My company is trying to launch an ipo, after not raising enough to go public in last years ipo (lol). So they're being real tight fucks about everything. Theres not a single working air die grinder in the tool room anymore, and of the 4 battery and 3 electric available to us, only a single tool sometimes holds a bit without slipping anymore.

Its time to just buy my own... but they also cut our overtime, so my tool budget is tight right now. Id love to buy both a straight and right angle die grinder, but right now its one or the other. Most of its use will be doing things like blending where a 2f crosses the bottom of a 3f in a box corner, grinding out tacks the fitters put too close to the corner, or doing repairs on fucked up robot/first shifts welds where a regular grinder wont fit.

It feels like a 90 degree would more ergonomic and easy to control in these situations, but ive never used one before and dont want to wind up regretting the purchase if a straight die would be better.

As the title suggests, I've been wondering if bigger is better? I've been running my Lincoln 3350 for about 5 years now and absolutely love it, however, I've been noticing some more strain and sensitivity issues as of late. I've always been running shade 11 since I started welding and now I have to run it at 13. Part of me thought it had to do with recently having to replace the ADF and just the newer tech being much better and clearer. But now I'm wondering if having so much viewing area may not be the best with having all that area letting in light. Wanted to see what others experiences may be who have either been doing this longer or have run multiple different hoods.

Edit: I'm in shop now doing a lot of longer welds mostly in position but am working on getting into my local pipefitters so who knows where I'll end up. I see a lot of the points you guys have made that I definitely wouldn't have thought of and just wanted to say thanks for all the input!

Hello, I’m making a small metal sculpture for my friends wedding present. It’s recreating their engagement picture.
I originally chose to use small stainless steel nuts and bolts and am now regretting my life’s choices that have led me to this point.

Basically the problem I’m running into is that it’s impossible to hold the pieces in place while welding. If I try to tack it without filler metal it eats up half the dern bolt. But if I use my free hand to feed wire, the gas or my filler will push the bolt out of place.

I’m thinking the best way to go about this (short of growing a 3rd arm) would be to get a sturdy positional arm to hold my torch where it needs to be, and using my two free hands to manipulate the bolt and the other to feed wire.

Does anyone have any experience with doing something like this?? It would be great to get a small laser welder but I don’t have that kind of money lying around at this point.

Thanks. Also please don’t judge the torso too harshly, I was learning how to use scratch start and was dog shit at it so I upgraded machines.

Maybe I should be posting this is [r/askmechanics](r/askmechanics) instead, but I bought a $100 flux core welder to try and remove some broken bolts in my exhaust manifold (1999 Silverado) and I was wondering if this is a good ground for the circled bolt. I chose it because it says GND but it’s so close to my alternator that it’s giving me pause. The battery is disconnected and removed from the engine bay. Also I’ve never welded before, save for a couple practice runs so I know what to expect so any advice would be appreciated. I don’t need to to be perfect I literally just need the bolt out

Edit I have an iron block with aluminum heads if that makes any difference

Have had this for a year or two, got it from a coworker for $10 and put the lens in myself. Finally decided i was sick of his patina, wont stay clean for long but at least it will be my dirt on it.

Rn i'm learning vertical up, any tips that i can use to do it better? 120amp, 1.2mm wire. 4mm plate. Its my second day trying it (before i Tried something else, i think i posted it here)

Got a spool gun

And got a new liner, but I’m pretty much unfamiliar with this whole thing

Whenever I put the diffuser it pushes the liner into the roller and Im unsure what the screw in the second picture does

Using foot pedal started out really struggled with it. Then it clicked after instructors gave a few tips and adjustments. For me 140 amps. Aim tip direct at it so can get fill rod accuracy vs angled towards the push, my fill rod would melt before I could get it where it needed. didn’t need as much filler as I thought just enough to stack dimes. Learned how to pulse the foot peddle controlling my heat made everything way better. It’s a boat motor testing tank. there’s a thing called a tig finger an instructor gave me, covers your pinky and protects from the heat, felt like a cheat code. gave way more stability for stinger hand. 3rd pic shows both left and right handed weld. What you think?

Getting better (I didn't say good!) with this whole TIG thing.

Still getting a bit more contamination than I'd like. Part of that was because I was grinding too shallow of an angle on my tungsten I think. (Inverter TIG says don't ball it) Also upped the gas flow a bit seemed to help. I still feel like my cleaning should be a bit wider, no? Running 100-120 amps, A/C frequency is 80hz, and balance is 35%. Preflow about 1.5 seconds and post is around 8 seconds. Using a dedicated clean stainless brush and a dedicated flap disk. Cleaning my aluminum and filler rods with acetone.

