Interesting behind the scenes look at Miller Electric, including some great old photos
And did you know Lincoln Electric was founded in 1895?
And did you know that whatever your machine… you can Weld Like A Pro(TM) with welding accessories, from TIG Torches to MIG torches and from welding apparel to welding positioners… from Arc-Zone.com, of course!
Excited for the new Iron Man 2 movie coming out this summer? Well, while you’re waiting, why don’t you check out this new IronMan 230 All-in-One MIG Welder from Hobart Welders? It has everything you could want in a MIG machine — we only wish it had a bit more in common with its namesake (flying while welding anyone??)
Hobart Introduces IronMan 230 All-in-One MIG Welder with Superior Arc Quality and Greater Precision
Jon Crowley | Jan 14, 2010Hobart Ironman 230
The IronMan™ 230 is a total redesign of the full-size MIG platform, outperforming the competition on arc quality, voltage control, duty cycle and value. It delivers 30-250 amps of pure power in a heavy duty cabinet. The arc of the new IronMan™ 230 is optimized to deliver a flawless weld, making spatter and post-weld cleanup almost non-existent. The IronMan™ 230 easily runs aluminum – just add the optional Hobart DP-3545-20 spool gun and you’re ready to weld aluminum from 18 gauge to 1/2″.
For improved feedability with aluminum wires or for extended reach with other wires add the Hobart 3545-20 spool gun with its 20 ft. cable length.
Gravity. It’s simply a fact of life; we can’t change it. But we may be able to work around it.
Gravity Can Make Welding More Expensive, Learn How to Lower Your Welding Costs
12/28/2009 9:46:00 AM – Article #2909
By Mechanizing the Weld System Using the Proper Positioning Equipment and Multi Wire Welding, Expect a 60 Lb. Weld Deposition per Hour
Gravity makes welding more expensive, it’s a fact.
That is why downhand welding will cost less than vertical or overhead welding.
It’s all about deposition rates.
When welding in the vertical or overhead position, the higher your metal deposition rate, the more likely the weld metal is to sag and run out of the joint.
To combat these problems try using a pulsed power source that produces less heat, or use current and voltage settings that reduce the burn-off rate or use smaller diameter electrodes with good out of position characteristics.
Interested in learning about restoring classic cars? Well, you’ve come to the right place!
The folks over at Second Chance Garage have given us a step-by-step guide to choosing the right welder for the job:
Selecting the Right Welder for Classic Car Restoration Projects
What Welder To Use?
The most common welders used in auto restoration, therefore, are MIG (metal arc welders, gas or flux-cored), TIG (tungsten arc welders using shielding gas) and Arc Welders (the traditional “stick” electrode).
To choose the most appropriate one for your needs, you have to consider the following parameters:
* What is the maximum and minimum thickness of metal to be welded? Fortunately, automobiles use metals that fall into a relatively narrow range.
* What is the metal type? Again, automobiles generally are made of steel and, rarely, aluminum.
* What is the normal position the welding “head” will be put in? Do you need to do a lot of welding overhead? The answer is usually no here.
* How much current is available in your shop and do you have 220 volts? Check your circuits.
Let’s be frank. Our overwhelming favorite type of welder is the MIG. We’ll explain why shortly, but first we’ll give an overview of the other contenders. Here we go!
Once you’ve chosen a welder, come on over to Arc-Zone.com where you’ll find MIG guns, TIG Torches, Oxy-Fuel Torches, Plasma Arc Cutting Torches… not to mention some really trick accessories like Trailing Shields, and everything you need to Weld Like a Pro!
Want some free Miller welding equipment???
This month, Miller Electric is giving away over $2,000 worth of welding supplies to one lucky grand prize winner!
To enter for a chance to win, just sign up for one of Miller’s eNewsletters to keep in touch with industry news and the latest how-to advice!
Complete Grand Prize Package:
I took my family to the opening night of the 64th Annual Del Mar National Horse Show at the world famous Del Mar Fairgrounds, in Del Mar, Calif. This event signals the start of the horse show season in this historic, beach-side arena.
As we approached the Del Mar Arena, I was surprised to see that a brand new roof had been installed on the open air stadium; the last time I had seen the venue had been at a Vintage Flat Track & TT motorcycle race not too long ago.
This massive project was completed in just 7 months by the Turner Construction Company. For more information on the project you can check out this video from the San Diego Daily Transcript: New Roof for Del Mar Arena ->
If you watched the video, you saw that this massive project featured tons of structural steel and miles of welding, cutting, fitting and joining.
The majority of the project was Stick (SMAW) and MIG welded, but a lot of the utility “high-pressure” piping, etc. was TIG welded. This is yet another example of how the welding and metal fabrication market is involved in nearly everything that we do. It’s just another reason why I love this industry!
So don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking that the industry is in decline — hardly! In fact, if you look around, you’ll find that there are plenty of opportunities to build some really neat stuff — now more than ever before!
Interested in saving money while you’re welding this autumn? Check out this article over at Welding Magazine — it lists ten simple ways that you stay thrifty, and that’s just when you’re using your MIG gun!
