Ive routinely been running across people here commenting that the wilder the welding hat the better so Im posting a link to this really great little blog I ran into while looking for welding tools, http://ricochetandaway.blogspot.com/...e-pattern.html. --Believe it or not
the woman has what looks like a very practical DIY welding hat pattern that can be adjusted to head size. The actual pattern is pretty much self explanatory for those who sew. If someone doesnt sew
. I could see where it might be somewhat intimidating so Ill toss an offer out
. anyone wanting to try it is welcome to pm me for my real home phone number and Ill talk them through the construction process. Ive never cut sheet metal from a pattern before but somebody told me its a lot harder cutting metal from a pattern than cutting fabric from a pattern. So
for all you guys out there who weld
. sewing should be a walk in the park. It would be pert near next to impossible burning yourself up or your house down with a sewing machine and its not like a sewing machine spews out hot metal that could give you a 3rd degree burn. Seriously
. if youve never sewn before
. this would actually be a great 1st project and youd end up with a personalized welding hat for yourself. --Back to the blogger and the welding hat shes sporting in the photos
. it looks like she used a poly cotton shirting material for the hat shes wearing and welders
like quilters
would need to use 100% cotton
preferably a medium weight fabric. Any batting used in a bill for extra neck protection would need to be 100% cotton also. --Quilting fabrics are always 100% cotton so theyre a safe bet when fabric shopping otherwise it would be a good idea checking the fabric content before buying a novelty fabric. Fabric content is normally listed on the end of the bolt. I buy most of my online fabrics for charity quilts from fabric.com. Fabric.com has by far the biggest selection of fabric of any online supplier
. they have competitive pricing
. frequent sales
.ship quick and
. have great customer service if they accidentally ship the wrong fabric
. which happened to me once. Anywhooo
. I went to their site and looked up some p fabrics just to see what they might have that was manly or wild or just plain off-the-wall and I ran into everything from pirates, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0325927/m...te-skulls-blue to pink flamingos, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0307682/b...-flamigos-pink to pugs, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0330076/t...res-pugs-black to piranhas, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0279783/pirates-fish-navy to popsicles, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0265719/k...red-white-blue to pencils, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0324224/e...-pencils-black. Seems as if they have a fabric for everyone
. if not
. most likely Ive got yardage of something funky like a snakeskin, woodgrain, ants-in-pants, or a camouflage design in my fabric stash that Id be more than happy to share ½ a yard of with anyone here.--Really sorry.... those interested in the pattern and DIY instructions will have to follow the links to them at her blog. I tried adding a Word Doc and a pdf like I add photos and couldn't.
Reply:Very interesting, would make a good rainy or winter time project________________________________Everlast PA140STEverlast PowerPlasma 50And no you can't Borrow them
Reply:Im forwarding this link to my daughter. She likes to sew. Also, somewhere I read that; curtain material for children is Fire Rated and is good for goofy looking welder caps.
Reply:Some curtain material is rated (I'm not all that comfortable with existing standards however others may be). Rated or not.... please bear in mind that fire retardant chemicals are "retardants" not preventatives and are ineffective at stopping treated curtains or.... any other treated textiles from actually burning.... they merely slow down a fire. Rather than using free 2nd hand curtains that have been treated....would you be willing to accept some funky free 100% cotton fabric from me to forward to your daughter? I have a husband and 5 sons.... I promise my taste in fabrics for men would probably be to your liking. You see.... my real concern with treated textiles is that the formulations used have been linked to some rather serious health effects. It's the gases that are formed when a fire occurs.... resultant fires can become that much more toxic because of the very chemicals used in flame retardant treatments and beyond that... a new hat would be worn on one's head.... under their helmet.... where it will be off-gassing in a contained space regardless of whether it burns or not.
Reply:Really sorry.... those interested in the pattern and DIY instructions will have to follow the links to them at her blog. I tried adding a Word Doc and a pdf like I add photos and couldn't.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumSome curtain material is rated (I'm not all that comfortable with existing standards however others may be). Rated or not.... please bear in mind that fire retardant chemicals are "retardants" not preventatives and are ineffective at stopping treated curtains or.... any other treated textiles from actually burning.... they merely slow down a fire. Rather than using free 2nd hand curtains that have been treated....would you be willing to accept some funky free 100% cotton fabric from me to forward to your daughter? I have a husband and 5 sons.... I promise my taste in fabrics for men would probably be to your liking. You see.... my real concern with treated textiles is that the formulations used have been linked to some rather serious health effects. It's the gases that are formed when a fire occurs.... resultant fires can become that much more toxic because of the very chemicals used in flame retardant treatments and beyond that... a new hat would be worn on one's head.... under their helmet.... where it will be off-gassing in a contained space regardless of whether it burns or not.
Reply:Originally Posted by InsanerideI would like SpongeBob_or_Ren and Stempy drape material if you have some. Racecar stuf is aalways cool.I couldnt think of the word resistant so I said fire rated. As far as retardant; Im only slightly mental and even more less physically retardant
Reply:Originally Posted by GravelI think the word you were looking for is 'insane'.
