I got this forwarded to me in an email and immediately knew that we had to post this here on Joe Welder!
Ron Patrick’s Street-Legal Jet Powered Volkswagen Beetle
This is my street-legal jet car on full afterburner.
The car has two engines: the production gasoline engine in the front driving the front wheels and the jet engine in the back.
The idea is that you drive around legally on the gasoline engine and when you want to have some fun, you spin up the jet and get on the burner (you can start the jet while driving along on the gasoline engine).
The car was built because I wanted the wildest street-legal ride possible.
With this project, I was able to use some stuff I learned while getting my fancy engineering degree (I have a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University) to design a street-legal jet car without the distraction of how other people have done it in the past – because no one has.
I don’t know how fast the car will go and probably never will. The car was built to thrill me, not kill me. That doesn’t stop me from the occasional blast on the highway though.
Stekly got a buzz cut from a classmate in the Construction Trades Building, courtesy of Joe Filipowicz, Salvage Manager of Steel Etc.
Scott Stekly, a welding student at MSU-Great Falls, gets a buzz cut by classmate Rachel Kaiser Wednesday in the welding shop. (TRIBUNE PHOTO/ RION SANDERS)
Filipowicz’ company agreed to contribute metal to the welding program as an added incentive for the hair loss.
Prior to entering the welding program to pursue a second career, Stekly had been a longtime local cosmetologist, where he met Joe Filipowicz and his father Jimmy, owner of Steel Etc.
When Stekly entered the fall semester, he made a challenge to the Filipowiczes. He would allow them to cut his hair in return for donations of steel materials to the MSU-Great Falls Welding Program. Steel Etc. accepted, and the hair cut was scheduled.
The donated steel will consist of pipe and plate that can be used for the college’s welding students to practice various welds and cuts. After being used by the program, the scrap materials will be returned to Steel Etc., which will recycle the metals, sending them to a steel mill for melting and reprocessing.
Posted on Wednesday September 30th by Sindhu Sundar
A few months ago, when the financial markets were still in freefall, we looked at ten infrastructure-related jobs with bright prospects. As we noted at the time, the global infrastructure sector is poised to see $35 trillion in spending over the next two decades. That’s a lot of paychecks. Moreover, the jobs in question tend to be the sort that can’t be outsourced to, say, a sweatshop in Saipan. Most infrastructure work is domestic by nature, after all. And these jobs also tend to be tied to real-world technical skills–unlike many that were lost when America’s bubble economy deflated last year.
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So if you’re thinking about a back-up career path to your current gig as a lawyer or stockbroker or reality tv celebrity, you might want to give these options some thought:
At the Infrastructurist.com, there is a list of the five hottest jobs in infrastructure right now. Guess what’s number one. No, really – guess. Stop looking down! No cheating!
Alright, fine. You saw – it’s a Robotic Arc Welding Technician, and not only are they in high demand, but they make a decent amount of money, considering that it only takes a mere two years to get certified!
1. CERTIFIED ROBOTIC ARC WELDING TECHNICIAN – $40,000 TO $50,000
What they do: Arc welding is a common technique of fusing metals, and robotic arc welding–as the name suggests–is this process as preformed by robots.
Automation ensures a higher quality of the weld –up to 50% better – and increases productivity by up to 3 times.
Who maintains these armies of welding robots? A robotic arc welding technician, of course. As Jeff Noruk, president of industry firm Servo Robot puts it, “Robots are like babies. They need care every single day.”
Why it’s hot: As a recent New York Times article points out (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/24/business/24jobs.html), welders are much in demand these days. That demand is especially acute for certified robotic arc welding technicians:
Noruk estimates that while there are several hundred thousand arc welding robots, there are only 30 certified arc welding technicians in the country, with most welding robots presently being supervised by general electricians or engineers.
Toby Gewertz wants to make metalwork that will stand the test of time and so makes sure that he and his company, Metalformz, only use the best of materials.
Napa sculptor makes works meant to last
By MAUREEN MCCABE Register Correspondent
Posted: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:00 am
In this plastic, throw-away culture, where obsolescence is built into almost every mass-produced item, Toby Gewertz who sticks with material that will last.
Using stainless steel, bronze, copper, aluminum and titanium, Gewertz designs and constructs signs, sculptures, railings and doors, among other items, for commercial and residential clients.
Local restaurants call on his company, Metalformz, for signage and decorative pieces.
Gewertz crafted the carrot fence at First Squeeze, as well as the medieval Gothic art at the former Belle Arti on the creek in Napa, now the Little Gourmet.
Although the restaurant has been through several owners, all have kept Gewertz’s candleholders and partitions for the breezeway and counter top.
