12-06-2011, 07:27 PM
Col,
I've got the same Welder as you, although mine's a lot more battered. It cost me the princely sum of £10 at an Auction. Don't be so cheapskate, buy an automatic welding mask. They're quite cheap now. The best thing about them is that it leaves both hands free. I did a bit of welding the other day and only managed a small burn on my arm. I'm less convinced about small MIG welders, particularly 'gasless' ones. The snag is that they generally don't get used often enough. So you fish it out from under the bench, connect up the gas and find it won't feed because the nozzle is clogged and the wire has got a bit rusty. By the time you've cleared that and got everything running I could have done the job with my old stick Welder, cleaned up and had a cup of tea. I also find that the MIG isn't much good for thick stock. I use my MIG for thin sheet, which is fine once everything is set up. My mate Tim has a big MIG which covers a much greater range of steel thickness, and seems to have much better feed arrangement. I'd like a TIG but haven't got round to it yet, as usual.
I'm pretty nervous about woodworking machinery, much more so that my metalworking machinery, although I don't think that's very logical. A mate of mine had an interesting experience with a small bench planer. One of the knives came loose and hit the main casting. The casting broke which released the bearings and hence the block. The knife broke into several pieces which were flung around the garage. He said it was quite exciting!
If it hadn't been mentioned I would have put a Pillar Drill high on the list of 'Must Haves'.
By the way that's a splendid little tool rest, and about time
Alan
I've got the same Welder as you, although mine's a lot more battered. It cost me the princely sum of £10 at an Auction. Don't be so cheapskate, buy an automatic welding mask. They're quite cheap now. The best thing about them is that it leaves both hands free. I did a bit of welding the other day and only managed a small burn on my arm. I'm less convinced about small MIG welders, particularly 'gasless' ones. The snag is that they generally don't get used often enough. So you fish it out from under the bench, connect up the gas and find it won't feed because the nozzle is clogged and the wire has got a bit rusty. By the time you've cleared that and got everything running I could have done the job with my old stick Welder, cleaned up and had a cup of tea. I also find that the MIG isn't much good for thick stock. I use my MIG for thin sheet, which is fine once everything is set up. My mate Tim has a big MIG which covers a much greater range of steel thickness, and seems to have much better feed arrangement. I'd like a TIG but haven't got round to it yet, as usual.
I'm pretty nervous about woodworking machinery, much more so that my metalworking machinery, although I don't think that's very logical. A mate of mine had an interesting experience with a small bench planer. One of the knives came loose and hit the main casting. The casting broke which released the bearings and hence the block. The knife broke into several pieces which were flung around the garage. He said it was quite exciting!
If it hadn't been mentioned I would have put a Pillar Drill high on the list of 'Must Haves'.
By the way that's a splendid little tool rest, and about time
Alan
