It's Back To School Again!!!!!!!

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I've been welding for well over a decade.  Too far over a decade ROFLMAOI'm self taught, and I've picked up some bad habits.  Didn't know they were bad habits  (That's a story for another threadMost of all, I've been upset about being vertically challenged.Well, it was time for the Slagpit Annual Convention, Beer Bash, Welding Seminar, and Firearms Expo  Held at an undisclosed location somewhere in the Pacific NorthwestOne of the guys flew up from Texas with a mission..........To give the old Farmer some pointers on out of position stick.  The Pit is a collection of guys with particular specialties.  He be the stick man that was available to travel, and I'm grateful for it.  There's others, but they couldn't make the trip.In a 2 hour session, this ol' boy was able to get me on the right track.  Great explanations on theory(yeah that's important!!), and most of all......rock solid demonstrations to watch with the hood on.  It's all about the arc.A guy that can talk over your shoulder while you're running a bead because he knows what he's seeing, and can tell you in a heartbeat how to modify your technique.  GOLDEN!!!!!!!!!Anyhow, after a really enjoyable weekend, it was time to drag my skinny azz back down to Oklahoma and start doing some couponsI really want to thank Mud Spaz for hosting the Bash.  Opened me up to a whole new world.Now to the particulars..........3/16 mild steel plate, 3/32 7018 running at 75amps DC+.  Lincoln Excalibur, and Hobart.This afternoon's practice time...........All welds were done in the uphill position with a fast side to side weave.  The arc was carried on the shelf of the puddle without leaving the puddle.  No upsy downsy let it droop down stuff.  My ultimate goal is to make an uphill weld look like a flat fillet weld.  It's hard, and I have a long way to go.  But now that I've been schooled on the basics, it's a matter of hood time, and a boatload of burnt rod.  A BOATLOAD!!!!!!!!!!!!Rod angle, travel speed, side to side oscillations, AND THE PUDDLE.  Oh Lordy......Hard to teach an old dog new tricks.This post is the Lincoln Excalibur Next post is Hobart Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:The Hobart rod.Seems to be a little easier to see the puddle, but all in all the end results seem to be the sameFirst Pic..... Getting aquainted with the rodSecond Pic......  Well, the second weldBear in mind these are the result of running around 12 coupons, and I have a long way to go to improve consistencyNext post will be the UGLY WELDS Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:THE UGLY WELDSDid so many welds today, I hope they're all different pics  Many coupons Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Still gotta long way to go"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Lookin goooooood.I've had a time or two someone watchin over my shoulder guiding me.  Nice when it happens, golden when a I've learned a thing or two.MarkI haven't always been a nurse........Craftsman 12"x36" LatheEnco G-30B MillHobart Handler 175Lincoln WeldandPower 225 AC/DC G-7 CV/CCAdd a Foot Pedal to a Harbor Freight Chicago Electric 165A DC TIG PapaLion's Gate Build
Reply:Sam, even the ugly welds show marked improvement over what you were running on Sunday.  Just keep on running them..you will have good days and bad days. To be brutally honest, there are a few days I have no business under a hood. Fortunately those are few and far between. The key is to remember what you have learned and apply it...and by all means, continue to learn. Do some experimenting to see what happens when to do this or that..good or bad. All those little things will add up to a better weld eventually. Just takes some time...and you are well on your wayQamuIs Heg qaq law' lorvIs yInqaq puS
Reply:Thanks, couldn't have even tried to do it without your generous help. Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:BTW..... That be the dood from Texazz"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:"From now on, the first and last beads out of your filthy stingers will be vertical uphill, do you ladies understand that?"Your moving right along Samm, it's looking good.Last edited by tanglediver; 07-30-2009 at 01:20 AM.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Welp Samm, I can't think of a nicer guy that I would have rather put up at my place (with the exception of Don, Clay, Alex, and Scott).  It was an absoulte pleasure to make your aquaintance and I would do it all again inna heartbeat.  You sir are welcome in my shop any day.  Those welds are looking good bud!!!Proud to be self-employed and not have to rely on ANYONE but me to make my way in this world.Dynasty 350DXDynasty 200DX MM 350PMM 210MM Passport PlusSpectrum 375 Extreme08' Trailblazer 302
Reply:Your starting to get the hang of it, but don't be throwing those coupons out just yet----------there's room on them for another run   so instead of jawing on here............I'd rather be hunting........USE ENOUGH HEAT.......Drifting around Aussie welding more pipe up, for something different.....wanting to get home.
Reply:Good for you Sam! Sometimes it's so hard to get people to understand the value of something as simple as good instruction until they experience it. (not commenting on you, I was that way once) As you probably noticed you can move ahead so much faster with just a few good pointers from a good instructor compared to doing it on your own and trying to learn by remote control from here. This instruction can be formal, or informal like you got, from the hand of a good welder who knows how to teach.Glad to here some of the guys helped you out and you benefited from it. Now just keep practicing, and practicing, and practicing, and practicing,....