Reply:I know all about not being able to get that blasted pattern to print.... it's because you and me don't have any facebook or flicker or MySpace accounts. That's why I got a friend to get the pattern and directions for me so I could add them here. FarmDad is going to try to help us. No promises but.... I'm sure he'll try. --I dont have any drape material at all
. Im so sorry
. just 100% cotton quilt material. I did some real quick online checking for Ren and Stempy fabric for you. Apparently Ren and Stempy never made it to the big time
. theyve never been screened onto fabric that I could find but several Sponge Bob designs were screened onto fabric. Unfortunately, I never had any Sponge Bob fabric and the fabric I did find for sale online was a jumbo print meaning
. itd be great for a shower curtain or large tote
not so great for a welding hat. I did have smaller cartoon prints of Scooby Doo, Dexters Lab, Bat Man or
maybe it was Spiderman, and tootsierolls. Those were fabrics that were fun and they were also more recent purchases so they may still be available online. I know Ive got yardage of other fabrics along those lines. Gimmie a few minutes so I can look through whats on my shelves because Im almost positive Ive got a race car type fabric
. Ill be back.--"As far as chemicals and outgassing goes; fire retardant chemicals cant be any worse than any other chemical in my head..." Formaldehyde has been used and.... still is used. You don't want anything that's carcinogenic or mutagenic in your lungs.... that combo would be far worse than anything you could outgas.
Reply:Ok
. I looked through my shelves and took a photo of what I found so far that might make a wild welding hat. If you see something you like
. pm me your mailing address and Ill send you a ½ yard right now
my treat. You might want to hold out though
. Im still looking for the race car fabric thats way cool
. I know I have it but there was only a ½ yard left so its probably sandwiched between fabric I have more yardage of and Im just not seeing it. Patience
. I WILL find it and the pink Tinkerbell fabric for any manly men out there who might want to get in touch with their feminine sides!!!! --A favorite of my husbands was a vintage Farmall tractor print and worm fabric thats still available but I only have a ¼ yard left and anyone making a hat would need ½ yard, http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/872704. Other than the snakeskin, woodgrain, camouflage, and ants fabrics I already mentioned that I know Ive got at least ½ yard of that I could share
. Im pretty sure Ive got some Route 66, caramel popcorn, eyeballs on black fabric, Betty Boop, and a North American wildlife fabric around here to share that Im gonna go try locating right now just to expand the selection. --For others interested in funky material
. theres a line called man cave. Most full service quilt shops will carry it. Fabric.com has some of it too. Heres some examples of fabrics available from the man cave line- beer bottles, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0265736/man-cave-beer-multi, motorcycles, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0283388/m...torcycle-black, prop planes, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0283392/m...prop-plane-sky, and matches, https://www.fabric.com/buy/0265731/m...-matches-black.--Im going back upstairs to look for more fabric
. be back.
Reply:I dig the money. Pardon my consumerism. Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:Success
sort of!!! I found the race car fabric
. its not race car fabric though. My memory failed me
it does that a lot lately. The fabric is racing motorcycle fabric
.. oopsie
. close
very close. Either way
. insaneride gets 1st dibs on that. I did not find any Route 66 or caramel popcorn fabric but
. I dont remember donating either so it may still be in my stacks somewhere
. Ill have to look more later on this week. I did find the eyeballs, NA wildlife, and Betty Boop fabrics and I forgot about a juicy plump grub fabric thats really funky (lower left corner of photo). Theres a photo below. --I think I might make a welding hat for myself out of the NA wildlife fabric if nobody sends me a pm claiming it. --Robert Hall> Since you liked the $$$ fabric
. youve got dibs on it. Just pm me your address and I'll mail it out to you this coming Friday or Saturday.
Reply:Ok folks Here are the patterns from the OP on a free file host . The pattern its self is at http://www55.zippyshare.com/v/42494743/file.htmland the instructions are at http://www55.zippyshare.com/v/13249910/file.htmlFrom my Dropbox storage here is a zip file of both of the files https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...ap_pattern.zipThe pattern file https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...20Pattern.docxand the instructions filehttps://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...tructions.docxHope this helps everyone out
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumSuccess… sort of!!! I found the race car fabric…. it’s not race car fabric though. My memory failed me… it does that a lot lately. The fabric is racing motorcycle fabric….. oopsie…. close… very close. Either way…. insaneride gets 1st dibs on that. I did not find any Route 66 or caramel popcorn
Reply:Awesome Fiance' has been wanting to get into sewing. She has a machine and everything just not alot of space in our tiny apartment. Time for Larp to collect on the garden arbor and trellis I built for her. If you cant fix it with a hammer, it must be an electrical problem."Boy, everyone starts with a full bag of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before the bag of luck is empty."-Grandad circa 1990ish
Reply:The $$$, bloody eyeballs, and Popeye on the motorcycle fabrics are spoken for. The others are still available. --Increasing the pattern to 123% should work well enough for an average man's head.--This pattern is reversible meaning a coordinating fabric or a solid muslin could be purchased and you'd end up with the preferred pattern on one side and a matching fabric or a solid on the other side. --FarmDad> thank you for adding those files. --Insaneride> “I LIKE THE EYE BALL fabric best” A very fine choice of fabric for a hat. The photo doesn’t show the fabric details but your floating eyeballs all have veins in them and look bloody.updating.... the grub fabric is now spoken for also.Last edited by Equilibrium; 04-29-2014 at 09:20 AM.Reason: updating
Reply
M will be sent shortly. Shipping isnt free so I will send some cash when I get your address. Thanks
Reply:Oh bother
. my edit button is gone in that last post I made
. it went **poof***
. I cant update whats left of the fabric there to keep it all in one post. Anywhooo
.. the snakeskin fabric was claimed. Ill wait about a week in the event there are some stragglers out there who would like any of the remaining fabric and after that
. Im dropping all the juvenile prints at the guild. --Shipping isnt free so I will send some cash when I get your address. Awww
. how considerate. 1st class postage was barely what Chicagoans spend on fancy cups of coffee lattes on their way to work every morning sooo
.. please dont reimburse me.