10 Money-Saving Tips for Semi-Automatic MIG Guns
By DAVID BELLAMY | Jul 1, 2009 12:00 PM
Your welding operation, just like any other portion of your business, offers opportunities to conserve resources.
The economy continues to challenge all of us, and it seems everyone is watching his or her finances (at home and on the job) and looking for innovative ways to save money. Your welding operation, just like any other portion of your business, offers opportunities to conserve resources. Consider these 10 money-saving tips for MIG gun care and maintenance, and don’t be surprised to discover you will improve your welding performance in the effort.
TIP #1: PROTECT YOUR ASSETS
Keep your nozzles, retaining heads (diffusers) and contact tips in the original shipment package until you are ready to use them. This prevents scratches and/or dents where spatter can accumulate and will make them last longer. It also prevents dirt, oil or other debris from adhering to the consumables and inadvertently entering the weld puddle.
And did you know that Arc-Zone.com carries a full line of MIG Guns and replacement parts, MIG nozzle cleaning stations, and MIG Wire feeders? check it out… then let us know what YOU are doing to save cash! Share your best ideas with the rest of us!
Marty Rice is a welding instructor at a high school career center in Texas and an honorary member of the Ironworkers Local 263. In this article from The Fabricator.Com Marty shares safety tips, answers to commonly asked questions, books and online resources for welding hobbyists and those just getting into MIG welding. This may also be a helpful review for those of you in advanced welding.
Photo courtesy of AlcoTec Wire Corp.
MIG welding tips and resources
By Marty Rice, Contributing Writer
April 11, 2005Motorcycle- and hot rod-building shows on TV have put welding in a very positive light lately. In fact, Jesse James, the star of Discovery Channel’s “Monster Garage,” was named the American Welding Society (AWS) Welder of the Year because of his contributions to the trade. It’s nice to see welding in a good light after seeing it maligned for so long.
Over the years I’ve had a love/hate relationship with welding. I loved it when work and money were plentiful and the weather was nice. I hated it when there was no work to be found, I was broke, and when I was freezing or sweating my tail off.
Welding gets into your blood. It’s fun for both professional and hobby welders, and being a welder is like belonging to a club.
And be sure to check out the ever-growing MIG welding section over at Arc-Zone.com:
MIG Guns, MIG gun replacement parts (and more!)
This past weekend, I went to see, you guessed it, the new Star Trek movie. I honestly had never watched a single Star Trek show all the way through before this, but I loved the movie all the same.
And check out the trailers….
One in particular I think you’ll enjoy. It’s not about Star Trek, the movie, per se. It’s more about Star Trek, the concept, and it starts out with a close up of a guy welding. He then lifts up his visor and looks in amazement at what he’s helped to create: the new Starship Enterprise.
And the welder who you see lifting up his visor? That’s Anthony Vitale, a former welder turned actor, who was lucky enough to be the first face we saw in conjunction with the new Star Trek movie.
Here’s a little more about him:
Trek Welder Talks Teaser Shoot
January 21, 2008
by Charles Trotter , Filed under: Interview, Star Trek (2009 film) , trackback
EXCLUSIVE: The teaser trailer for the new Star Trek starts off with the face of a rugged welder…and as it turns out he wasn’t just acting! TrekMovie.com spoke to the ‘welder’ actor and got the lowdown on what it was like to shoot the new Trek teaser.
Like almost every other actor in LA, last fall Anthony Vitale went in to Paramount to audition for the big sci-fi film “Corporate Headquarters.” Vitale had no idea that was a code name for JJ Abrams new Star Trek feature. After reading some lines Casting Director April Webster pulled him aside and asked him the fateful question “do you know how to weld?” Little did she know that Vitale had only started acting 3 years previously after being laid off as a marine carpenter and welder. Needless to say he was soon on Stage 25 at Paramount decked out in a full genuine welding outfit and ready to be the first man shot for Star Trek in years, something the actor is rather proud of.
The very first frame of film for principal photography on the teaser trailer was my close-up with the goggles on. When the cameras first turned on to start Star Trek XI, it was Anthony Vitale’s close-up.
Vitale sets the scene and it is clear he was the man for the job…
There was real steel there for the welding. I was using a genuine welding tool…specifically it was a mig welder — the technical term for that type of welding is gas metal arc welding. I was actually standing on concrete and there were some special effects going on behind me but the sparks that you guys see in front of my face, those are real… I was actually welding
I’m going to the Essen Welding Show in Essen Germany. Yes, that’s right, in Germany! If you’re not familiar with the show, it is the Olympics of Welding and Metal Fabrication– it happens every four years, and draws the best in welding and fabrication technology from around the world.
Not only will I have the opportunity to see the latest in innovation for our industry (see above), I’ll get to catch up with some colleagues as well. It will also be a great opportunity to see what new products our international welding accessory vendors are showcasing.
Schweissen & Schneiden, the Essen Welding Show has established its position as number one in its industry. With the biggest names in the industry taking part and almost 60,000 trade buyers coming to see them Schweissen & Schneiden continues to become more international. With more than 1,000 exhibitors, the show takes place in the entire exhibition complex of more 1.1 million sq feet.
Let me know if you’ll be there! And make your plans early! Oktoberfest starts September 19– the day the show ends….
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