’s why they have grinders. Lol

 

[HoughMade]

Do you own or lease bottles yet?

I'm own a few 80cf 75-25 mixed and Argon bottles from Air Products and lease a few jumbos from them also.

I don't have any bottles.

 

[OurDee]

Either way he turned lemons into lemonade and obtained a valuable skill. No shame in that. Regardless of his poor choices in life I respect him for bettering himself through the program for what worked for him. (even though I'm in that IT track myself)
With the right skills in specialized welding, he could very well outpace me annually in regards to income.

And education is key. I learned secondhand when I asked our very own @igotdiesel2 to weld some galvanized plates to reinforce a tiller depth thingie, that you cant weld galvanized metal and walk away without some serious health issues. He graciously substituted some spare mild steel plates and fixed me up.

For when it is galvanized stuff:

 

[Creedmoor]

I don't have any bottles.

I would price buying 80 cubic feet tanks at your local welding supply and you also can price leasing larger tanks from them.
Unless it's changed one can't own tanks larger than 80 cf. You buy 80 cf and smaller and swap them out for the same companys tanks when you need them refilled.
That's why I posted I use air products tanks.

 

[Aggar]

I would price buying 80 cubic feet tanks at your local welding supply and you also can price leasing larger tanks from them.
Unless it's changed one can't own tanks larger than 80 cf. You buy 80 cf and smaller and swap them out for the same companys tanks when you need them refilled.
That's why I posted I use air products tanks.

I swap tanks at rural king. It’s easy as long as they have them.

 

[Rookie]

I swap tanks at rural king. It’s easy as long as they have them.

This is what I do. I bought tanks when I first started and got tired of explaining to airgas that I wasn't interested in leasing the tanks that I owned. I started going to rural king and they're cheaper.

 

[Creedmoor]

I swap tanks at rural king. It’s easy as long as they have them.

This is what I do. I bought tanks when I first started and got tired of explaining to airgas that I wasn't interested in leasing the tanks that I owned. I started going to rural king and they're cheaper.

I gotta ask, what companys name is on the bottles, and what size tanks are you swapping out?

 

[Rookie]

My store rarely has the six, but they almost always has the four. They don't care if you aren't swapping size for size. You can swap a small for a large. You just pay the cost of whatever tank you're "buying". You just have to have a tank to swap or it costs more.

 

[Creedmoor]

This is what I do. I bought tanks when I first started and got tired of explaining to airgas that I wasn't interested in leasing the tanks that I owned. I started going to rural king and they're cheaper.

Ah Kokomo, when they closed the Anderson store without letting its customers know I was just a bit pissed off when I rolled in on a sat morning to find a empty building and lot.
So I went to the Kokomo store that mon or tues and the Anderson salesman was now in Kokomo, nice guy and very apologetic about what his employer had done.
Next time I went in I was told the bottles I owned were out of hydro, I laughed and said thats your problem not mine. We got it strait real quick. Now I just pay the fee to have them deliver them to my shop.

 

[Creedmoor]

View attachment 339831

My store rarely has the six, but they almost always has the four. They don't care if you aren't swapping size for size. You can swap a small for a large. You just pay the cost of whatever tank you're "buying". You just have to have a tank to swap or it costs more.

Thats called a Mixed Gas. That looks like a 80cf bottle. Four and a half feet or so tall?
Interesting that you can swap bottle sizes. Next time Im in Muncie, Marion or Anderson I will stop and see what they normally keep in stock.
Thanks for the pic.

 

[Rookie]

Thats called a Mixed Gas. That looks like a 80cf bottle. Four and a half feet or so tall?
Interesting that you can swap bottle sizes. Next time Im in Muncie, Marion or Anderson I will stop and see what they normally keep in stock.
Thanks for the pic.

Yeah, it's mixed which is all I need. I'm think they have 100% argon, but I'm not certain. Yeah, it's an 80cf bottle. They "sell" them by odd sizes, 1,2,4, and 6. I need a new bottle, but I've been putting it off. I don't weld a lot, so that bottle has lasted since pre covid. I'm afraid to see how much a new bottle will cost.

 

[Aggar]

View attachment 339831

My store rarely has the six, but they almost always has the four. They don't care if you aren't swapping size for size. You can swap a small for a large. You just pay the cost of whatever tank you're "buying". You just have to have a tank to swap or it costs more.

I think mine is a 4