theres no need. --Everyones fabrics were mailed. With the exception of the welder in Alaska, yall should receive your packets within a day or so.
Reply:Here's a few welding caps the wife built for me a few years ago. She wanted a new sewing machine near the time of my birthday. I told her if I were to get her one, she would have to build me some welding caps as compensation. She said she didn't have a pattern, and didn't know where to get one. I told her I could get one at the LWS. She said "they don't have those patterns at the welding shop", but I proved her wrong. I went to the LWS after getting the sewing machine and bought a new cap that fit me just right. Told her to take a razor and cut out the seams and you got your pattern. So that is how she was able to start making me some caps. It took her some trial and error to get some that would fit me, but she finally got it down to where she could turn them out pretty good. When she decided to make one or two for herself, she ended up making several more that still fit me before she got them scaled down to her head size. I had her start making mine with a bigger bill than the standard welding caps. I made a pattern using one for a regular ball cap, and I like them alot better. They provide better coverage for the head, ears, hair, etc. So I recommend going that route if custom making welding caps, rather than the small ones you usually see on the store bought variety. When her birthday rolled around a few months later, I bought a MIG welder and spoolgun for her birthday since I got a sewing machine for mine.. It's a Miller Matic 140. One like that might do for you someday for doing lighter metal projects, and it runs on 120V. But if you can swing it, go for the Miller Matic 211. It runs on 120V and will weld like my 140, but you can connect it to 240V and weld heavier material with it too. Her cap matches my Leopard print cap at the bottom.The edit button only lasts for about 15 minutes or so before it disappears. After that you have to post again to the thread to continue. Some guys re-post about the same topic when the edit button should still be available though, I mean with in a minute or two sometimes. So don't worry too much about that, it just gets your post count higher, sooner and gets you out of being solderer and on to being an apprentice or whatever your next step is. Attached ImagesLast edited by Bistineau; 04-30-2014 at 05:37 PM.Reason: edit button info.
Reply:Bisteneau> Please ask your wife where she bought that U.S. Navy fabric and
.if she cant remember
maybe she can recall some details about it like the collection name or who manufactured it
looks like it might be a Sykel Fabric. Id like to buy about 2.5 yards of that for borders and a binding for a quilt if it hasnt been discontinued. Thats really attractive fabric and the print is just the right size for what Id like to do with it. If she cant remember any details
. its ok. Theres a tremendous turn over in fabric from year to year and I could always run with this fabric, http://beautifulquiltfabric.com/Navy...ems-black-3121. --Your wife did a really great job on your hats and I do think she was wise extending the length of the bill for you. All the better to protect your neck. The leopard print is a fun fabric
.. you two must look stylin in your matching hats!!! --When her birthday rolled around a few months later, I bought a MIG welder and spoolgun for her birthday since I got a sewing machine for mine. Ha ha ha
. I'm amused by how she shops for you and vice versa!!! Too funny. My husband has bought things for himself under the guise of buying them for me before
. some woodworking and plumbing tools that I think he just wanted to have around the house but most recently a new stand mixer with a dough hook. I stopped making pies a few years ago when I took on all of the landscaping around our house. It was right around that time he started baking pies and bread and he decided we needed a new mixer so he bought me a very expensive Kitchen Aid stand mixer for Christmas that Ive never used
. not even once but
hes used it. I remember unwrapping my gift and telling him, Oh my
. you shouldnt have because I always kneed my dough and pie crusts by hand. He looked all bummed out like I was going to return it so
. what the heck
if he cant find a decent used MIG welder for me by the time Mothers Day rolls around this year
. maybe Ill buy him a brand new Miller welder with a 3-year warranty and stick it under the tree for him this Christmas. Ya know
. for all that bodywork hes been talking about doing to his old car and our trailer
Ill give his new toy a few test runs
. ya know
. to make sure it works and all like he did with my new mixer.
Reply:The Navy fabric was bought at Wal-Mart, as was all the other I believe.As far as the Mig welder goes, if he hasn't gotten you one by Mother's day, perhaps you could get him one for Father's day with one of the tools in your toolbox(his CB is the initials). That would speed up the acquisition process, so you could start "testing" it WAY before Christmas. If your going to take lessons on welding, it would be a good idea to learn on the one you will be using as well as the one your friend has. That way he can show you how to set it up, adjust it, and use it, as well as explain and demonstrate all the features of it.