Reply:Samm, I'm really sorry I missed this one, even if I could make it, would'a only been two days, mostly driving, even two days I couldn't afford to loose here.   In the end, probably better for you, obviously Don was more than qualified, and getting possibly conflicting advice from two different guys wouldn't do anybody any good.I'm just a hack artist, by comparison, anyway.BTW, those welds look great!!!!!Last edited by mark8310; 07-30-2009 at 11:26 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammBTW..... That be the dood from Texazz
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammA guy that can talk over your shoulder while you're running a bead because he knows what he's seeing, and can tell you in a heartbeat how to modify your technique.  GOLDEN!!!!!!!!!
Reply:I'm just going to offer a little comment here.   This is the second time we've done this,,,,    both times, Mud Spaz has very graciously offered his time, shop, and equipment to make this work.   I made it to the one in Feb. of '08,,,,    as I recall, once the idea was posted up, it just steamrolled.   Everybody pulled together, to make the thing work.   One guy was financially unable to afford the plane ticket from the East Coast,,,,,  couple of us, pitched in, to buy it for him.   We really wanted him there.    Several of us,,,  were able to carpool there.   Now, Mud Spaz has a pretty nice setup ,,,,  shop, with a loft above, with a couple beds and plenty of floor space for sleeping bags.   Also a full bath.    As I recall last year,,,  nobody, ever had to pay for any motel, food, or anything.    Dinners were crab, oysters, pizza, and pealla (personally prepared by Mud Spaz), the seafood was provided by another guest, from the coast of Washington.   Breakfasts were paid for, out of the excess money sent for a couple airplane tickets.  Lunches .....   heck, we never had time for lunch.   Oh, yeah, one day Hankj prepared a delicious crab salad, with the leftover crab from the night before.   There is enough people here, on these boards, enough knowledge, enough equipment,,,,   there is no reason why something like this can't be done, anywhere in this country, getting even more local than this one was.   In this case,,,,  H20boy had plenty of frequent flier miles,,,   got both Samm and Don up there for cheap.   Then, we coordinated, two different days, two guys coming thru Portland, Don was picked up and delivered Thursday, Samm was picked up and delivered Friday.    Monday, they were both dropped off at the airport, I'm sure the restrooms had to be cleaned afterwards.Point I'm trying to make, no reason anybody can't do this anywhere else.   Somebody in Mass. was doing something similar, but only a half-day on saturday mornings,,,,,   since distances are greater out here in the West, two to four days is much better.    All you have to do, is post up the idea,,,,,   any other guys in your area, will help you get it done.
Reply:Ok, I wasn't there,,,   but I heard enough of the story.As explained to me, by somebody who lives in the Pacific Northwest,,,,   Hippy chicks believe,,,,   cows just commit suicide,,  and we just eat them, out of respect for their bodies, and also not to waste,    There was another event, going on about the same time,,,  next door to the 2nd annual beer, welding, karaoke, and gun festival.   Of course, Samm being a real red blooded American guy, Injun to boot, hooked up with a cute tree-hugging hippy chick.    Now, remember,,,,  hippy chicks LOVE Indian guys.  Back to nature, and all that.  They like eagle feathers in hair, tee-pees, and loincloths.     I understand, they were going at it hot and heavy,,,   and somehow the conversation (????   Samm,,,   why are we conversating????) ....    gets to what we do in real life.   Hippy chick expresses her rosy glasses colored view of happy cows,,,    Samm sets her straight.   In graphic detail.     I believe, he just created another vegetarian.You fill in the blanks.
Reply:Samm in a loincloth - now I really didn't need that mental picture bouncing around in my head.MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:The Samm in a loincloth pic was supposed to be in the tree-hugging hippy chick's head,,,,,,   only problem is,,,,   she see a pic of Samm, in a loincloth, slaughtering happy cows.   Wrong pic.   For Samm,,,   anyway.
Reply:Hey Joe.......... Attached Images"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Was definitely not the anticipated end to the eveningPoor ol' gal will be eatin' tofu for the rest of her natural lifeIf any of y'all are interested, I'll be postin' some pics of the festivities later on tonite..........."What I did for my Summer vacation"Make sure to have the eye bleach handy"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:These posts make me think that I missed out on something real good.I'm glad you guys had a good time. mark is right, no reason this couldn't happen for others as well.Unless you work so much in the summer it's hard to find time to sleep!
Reply:Sorry, Samm,,,,   you know me, I just couldn't help it.You will note, however,,,,,   I WAS discrete.   Didn't even mention, the extra extracuriccular activities,,,   with Don, Alex, Clay, and Kevin...............Ooops.
Reply:When I was first learning verticle welds, I had an old welder tell me I needed a left handed welder to show me because I was a lefty, crazy ole @#$%^&&*(
Reply:Sam, it was a pleasure to meet you. Now if I can only get you to spend some more money on welders instead of cows.