He’s also done Celadon’s signs, the door handles and liquor display racks at Fumé, the sign and interior metalwork at the old Piatti restaurant in Yountville, and the old Brix restaurant’s sign plus indoor railings and coffee tables.
The importance of a good weld goes far deeper than just good looks; on Navy vessels, a good weld can throughly impact a ship’s overall lifespan.
Some ships built on Coast flawed, Navy says
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS • JANUARY 25, 2010
NEW ORLEANS — The Navy says numerous welds may be bad on warships built in the past two years by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding at Gulf Coast shipyards.
(File photo/The Associated Press)
Since last summer, engineers have been inspecting Northrop Grumman-built warships after engineers found that between 10 percent and 15 percent of pipe welds inside vessels built at the shipyards in Pascagoula and Avondale, La., were not thick enough and could shorten a vessel’s life-span, the Navy said.
“We’re talking about thousands and thousands of welds to inspect, and we’re probably talking about hundreds of welds that need to be fixed on each ship,” said Jay Stefany, the Navy’s program manager for the LPD 17 amphibious assault ships.
The Navy said faulty pipe welds were found on destroyers, LPD assault ships and on one LHD big-deck amphibious assault ship. All were built at Northrop Grumman’s Avondale and Pascagoula shipyards.
Isn’t it time you started getting involved? That’s what these students thought!
I met them recently at one of our local AWS (American Welding Society) section meetings. Daren Hitchman and Fred Paregoy (3rd from left in top and bottom rows) are the member recruiter and publicity chairman of their AWS student chapter, respectively.
I spent some time talking with them and I couldn’t help but take a picture of their workbooks. Unfortunatly, I did not capture the notes and diagrams on the inside; they were very detailed and technical — I was impressed with the level of training that these new students go throught to get certified.
Though they both are currently going to welding school at ECC in San Diego, they make the time to get involved in the local welding community by coming to events like this one.
Through attending meetings and events sponsored by local welding supply companies, professional organizations etc., these students are getting a better idea of the jobs that are available to them once they leave school.
Who knows? They might even meet a future boss, or learn about an opportunity to open their own shop just by hanging around and learning about the latest welding equipment!
San Diegans are proud of their local Plumbers and Pipefitters union which has taken on the task of securing jobs for marines being discharged from the base in Camp Pendleton — nearly 750 leave each month.
They are currently offering free accelerated classes in welding to 16 marines at a time, in the hopes that this will provide them with a lasting career upon leaving.
Local Union Hoping To Spark Welding Careers For Former Marines
BY KATIE ORR
December 11, 2009
A local union is offering men and woman leaving the Marine Corps a chance to learn how to become welders.
Organizers are hoping the program might spark some careers.
San Diego’s Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 230 is already into the fourth class of its Veterans in Piping program.
The union is offering Camp Pendleton Marines who are about to be discharged the chance to take part in a free accelerated welding program.
Union Organizer Gary Sallis said many Marines don’t know what they’re going to do when they leave the military.
“Right now 750 Marines a month are leaving the Marines at Camp Pendleton,” Sallis said.
“We’re taking 16 of them every month as we can to try to train them to be welders. And this way, when they get all done, they have a career when they leave the military.”
I often wish when I’m stuck in rush hour traffic, that my car would suddenly sprout wings and fly over all the heads of those other unassuming drivers. But I’m not Brady McCormick, and my car can’t fly.
But his – well, with just a few adjustments, it’s more of a possibility than you might think.
In North Kitsap, Turning Old Cars Into New Planes
By GENE YOACHUM FOR THE KITSAP SUN
Brady McCormick has his eyes on the skies.
The machine shop owner sees an opportunity looming in building experimental aircraft power plants out of 40-year-old Corvair automobile engines.
McCormick, 42, said the recent announcement that Seattle-based Boeing Co. is opening a plant in South Carolina instead of Puget Sound “creates a vacuum’’ for aircraft manufacturing locally.
“Now’s my chance to fill that vacuum,” he said, tongue planted firmly in cheek. “I haven’t found the plans yet for a 747, but as soon as I do, they are in trouble.”
McCormick’s plans for building experimental airplanes powered by Corvair engines is no joke.
Pulled from wrecking yards and scrap heaps, engines from Chevrolet’s once-popular compact car are perfect for experimental aircraft enthusiasts to rebuild and convert into airplane engines, he said.
For some, learning welding might just be a hobby, or a way into a new career. For teens at the Tuscaloosa juvenile detention center, it’s all that and much more.
Welding class keeps peace at juvenile detention center
Students stay out of trouble to attend sessions
By Stephanie Taylor Staff Writer
Saturday, November 21, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
TUSCALOOSA | Some of the teenagers at the juvenile detention center don’t stop getting in trouble just because they’re behind bars.