Reply:I'll go check out a few WalMarts tomorrow and see if there is any of that fabric left. Cross your fingers for me... that's really nice fabric. --The welding neighbor/friend/teacher has a Miller 211 MVP or maybe he has a 210 and thats the brand he suggested I buy. If we cant find a good used model by Mothers Day
well keep looking and if one shows up before mid June
. thats exactly what my husband will get for Fathers Day. Theres really no great rush. Id rather hold out and get the basics under my belt to make sure this is the welder I really want and then Id really like to find one 2nd hand
if not
. a reduced price floor model would be fine. I know I want a welder for sure so if one doesnt show up by years end
. either Ill buy a new Miller with the 3-year warranty for him for Christmas or hell buy one for me. Im hoping well both end up using it since he took a welding class back in HS some 40+ years ago and said he liked welding. Well see
. he hasnt welded anything since then that I know of. --Soooo
for Fathers Day I was thinking of starting my husband out with something innocuous like two of these which have many uses, http://www.walmart.com/ip/Keter-Fold...Black/19285488. He was a mechanic back when he was in HS and worked summers at the same gas station he started at through all of college so I think hed be into those folding tables
. if but for nothing else other than a place to rest his newly chromed bumper
. truth is Id like him to remove the bumper from my dining room table so Id be killing two birds with one stone if I went that route.
Reply:If looking for a nice portable "bench" you might look at one of these.http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-X-W...5155/202021304We use them to put our dive gear on when we do demos. They stand up quite well to guys dropping 100lb plus sets of doubles on to them when they get back from a dive and are really stable as well as light weight and fold up real compact. There have been times I could have sold a dozen or so of those benches to people if we'd brought "spares" most people like them so much..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Ohhhh.... and those benches are much cheaper than the other benches someone else recommended. --Is this a decent 4 1/2" grinder, http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...Fa9cMgod_z4AYA ? That's another tool I've been reading a lot about in threads here that seems to be something everyone whose anyone has in their stash of welding "collectibles".
Reply:Milwaukee makes decent tools. Metabo makes excellent tools. My next grinder if I can find one at a reasonable price, will be a Metabo ( my local tool place occasionally gets in reconditioned Metabos). I have a 1/2 dozen Dewalts, all older units, I've picked up over the years. I have 2 Hitachi grinders I inherited that i'm luke warm about. Units work fine but just aren't as comfortable to me as my Dewalts. I have 1 old B&D monster 7" unit I picked up used and 1 Milwaukee some where that needs to be worked on.Personally I'm not a great fan of paddle switch units, but I know quite a few people who swear by them. Nice thing about a paddle switch unit is that they turn off automatically if you let go of them, push switch ones can keep on going if something happens. However I find the paddle switch ones a bit harder to handle with my smaller hands, and there are times when how I want to hold the grinder isn't conducive to keeping the paddle depressed easily. I also find the safety catch on many of them awkward to work with the way they are set up.Almost all my grinders are push switch units. I have one paddle switch unit that I was given that I almost never use for the reasons stated above. Same goes for other paddle units I've used owned by others..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald ReaganDid anyone receive their fabric selections that I mailed out last week or did the fabric police at the PO intercept all of my packages? --I got to thinking maybe it wasn't such a bright idea in this day and age mailing those out without my return address on them after I dropped them in the slot. But... I was afraid if I put my return address on them that some of you might try to reimburse me for postage and... I didn't want any of you doing that. --DSW> I guess my hand would be a man's small so if you have trouble with the type I added to my list, I'll have trouble. What other 4 1/2" grinder brands are out there in the price bracket of the Milwaukee I liked that would be more appropriate?
Reply:No fabric yet but hopeful!Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:Robert Hall> I stopped in at the PO early this morning and asked what the problem might be. I was told that the mailers I used couldn't pass through their automated machinery (too plump from the fabric) and would need to be hand canceled. She also said that sometimes really fat envelopes get stuck and ripped apart before they're pulled and that those go to a center in MN to be dealt with. She told us not to lose hope yet and to give the mailers another week. Sorry about that. Hind sight is always 20/20. I should have sent all the fabric out priority mail in little boxes. I can replace all the fabric that doesn't show up by next Tuesday except the Tinkerbell fabric and... I'll be sure to mail everything out Priority in a little box. --Really sorry reading about your son. Hope all goes well with the little guy. --DSW> No need to rack your brain by coming up with a better grinder for me. My neighbor found a bargain for me. --This is what he found- pair of Dewalts from the flea market will be great for you. They were the same price of the Milwaukee new. If you buy a new grinder you will need the wire wheel, grinding wheels, and cutting discs. That alone will be $50.00
.. .New $100 grinder and $50 in accessories puts you at $150.00. You can get a complete setup for $50 which comes with two grinders. I told him I'd buy that pair of Dewalts he found. Hes been welding for decades and has seen the size of my hands so no way am I going to pass up that set. I prefer good quality used anyway.... saves me $$$.
