If you google “Tony Welding” you’ll find a link to a cache of videos posted online and the opportunity to “attend” welding classes taught by Tony Marsden, a welding instructor at the Simi Valley Career Institute. Funded by the state of California, the Institute’s welding program is free, however, there is usually a waiting list.

An instructor for over 25 years, Tony has always used videos to supplement his instructions. “It did not occur to me to put them on google video until recently,” he says. There are 54 videos in total, covering everything from equipment and accessories, metal identification, welding symbols, tube bending, fabrication, and structural codes in the areas of Arc Welding, MIG, TIG and Oxy-Acetylene. These videos offer a way for students who can’t get into the program either by limits of space or geography, to learn from an instructor with over 40 years of welding experience and certifications in SMAW, FCAW, GMAW and GTAW.

The son of a general contractor, Tony was introduced to the construction industry and welding at an early age. Over the years he was told many times he would make a great teacher. When he was offered a position to teach part time, he accepted and part time soon led to full time. “I have always enjoyed sharing information,” he says.

Working at the largest and most comprehensive adult school in Ventura County, California has allowed Tony to share a lot of welding information. And place over 3000 students in good jobs over the last 25 years.

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I love motorcycles and if you do too, check out this event:
The Biggest & Best Custom & High Performance Street & Sportbike Event in America!

Performance Machine presents the 17th Annual
2008 LA Calendar Motorcycle Show Weekend
& Calendar Girl Music Festival
July 12-13th 2008, Queen Mary Event Park, Long Beach
America’s Premier Custom & Performance Motorcycle Show
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I got a call from Fabio who is building an off-road rock climbing truck chassis (pictured right). He needed someone to help him set up his new TIG welder, so he called Arc-Zone.com.

Fabio had just moved back to Italy though he and his wife had spent the past couple of years living on Maui. He started the truck project there, bought some equipment and soon became frustrated with the lack of available products, and tech support. He had a brand new Miller Dyanasty 200 and needed all the goods it takes to properly weld a high-performance off-road truck. Considering the number of welding equipment manufacturers in Italy, I was surprised that Fabio was unable to find the info or qualified people to help him get what he needed.

Since that first call Fabio has placed several orders and we have them delivered to his local post office. And since I promised my wife Gina that I would take her to Italy one day, I hope I’ll be able to see Fabio TIG welding in person, and take a ride in his new off-road truck!

If the upcoming American Welding Society conference isn’t your cup of Joe, maybe the Ink-N-Iron Festival is for you:

June 6-8 aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, Calif.

The best tattoo artists in the world and a series of additional events will make this 2008 edition a hit. There will be 280 artists from 30 States and 25 Countries representing all the tattoo styles pricking away with their machines in an exciting atmosphere, where a car show and music become an integral part of the event, mingling with the artistic expressions of the artists at work. This convention will be both a sort of art gallery and community festival.

Jim Watson, aka Joe Welder will be heading up to check out the Car Show.

The car show is for Pre-63 hot rods, kustoms, classics and vintage motorcycles– vehicles that are nostalgic in appearance. ABSOLUTELY NO high tech street rods, tubbed rear ends, fiberglass, billet aluminum, mini or monster trucks, muscle cars,or foreign cars allowed.

Check out last year’s show online –>

JESSE JAMES TO DEBUT NEW CREATION AT LEGEND OF THE MOTORCYCLE

Jesse James has announced that his newest creation, a glistening aluminum-clad motorcycle and sidecar combo for client Airstream will make its first public debut at the Legend of the Motorcycle Concours on May 3rd.

As reported recently in Forbes* magazine, “James and his welders machined, riveted and hammered 18-gauge steel and razor-thin aluminum into a space-age-looking vehicle, applying some of the same construction methods Airstream uses in its shiny luxury trailers.” The result is “One of the most elaborate masterpieces James’ shop has ever produced.”

This is not the first time the West Coast Choppers founder, Monster Garage host, and Baja 1000 competitor has chosen to unveil a bike at Legend of the Motorcycle. At the inaugural Concours in 2006, James debuted his Radial Hell aero bike powered by a 7-cylinder Rotec radial aircraft engine (photo attached). The response from attendees was awe.

Other legendary custom builders displaying bikes at this year’s Legend of the Motorcycle include Japanese minimalist master Shinya Kimura, Choppers Inc. founder Billy Lane, and Brooklyn’s Paul Cox. Last year Cox and partner Keino, in addition to displaying two bikes by late friend, business partner and legend Indian Larry, debuted When Push Comes to Shove - a bike the pair built for client Brad Pitt - whose intricate and painstakingly detailed metal engraving was something typically only seen on handmade European shotguns. All three builders plan to unveil
something new at the May event as well.