Fights occasionally break out between the inmates, who are sometimes incarcerated for crimes as serious as shootings and burglary. They may cause trouble in a classroom or refuse to follow rules.
But fights are occurring less often lately since the facility began offering a welding class on Thursday and Friday afternoons.
“People won’t act up because they don’t want to miss welding,” said a 16-year-old who has been at the facility for three weeks. “Some of them want to have a career in this, and it might be the only chance they’ll have to learn.”
But the program isn’t just to motivate kids to stay out of trouble while at the facility, although that is a positive by-product. The administrators, teachers and businesses who have contributed to the program hope that the vocational skills will benefit the teenagers once they’re released.
ArcTime™ Brand Hybrid, One Tungsten Blend For All Materials
The Sky’s The Limit With The NEW ArcTime™ Hybrid Tungsten Electrodes!
State-of-the-Art, Non-Radioactive Tungsten Electrode Formula: For all metals, compatible with all welding machines.
Fabricators from around the world are using ArcTime™ Hybrid to improve weld-quality, lower tungsten inventory costs and minimize weld defects. What started as “cult product” with a few specialty manufacturers of yatch towers, aerospace parts, mountain bikes and race cars has grown into our most poular tungsten electorde product.
Professional fabricators choose ArcTime™ because of its excellent ignition properties, low burn off rate and Tip longevity. As an added bonus, ArcTime™ hybrid tungsten electrodes work well with all power sources and all metals from mild steel to titanium. The material is clearly differentiated by it’s Sky Blue™ color code.
The NEW ArcTime™ offers all that, at a price even a hobbyist or small weld shop can afford.
We are so certain that you will benefit from the new ArcTime™ Hybrid, we are offering a Unconditional Money Back Guarantee backed by our industry-leading No-Hassle Return Policy.
“You’ll notice a difference just by striking the first arc– no finer electrode exists anywhere,” says Jim Watson, president and founder of Arc-Zone.com, Inc.
ArcTime™ Hybrid Performance Tungsten Electrodes™ pass Arc-Zone.com’s 5-Point Inspection Program and are delivered complete with Arc-Zone’s popular Guide to Tungsten (pdf), and Material Safety Data Sheet (pdf) .
ArcTime™ Brand Hybrid, One Tungsten Blend For All Materials
State-of-the-Art, Non-Radioactive Tungsten Electrode Formula: For all metals, compatible with all welding machines.
Professional fabricators choose ArcTime™ because of its excellent ignition properties, low burn off rate and tip longevity. In other words, this stuff lasts!
As an added bonus, ArcTime™ hybrid tungsten electrodes work well with all power sources and all metals from mild steel to titanium. The material is clearly differentiated by it’s Sky Blue™ color code.
The NEW ArcTime™ offers all that, at a price even a hobbyist or small weld shop can afford.
We are so certain that you will benefit from the new ArcTime™ Hybrid, we are offering a Unconditional Money Back Guarantee backed by our industry-leading No-Hassle Return Policy.
“You’ll notice a difference just by striking the first arc– no finer electrode exists anywhere,” says Jim Watson, president and founder of Arc-Zone.com, Inc.
Amazing TUNGSTEN. I never have to switch it out when I weld something new and the arc always strikes perfectly. I am on this for the rest of my welding days!!
Date Added: 05/14/2009 by Roger Wilcox
Some of the best large tungsten I have ever used. I am a definite believer from now on. And they set me up with a Net account in a couple of minutes. A wonderful experience.
Date Added: 05/25/2009 by Duncan Moore
We started using the ArcTime after we had some major quality issues with our tungsten supply. One of the challenges of being a government entity is the material is supplied for a variety of reasons, and most times quality is not one of them! We were using the 1.5% and 2% Lanthanated material, and it varied in performance and each supplier had a box with a different label on it which did not sit well with our welding shop instructor. We tested the ArcTime material and were very pleased with the look of the material, the supporting documentation and most importantly the performance. We do maintenance welds on Aluminum ship hulls – the ArcTime hybrid tungsten out performs all other materials, and saves us a lot of headaches. Now we can focus on welding!
HT2 Hull Technician Pacific Fleet (sent via email)
Date Added: 06/25/2008 by Arc-Zone Admin
Check out what our very own Roxy Fuel has to say about ArcTime™:
Automation ensures a higher quality of the weld –up to 50% better – and increases productivity by up to 3 times.
McCormick, 42, said the recent announcement that Seattle-based Boeing Co. is opening a plant in South Carolina instead of Puget Sound “creates a vacuum’’ for aircraft manufacturing locally.