Reply:Just Arrived! I will post a pic of the hat once complete. Thank you!Regards,RobGreat Basin WeldingInstagramBlue weldersRed weldersMy luscious Table DIY TIG Torch cooler
Reply:Correction on the pair of Dewalts.... my neighbor already bought them for me and they're at his house waiting for me to pick them up. I am the proud new owner of not one but two grinders and evidently they came with the wire wheel, grinding wheels, and discs all for the same money. --Robert Hall> That's wonderful news.... thanks for letting me know.... I was beginning to worry. You're very welcome. The welder who wanted the Tinkerbell fabric e-mailed me and said his came in this afternoon so now that's 2 of you that I know of.... here's hoping others begin receiving their fabric soon.
Reply
enim makes a good welding cap fabric, and matches most welders jeans.Congrates on getting the grinders for such a good price, and with the wheels to go with them.
Reply:Hope I'm not intruding, but I saw this thread and I pulled out my funky kenmore and had at it! this was the result: I have 3 light years of denim so I used a bit of it as the interfacing in the bill instead of the quilting whatevers. it's a bit stiff but it ought to soften up. Thanks for the patterns!
Reply:Bisteneau> I'm really excited beyond belief that I'm finally starting to accumulate what I'll need. All thanks goes to my neighbor on that find though. --Cabbagehats> Awesome!!! I've found that older sewing machines manufactured in the US that aren't plastic are the best so it doesn't surprise me at all that you created those using an older machine. You done good and there was absolutely no reason to use actual 100% cotton quilt batting for the bill either when jeans material was available. Good job improvising with materials you had on hand. The fish fabric is fun... it looks to me as if you sew quite well and either fussy cut the fabric or got lucky when laying it out before cutting. I love the way your hat is all lined up perfectly with little horizontal fishies for the actual cap and horizontal fishies for the band and the bill. The Hawaiian print hat is great too. Great fabric choices. If you don't mind my asking, did you add any length to the bill or run with the length per the original pattern?adding something... Fabric.com has over 3,000 100% cotton fabrics on sale right now if anyone's interested.Last edited by Equilibrium; 05-07-2014 at 09:55 AM.Reason: adding something
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumBisteneau> I'm really excited beyond belief that I'm finally starting to accumulate what I'll need. All thanks goes to my neighbor on that find though.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumIt would be pert near next to impossible burning yourself up or your house down with a sewing machine and its not like a sewing machine spews out hot metal that could give you a 3rd degree burn.
Reply:FWIW, there was a time when made in Taiwan wasnt such a bad thing. I have a 25+ year old New Home/Janome sewing machine and a 22
or maybe its a 23 year old Baby Lock 5-thread Serger. I was teetering on the edge of buying a good used long arm just to make my life easier. Thought was I could machine quilt at home whenever I had a spare hour or so but
decided against doing that mainly because about 90% of the sewing I do is for charity and I sew in a large group that always makes several long arms available for us to hop on sooo
. more $$$ to put toward welding tools and accessories!!! Back to your Kenmore
I dont know if youre in a position to shell out $75 to have your machine professionally cleaned and fine tuned but that just might do the trick. I himmed and hawed over doing that for the longest time because of the cost and finally broke down and parted with the $$$. I was pleasantly surprised that my machine started running like it was brand new out of the box. Now I take it in every other year or so and clean it myself the other years following the directions in the manual. -- I can guarantee I sew better than I weld
and thats not much to boast about because sewing didnt come easy to me when I first started like woodworking and furniture refinishing did. I think the other issue was I started sewing out of necessity
not because it was a skill I really wanted to acquire. Sewing Web
. Didnt know there was such a place but Ive been a member at another site for years and Im also on a scientific ListServ so with registering here
. that makes three sites for me with only so many hours in a week I can hop online. Thank you for mentioning it though
. maybe someday Ill make it over there. --The more I got to looking at your cap
the more I realized that had to be a fussy cut and not accidental. --The reason why I asked if you deviated from the original pattern on the bill is because I used muslin and made a sample cap just to check out if the pattern and directions were going to cause anyone problems and in looking at my sample
. your bill seemed more generously proportioned than mine. --I passed on buying any fabric
. it was hard and I struggled with the DTs for a bit over this fabric, http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/872704 but
. my budget wont allow fabric and welding tools!!!--I once burned a square of my sister's carpet when she asked me to see about rewiring the knee-pedal for the sewing machine
Thats not sewing
. thats handy-manning.
Reply:The eye ball fabric should be here today I think
Reply:We can only hope.... everyone except you and the guy in Alaska received their fabric. I promise.... next time I'll put fabric in the little Priority Mail boxes. I didn't realize that my chubby mailers could end up stuck in the PO's machines or that damaged envelopes and packages had to go to some processing center in MN before being delivered to the recipient. Live and learn I guess.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumBisteneau> I'm really excited beyond belief that I'm finally starting to accumulate what I'll need.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumFWIW, there was a time when made in Taiwan wasnt such a bad thing.