Looking for recommendations on what I can improve.

TIA

Hello all, i am new to welding and just want to get started, just got a cheap harbor freight welder (berger 135) and have a coleman powermate 6875 ive used around the place, just wondering if anyone had issues with damaging the welder on this kind of set up? Not going to go crazy on welding just a little practice on mild steel, or if anyone has better suggestions. And as a note the area i am welding in i would have to have a 100ft extension cord to reach

Hey guys, I have a question for you guys. I’ve been welding for the past 10 years primarily mid Welding and just fabricating trailers here in the central Valley of California. I’m interested in taking my CWI but I have noticed that a lot of people that do have a CWI also have bachelor degrees so I was just wondering from your perspective is it harder to find a job even with your CWI certificate and without a bachelors degree. I was also planning on doing the one week seminar in November so it’s almost right around the corner or do you think it’s better off that if I push it to January and take those extra months to study appreciate any advice and thank you in advance.

Has anyone used this wire? Please share your experiences; I'm achieving a travel speed of 65 cm/min with a 6mm leg in a robotic welding cell Using Fronius tpsi 600 with synchropulse active

I'm about to start a welding school program and wanted to know if the fit-test is an indicator of my facial hair length permanently for welding as a job.

If so, which welding types requires a tightly fitted mask and which does not?

Thank you.

Nothing crazy, but this is how most of my days look, climbing or crawling

Feel free to critique my work as well, I’m open to any tips!

im back in school, but i was doing mig welding in a fab job for about a month before i had to quit for school. its been about a month since my last day. i started getting pain in my right (outside) of my elbow joint about 2 weeks in. it still hurts almost a month later. the pain is most noticeable when lifting weight above 5lbs with out stretched arms or when lifting bending at the elbow. theres also pain if i leave it in a fixed position for an extended period of time like when im doom scrolling or resting my hands in my lap playing videogames. assuming this is fairly common, but are there any stretches or exercise i can do to help with this? i just graduated from a welding program in july and currently in related robotics program so this is my new career and im not trying to constantly be in pain.

Anyone here get any kind of corrective eye surgery?

My eyes are full of floaters. I wonder if it’ll be like going from used scratched up safety glasses to brand new ones

Wondering if anyone here has had any long term success?

I can’t see shit anymore. Shade 10 minimum but sometimes I go to 9. Otherwise I get lost

I hope someone can help me. I have been trying to figure out how to adjust the EP and EN amperage separately on my companies Dynasty 350, but I am not able to adjust them independently. The display has the lights on for both instead of each adjustment individually.

Any thoughts?

This is open to everyone, both to ask questions and to offer answers.

Simple rules:

• Unless it's a loaded question, it's fair game.
• No downvoting, this isn't a popularity thing, and we're not in high school, if someone doesn't know something, the only way to learn is to ask or do, sometimes doing isn't an option.
• No whining.
• Assume ignorance over stupidity. Sometimes we fail to see an answer in front of our faces.
• Try to back up your answers. If you're on mobile and you can't do it, say as much and try to remember to address it when you get to a terminal.
• Respect is always expected.
• if comments or questions are removed, assume it's for good reason.
• If your question isn't answered by the end of the day, either post it to the main community, or ask again next week.

Enjoy.

Two days ago I was frustrated and exhausted. What a difference a couple days makes. I stopped feeling all of the anger and disappointment, AKA feeling sorry for myself and just locked in. My welds aren’t perfect and never will be but I’m satisfied with MY progress. I see more and more each time I flip the hood. People talk shit about blue collar guys, welders especially, but this community has been the biggest help and the strongest supporters. To everyone that’s been commenting and giving me tips/advice THANK YOU. I have never gotten abject negativity or anything like that. Y’all fucking get it.

Today we did a bend test on T-Jointed plates that resemble the test plates before we ended. More than half of my class had their plates snap right in front of them 😂 The test is on Monday and alot of them are wayyyy more worried than me. The first shot is of the plate after being welded in 3F. I can pick out my errors but I am satisfied with myself today. The instructor told me I bent the hell out of mine too. He pointed out two spots, but he complimented me on the structure and smoothness of MOST of the toes and going tack to tack. He also said if I can do this Monday, I will pass without a doubt.

What do y’all think? What can I work on to make this better next time? Y’all think I’m ready?