New Direction for My Presentations

[Greg Blank]

Took up TIG welding about three years ago and this is the current end product, finished corner welded frame,...using commonly obtained materials from Home Depot.

[John Fink Jr.]

Nice Greg!!

[ROL]

I'm not one for the presentation of multiple photographs in a single frame (sans diptych or triptych), but I do admire anyone with welding skills, and have threatened to take it up myself more than once in the last few years. Good work.

[Greg Blank]

Thank you. I decided to do this frame and five other smaller ones as part of my Christmas presents this past year, the group of images was a request by my fiancee, places we went together last year. I also prefer single images standing on there own merits, but when the future Mrs. says what she wants I sort of have learned to comply After all she did buy the bandsaw for me before Christmas to complete the project! I did a limited showing of images this year in two gallery shows, I intended to do more shows and more frames but its been a truely crazy year. I left Omega Brandess in Feb for good reason, then shattered my right arm elbow requiring 8 screws and two plates at my new FT job. I fixed a couple of Jobos and got people good Jobo stuff. So I've been busy as always...but always appreciate being in touch with the good people on this forum. Right now I am building a storage shelving system for prints, I'll post that on the DIY self area... to keep the modiration happy

[Kirk Gittings]

Did you have any problem with the heat warping the frames?

[Greg Blank]

No, & Although Tig welding is not cooler than any other type of welding, its more focused. The shielding gas "Argon" that is used plus the ability to use tungsten electrodes of smaller diameter than say mig and stick welders does not spread heat or spatter the same way. I welded these inside my house in the basement, I have a blower that removes some fumes...I need to make it a bit stronger but with TIG its not the choking kind of smoke that stick welders give off. With the Tig its a simple set of techniques to eliminate warping.Main thing is just knowing how fast to travel, when to add metal and when to grind The biggest thing other welders have told me is Tig requires eye hand dexterity,... like drawing, if you have it - you can do it.

[Kirk Gittings]

In my youth I was a very good stick welder-made my living at it for a few years but haven't touched it since maybe '76. I've always wanted to get back into welding as a hobby. How much do you have invested?

[rdenney]

No, & Although Tig welding is not cooler than any other type of welding, its more focused. The shielding gas "Argon" that is used plus the ability to use tungsten electrodes of smaller diameter than say mig and stick welders does not spread heat or spatter the same way. I welded these inside my house in the basement, I have a blower that removes some fumes...I need to make it a bit stronger but with TIG its not the choking kind of smoke that stick welders give off. With the Tig its a simple set of techniques to eliminate warping.Main thing is just knowing how fast to travel, when to add metal and when to grind The biggest thing other welders have told me is Tig requires eye hand dexterity,... like drawing, if you have it - you can do it.

I have a MIG welder that is big enough (maybe) for projects like this, but I don't have the hand dexterity any more. That would come with practice, but damn I already have too many hobbies.

We have a friend who is a local welder of great skill. He has agreed to take me on and teach me, and I'm a supreme idiot for not taking him up on it yet. Gotta do that!

As far as warpage goes, a good jig and going back and forth front to back would seem to be the trick. That's how the bicycle frame makers do it.

Rick "suspecting a TIG rig is about five or ten times the price of a cheapie MIG welder" Denney

[Jody_S]

Rick "suspecting a TIG rig is about five or ten times the price of a cheapie MIG welder" Denney

You can buy a Chinese combo stick-TIG-plasma cutter for well under $1K. They work quite well.

[Greg Blank]

I decided two years ago to buy a Lincoln electric Square wave 175. Not the most expensive but met my requirements of being able to weld aluminum. Lincoln comes with a three year warranty, is a profitable employee owned company. They do buy some components abroad but most of thier are welders built in the us.