Reply:Bisteneau> does the sample I made out of muslin count? Im going to hold off
. a little bird told me I had a pink camo welding hat coming for my birthday this summer from an elderly man in my quilting group. He heard Id found someone to teach me how to weld and was really happy for me and well
nobody in that group can keep a secret so Im supposed to act surprised when he gives it to me. --I'll definitely check the other pattern thread out in a little bit. Don't laugh just because I started this thread.... the pattern in the other could very well be better than the pattern I found. Ill make a sample in muslin from the other pattern and we can compare the two then let others decide. --Cabbagehats> A repairman looking disdainfully at your machine>>>? I think I would have thanked him for his time then taken my machine elsewhere. There are people in my quilting group using machines that are much older than yours and mine. If you have the manual to your sewing machine.... maybe you could watch a few YouTubes on deep cleaning machines and go it on your own? --Congrats on your new welder.... what didja buy? --I started sewing because we needed curtains for a house we bought. Money was tight and the people who sold us the house.... took all the curtains. I felt like we were living in a fishbowl and had little $$$ to do anything about it. All I could find for sale were very expensive fru fru curtains and drapes that had to be dry-cleaned. I like things simple and understated in basic whites or white-on-white patterns and anything I have needs to be machine washable. There's that function over form you mentioned. I borrowed my mom's machine and started in... I mean... how hard could it be? Two years later... I was still making window coverings but... no way was I going to break down and hire somebody to do it for me. I survived the curtain phase of my life so treated myself to my own sewing machine several years later when some girlfriends of mine decided we needed a break from diapers, puke, and runny noses so we all took sewing lessons and left the kidlets with their dads. Garment construction was NOT easy and patterns are based on bodies from the turn of the last century so if you're a size 5/6 in ready-to-wear.... you'll be a size 10-12 in a sewing pattern. Clothing manufacturers figured out a long time ago that women would buy more clothing if they felt good about the sizes they were buying so they started adding an inch here and there to their RTW sizes starting back in the 1940's to make up for the hand to mouth disorders so many of us suffer from these days. Long and short.... we all bought patterns based on current store bought clothing sizes and none of us could fit in anything we completed. We had a good laugh over that. The sewing center where we took the classes should have educated us on pattern inconsistencies.... they didnt. --Woodworking
. Isnt all that difficult after you get into the groove of it. Believe it or not, I think working with sewing and stained glass patterns gave me an edge. I love everything about trees.... so that helped and it didn't hurt that wood working was something I wanted to do for me. The only thing I struggled with was dovetail joinery. I got over that hump
practice does make perfect. Inlay did come easy to me but
. its too busy for my taste so I didnt pursue it. Wood carving and whittling.... not so easy
. actually
I gave up whittling. I kept getting these visions of my finger tips flying across the room. As with anything else.... having the right tools or access to them makes all the difference and I was surrounded by woodworkers who had every imaginable tool known to God and they werent collectors
. they actually knew how to use them so that gave me the ultimate advantage. Furniture finishing is easy but it does require patience and a lot of trial and error as well as knowing what products are available. Ive got an end table and a coffee table in the basement Im working on. It took me a month matching the finish to a store bought piece of furniture we have in our family room. So far theyve got a wash on them which was followed by a custom stain (mixed by me) followed by two coats of an amber shellac that was followed by a sealant. All they need now is a coat or two of semi-gloss poly so we can actually use them. I learned enough to be able to make my own lumber to spec (Im not kidding), basic cabinets, shaker style furniture, most wooden toys, potting tables, seed boxes, bird/bat/bug houses and definitely have the confidence to repair and refinish just about anything that's wood in our house so from that respect... I'm very pleased. Another skill under my belt to make me more self-reliant!!! --Ha ha ha... no sewing web, eh? That's actually pretty funny. I honestly was going to check it out because you mentioned it but.... I honestly would have never joined.
Reply:If you enjoy working with glass, you may find metal forging interesting. About 1/2 the people in the forge classes I've taken work in molten glass or pottery. From what I understand the ability to shape things is some what similar. The local college near me where I take my forging classes is looking at a glass blowing class either thins year or next. It will be on my list to take if I can swing the time and cash. I've been tempted to do their stone carving class, but every time I want to take it it runs the same week as the forge class does.It's not too tough to do metal forging. All you really need is a heat source, a hammer and something to pound on. It doesn't have to be a standard "anvil" like many envision. Just about any solid piece of metal will do depending on what you want to build and it goes hand in hand with welding and other metal working projects..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:No fabric. It probly looks like Blotter_Alice_Dee to postal inspectors I meen with bloody eyeballs and if theres any residual fire retardant chem'cals.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumA repairman looking disdainfully at your machine>>>? I think I would have thanked him for his time then taken my machine elsewhere.