The third annual Legend of the Motorcycle, including the Bonhams & Butterfields auction of motorcycles from the Mike Corbin Collection, takes place the first weekend in May, Saturday the 3rd, on the lawns of the ocean-side Ritz-Carlton in Half Moon Bay, California, just south of San Francisco. Tickets can be purchased, and additional information can be found, on the official website: LegendoftheMotorcycle.com

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Joe Welder willl be there! will you?

INCLINE STUDENTS CREATE CUSTOM CYCLE
by CYNDI LOZA, RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

At Incline Village High School, working on a hog is part of the curriculum.

Incline Village students unveiled Thursday a custom-made 2008 Paramount Roadster they constructed in their auto class with the help of Paramount Custom Cycles.
… READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE ONLINE–>

I thought this was a good story and I congratulate Aaron Greene from Paramount Custom Cycles. His comments are right on and I think encouraging young people to strike out on their own is a great idea.

I wish I had that kind of guidance when I was in high school metal shop!

I entered the 2007 Professional Welders Competition!

The contest took place during the AWS/FabTech welding show in Chicago this November, and was geared towards certified welders – seriously, check out the spec’d out procedure and you’ll see what I mean.

With some good prizes ($5,000 for first, $2500 second, and $500 for third) I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Besides, I had a good time talking with the facilitators, the AWS Indiana Section put together a fantastic operation with everything needed to laydown some metal! I would like to comment on their choice of stick electrode holders – they were the basic “open jaw” type. Take it from me, if you do any Stick (SMAW) welding you need to step up to the Bernard ShortStub electrode holder. It is much more comfortable to hold, and the mechanical gripping power of the screw type rod holder allows you to have much better control of the weld puddle and even lets you bend the rod to better adapt to different angles etc.

As I said they gave you everything except time–You got 5 minutes and they weren’t kidding. As soon as I completed my last pass, they stepped into the booth and said time is up — stop now and they took my test coupon! It was a great experience and although I hadn’t done any Stick welding (SMAW) for many years I managed to laydown some good looking beads within the called out bead profiles etc.

It was good time and brought back memories of my early welding school classes at Pasadena City College. Best of all I got a cool 2007 Professional Welders Competition T-shirt! Thanks Guys. . .

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The AWS announced the top 12 competitors, out of 188 professional welders from all parts of the United States, and Canada! Read the official announcement, American Welding Society Announces 2007 Professional Welders Competition Award Winners (.pdf)

What’s with the fabricators on the TV shows? They’re on camera with no helmets, or eye protection when welding/tacking – worse yet no safety glasses when grinding etc. Do these guys think it’s macho?

I think they are being foolish, and I’m disappointed in the large retail gas suppliers that sponsor these shows, their ads in virtually every camera angle. They should insist that these shows focus on safety and set an example for the new up and coming metal fabricators.

The picture here is one of our favorite customers, David Anthony of David Anthony Customs, a local custom bike builder, decked out in all the proper safety gear.

Proper hearing, eye, breathing and skin protection is easy, and an absolute necessity when you are welding, grinding and heating metal fabricated parts. I wouldn’t have considered not wearing proper eye protection, (a quality helmet with the best optics) gloves, and a long sleeved shirt while welding.

It’s important to think about the other people in the shop as well. I can tell you from experience that there was a couple of times that my Dad got the “sandy eye” feeling as he was indirectly exposed to the arc rays from TIG welding. Here are a couple of links to companies with new and innovative safety products.

WELDING SAFETY HELMETS
Sellstrom Manufacturing Co. for high-quality polymer welding helmets
Jackson Safety Products
Miller
Sevore America

GLOVES
Revco Industries (Black Stallion brand)
Perfect Fit Glove Co.
Miller

I would be interested in your thoughts on new safety products.

This blog offers a fresh and brutally honest perspective on welding industry news, reviews of innovative companies and products, and profiles of those who are making an impact in the metal fabrication industry.

What we hope you’ll find: tips, tidbits, perspectives you won’t find elsewhere, as well as insights, original interviews and more that should be of interest to the metal fabrication market worldwide. We promise to keep the content fresh, and interesting.

This Blog is primarily written by Jim Watson (aka Joe Welder), a master fabricator, welding equipment designer, industry professional, online distributor, and owner of Arc-Zone.com, Inc.

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