Reply
SW> I did enjoy pottery classes way back when in HS (I wasn’t any good but I had fun) and I definitely enjoyed making stained glass panels…. I did both lead came and copper foil in my 20’s and 30’s and still have all my tools and it’s one of those skills like riding a bicycle…. you don’t forget. I do find metal forging beyond interesting. I gravitate toward their “shops” at historical villages and civil war reenactment events. A friend of mine’s dad has an anvil and the tools to go with it and he used to fiddle around in his barn blacksmithing when he was younger and offered to give me his anvil and his tools if I was interested since not one of his four daughters ever showed an interest. I declined because I’m spread too thin growing more of our own food while caring for the poultry and meat rabbits we have and I’m in the elimination phase of my life…. anything that hasn’t been used in the past few years that’s just sitting around collecting dust is getting passed on, donated, or sold at a garage sale. I wanted to take him up on his offer but…. honestly didn’t see a day when I’d have the time. There’s another issue. I live in a suburb of Chicago. My girlfriend’s dad lives down in Louisiana. He’s too far away to teach me and we don’t have access to forging, glass blowing, stone carving, or even cheese making or soap making classes in my area… not even at the local colleges and there are quite a few of those around. We do have lots of classes on how to care for turf & roses offered by our county extension office and hydroponics and beer brewing available a few towns south of me but that’s it. If anyone where I live wants a practical class…. they’d have to drive over the border into WI a few hours. I hope you find the time to take glass blowing and stone carving classes. While you’re at it…. you should take a basic sewing class if you’ve got time. --insaneride> poor little you. This sucks but.... no worries. I won't let you go bloody "eyeball-less".... promise. I know exactly where that fabric came from. I'll be going out that way in another week or so and they're not a high volume store so I'm sure they'll have more. --Cabbagehats> If you can't find your manual, check online. There are whole websites that do nothing but sell manuals. --Looks like you done good! That 1960's welder will probably outlive you!!! Did you take care of the electrical issues? I'm not too comfortable doing much of anything that's electrical except replacing cords to small appliances or table lamps. I really don't even know enough about electricity to get into trouble so I'm impressed that you're tackling the wiring. --A band saw would work for the size logs I've worked on but... I don't own one of those. I have access to one though. I use.... are you sitting down.... you better sit down for this.... a little $100 Haden Lumbermaker and a 20" Stihl that I bought a ripping chain for. I have a smaller arborist's Stihl that I use most of the time because it's lighter weight and I can take down most of what I want with it without my arms getting tired but you'd probably want to use a larger chainsaw. You would have to pick up a ripping chain though IMO. I don't work on large logs.... I leave that to other people who have big $$$ portable sawmills. The only problems I have are flipping the logs I've worked on. They can be real heavy. Needless to say.... I don't do much quarter sawn lumber. I have this "thang" for wood. When you mill your own lumber.... you get some really nice surprises. I hate to admit this but... I've got some pieces of wood set aside that have so much character to them that... I'll never use them because I can't come up with anything that would do them justice. I only have five pieces stashed but I can tell you that if I did this a lot.... I'd be on my way to being a hoarder. I would consider myself pretty handy with my arborist's chainsaw.... not so handy with other chainsaws because of their weight so.... if I can do this.... anyone can do it. --I hate to admit it but... I'm just not all that into sewing and have like a zero tolerance for female pettiness so I can't see myself joining a sewing web which.... I'm sure is out there somewhere on the big www. I do fine with all the people in my group... most are older women (mid 60's to 80's) interestingly enough and.... I actually enjoy all of them because we've got a common goal.... pumping out quilts so they can be donated and there are very few fancy machines. Everyone finds a way to quilt on the machines they have. The element of competition is non-existent and there's no popularity contest with which to contend. No cliques either.... everyone just comes in and sits down where there's available space. There's sort of an informal food competition since we all bring a dish to pass. We spread out all the food and take a break and eat lunch together and the recipe to the "favorite" dish(es) is/are typed up and available at the next meeting. --I've done basic carpentry... no way would I consider myself halfway to golden though. I did fair to midland with windows but had a heck of a time with the door to my chicken coop but.... there was someone there to take over for me when I wasn't quite getting it right and I did learn. I could do another chicken coop or storage shed but... I don't know that I'd want to. I'm sooooo slow. I'm going to have to pass on blacksmithing for right now. I already had someone offer me an anvil and tools and didn't accept because of the time element. I've got so much on my plate as it is what with keeping up with the poultry, meat rabbits, and vegetable gardens... there's no way I could commit to the time it would take to learn.Adding something.... big correction. It's a HADDON Lumbermaker not a Haden, http://www.haddontools.com/lumbermaker.html Glad I caught that before anyone got sent on a wild goose chase trying to buy one.Last edited by Equilibrium; 05-11-2014 at 10:05 AM.Reason: correction
Reply:Shame you passed on the anvil and tools. That's usually where most people spend their most time and money. I't taken me quite a while to finally get my 1st decent anvil and I'm always on the lookout for a bigger/better one ( or two or three...) I get the time thing though.As far as sewing, last year a local place offered sewing classes at a reduced rate and I was really temped, but time and funds were sort of short. By the time I got around to making up my mind, the classes were all full. I learned to sew back in Home Ec in Jr high, but can't remember anything at all about it. I remember I did a 2 color T shirt and that's about it. Sewing is definitely one of those things I wished I'd paid more attention to in school. A class is definitely on the "to do" list at some point. Eons ago I picked up an old singer for the table, and then got rid of it due to lack of room. I kind of have been kicking myself since as it was probably a fairly decent machine. Plenty of times I wished I could sew patches on pant knees and so on. A buddy of mine has a couple industrial sewing machines and sews some leather and other heavy materials on occasion..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Naaa... if I would have taken the "goodies".... I would have felt "guilt" when they sat around collecting dust. Let him give them to one of his Son-In-Laws or a grandson or even a neighbor. You would have anvil "lust" if I posted a photo of it which.... I think I have somewhere. It's extremely old and big. I really don't know enough about blacksmithing to know if bigger is better but this thing weighed so much it would have made a decent anchor for a really big boat. --Sewing is one of those skills that incrementally saves us $$$ over the years.... every time we sew on our own buttons, hem our own skirts/pants, replace a zipper in a favorite jacket, repair our own tarps and drop cloths.... we're saving $$$. The actual list is endless if you factor in people like me who make their own window coverings and even coon hats and quivers from road kill for kids. I wouldn't worry about missing the classes. Just go put your name and number up on a board at the local farm supply or church where you know they have a quilting group. List what you want to learn how to do and that you'd be willing to travel to get help and odds are someone will call you... especially if your message includes tear offs of your 1st name and phone number. Makes it easier for people to rip off your contact information so they don't have to fiddle around frisking through their purse for a pen. Funny story about those message boards.... my FIL died a long time ago before we had kids and my Dad was struggling to take care of my mom who had cancer when we started a family and... our boys were going without. There's something to be said for the inter-generational benefits of kids having grandpas and grandmas so we posted ads at all the hot spots like.... retirement communities and local restaurants that offered deep senior discounting for anyone coming in for dinner before 3 pm. They were simple ads.... nothing more than if you like kids and like to fish or bake cookies or going to soccer and Cub Scout events and are willing to give and receive hugs.... our well behaved boys could really use some grandpa and grandpa time. I think I added that we'd pay for any activity they wanted to do. We ended up getting three awesome grandpas and one awesome grandma out of the deal and our kids ended up loving them as if they were their own. Turns out they'd all lost their spouses and had kids who had moved out of state taking their own grandchildren with them so they were at our house on weekends a lot and for every holiday and got so attached to our kids they'd come over just to spend time with them. The feelings were mutual. They've all passed away but man oh man.... our kids are so much more well adjusted because of their "grandpas" and "grandma". Message boards can work. There are a lot of very wholesome people out there with some time and talent on their hands.... all we have to do is ask. --Incidentally... these look like decent deals, http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/app/4461702875.html, http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/hsh/4447357033.html, http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/fuo/4432216658.html, and maybe even this newer machine, http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/art/4439737658.html.... which is probably the best deal I saw in your general area even though it's more expensive and here's why, http://www.using-sewing-machines.com/Viking150e.html.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumLooks like you done good! That 1960's welder will probably outlive you!!! Did you take care of the electrical issues? I'm not too comfortable doing much of anything that's electrical except replacing cords to small appliances or table lamps. I really don't even know enough about electricity to get into trouble so I'm impressed that you're tackling the wiring.
Reply:Cabbagehats> Well.... what's your hold up... call an electrician. Git r done!!!. I'd be going absolutely positively nuts with a new welder that I couldn't use sitting around. Patience never was one of my virtues. --Here's another neat tool that might work for you and it'd be a heck of a lot cheaper than the portable mill you linked to, http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...6891_200316891. There's a larger model out there too. I think the Haddon would do all that you'd want it to do and it doesn't take up floor space. It can handle much larger logs. I just can't handle larger logs. --I have two cant hooks. Neither one is a Stihl. I still have problems. I probably don't have the strength you've got. I know I've broken my arm a few times too many doing stupid things and it doesn't help that I have no feeling in two of my fingers while the rest have taken on a life of their own and aren't cooperating like they used to. --I tend to work better with another person or two. It's nice having someone else around to run things by if I get hung up on something and vice versa. It's also nice having someone else around who can dial 911 if something goes wrong. Knock on wood nobody's had to call yet. --"I flippantly offered...", been there... done that before.
Reply:What's my hold up? Well, like you, I have a lot of things on my plate and no immediate welding projects so right now it can sit tight. But I am antsy to get it plugged in, don't you worry.i really like the idea of Alaskan sawmills but I also really like the lumber I can turn out with a band saw mill. I can get really nice stuff out of it and it's really accurate and lovely. But I would really like to learn one and I'm sure with a properly sharpened ripping chain and some patience I can get equally nice results. Also, there really is no limit to what size log you can mill on 'em so that is also really appealing. the mill I'm using now can only handle logs 2.5 feet in diameter and that's plenty big but I've seen some really cool tables made out of chainsaw milled tree forks and such. Wasn't promoting Stihl so much as that was the first cant hook I came across when I was looking for a link. I usually don't use one either because once the cant wants to turn over I don't have any control and if it lands hard on the mill bunks it can put them out of alignment and then I have to go around and re-adjust them. I also almost broke my leg doing that. There's a tree right next the mill so when I've got a really big log that I cant move (pun intended) I wrap a chain around it and hook it up to a come-along it turns it over really easy. And if you have a helper you can set up a bar while he/she works the come-along and let it down real easy. But regular old strength helps too, gotta do some reps! or just use smaller logs they can turn out just as nice as larger logs. Yeah I work well alone but if I'm cutting a tree or running the mill or doing tractor work it really is a good idea to have someone watching just in case. Even if that's usually my 87 year old boss.I am a lot less flippant about my offers nowadays, lesson learned.
