For years– maybe since 1992 when Al Gore “invented” the internet by sponsoring the Information Infrastructure and Technology Act which allowed commercial traffic on the internet– Weldcraft’s website has been pretty much the same.

We’ve heard rumors. There have been rumblings. Whispers in the hallway. I’ll be honest, we made jokes about the old Weldcraft website. But all that has changed…

Weldcraft has launched a new website, and we here at JoeWelder.com are the first to break the news (pictured right)…. And we’re sharing it with you.

We’re actually very excited to see the direction they are going. For years we’ve been hesitant to direct any of our customers to the Weldcraft website, even though at Arc-Zone.com we proudly sell the Weldcraft line of TIG Torches. The graphics on their new site are nice and clean, the product looks great, and I see a link to a Help Me Choose A TIG Torch page that we’re hoping is a great interactive tool for TIG welders. Perhaps akin to the Miller Electric SmartSelector™.

You can read the official press release here….

Do you think Weldcraft is heading in the right direction? What information would you like to see about TIG Torches that you haven’t been able to find elsewhere?

You may wonder what a motorcycle exhibition has to do with President Clinton. Or Joe Welder for that matter. But we came across this news item and thought we’d share it. The custom chopper has been instrumental in showcasing the art of welding in recent years, and sparked (no pun intended) renewed interest in metal fabrication, especially TIG welding, a refined skill that produces the beautiful welds that hold these custom fabricated bikes together.

Art of the Chopper

September 20, 2008 | Little Rock, AR | Clinton Foundation

Rolling sculptures that capture the American spirit—not to be missed! On September 20, 2008, the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, unveiled one of the most amazing motorcycle exhibitions ever presented…with the world premiere of Art of the Chopper. This exhibition will be displayed through Feb 8, 2009, and will feature 30 of the finest, most exceptional, custom motorcycles ever built.

Art of the Chopper is the first comprehensive collection of custom motorcycles created explicitly for contemporary art and curated for exhibition. The Clinton Center is proud to host this extraordinary exhibit, based on the best-selling books, “Art of the Chopper” and “Art of the Chopper II,” by Tom Zimberoff,

The “chopper” is a uniquely American icon, a creation that demands remarkable design and engineering while clearly expressing the artistry and personalities of their builders and owners. The exhibition will also include an extensive photo gallery of each builder’s creations and will provide an in-depth analysis of their design philosophies and unique style.

The William J. Clinton Presidential Center & Park, located on the banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock, Arkansas, attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world to its grounds each year.

Opened in 2004, the Center is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation.

Presidential Libraries promote understanding of the presidency and the American experience. We preserve and provide access to historical materials, support research, and create interactive programs and exhibits that educate and inspire. To learn more about our presidential libraries, visit the National Archives website.

I can’t believe what people do for their kids these days! Last weekend I took my daughter to a Birthday party for one of her pre-school buddies – it was at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park – the first thing you see at the entrance is a real SR71 Blackbird (pictured above) – more on that later.

Our private guided tour included a rocket making class, and each child got to fire their Alka Seltzer powered paper rockets! It was bitchen.
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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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Don’t miss out on this event coming up at the Ventura Raceway next weekend:

Saturday June 28th at 5:00pm (first heat)

18 Events and Hot Rod Jalopies!
Special Autograph session (at 4 pm) with Grand Marshall
MERT LAWWILL,
star of On Any Sunday and 1969 AMA Grand National Champion.

RACE CLASSIFICATIONS
Hand Shift/Harley Davidson & Indians – No Brakes
Kids 50cc
Kids 80cc
Speedway 2 Valve
Speedway 4 Valve
Choppers / Hooligans
Vintage 500cc
Vintage 750cc
Amateur 450cc Modern*
Pro 450cc Modern*
New Zealand Sidecars
Hot Rod Jalopies

*We will allow up to 650cc singles to compete in these classes.

For Hot Rod Jalopies rules visit: www.okiebowlhardtops.com

Sometimes things happen around you and you may not realize the significance and the long-term effects. I think about things more now that I have a five year old daughter.

Take some of the changes apparent in the world of racing. I remember my Dad telling me that my Mom was not allowed in the pits when they went racing – she had to wait outside the pit gate — now women are winning races!

As an early teenager I remember racing AMA district 37 TT motorcycles at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. The track was yards from the beautiful Pacific Ocean. I lined up for the qualifying heat and next to me was a young (girl) women with long blonde hair hanging out of her helmet — she had bitchen’ white riding leathers with purple lettering “T&O Yamaha” which was her sponsor — I remember thinking to myself, What is she doing here?

My dad told me, “You better pay attention. I watched her practice and she is fast”

Dad was right. I ran second that day. I don’t remember who came in first, but she came in a very respectable fourth.

Here are some facts on some women pioneers in racing:

Shirley Muldowney broke the glass ceiling in the NHRA in the 70’s and now Ashley Force and Hillary Will are winners….

First World of Outlaws Sprint Car Race winner — 2004 Erin Crocker

Indy 500 Firsts: 1977 first women in the Indy 500 Janet Guthrie — 1992, First Rookie of the Year Lyn St. James and 2005, first women race leader Danica Patrick.

Though it is still very early in the season, 2008 is quickly becoming the year of the woman. Following historic wins by Ashley Force and Melanie Troxel, Hillary Will added her name to the short list of female Professional winners when she defeated Larry Dixon in the Top Fuel final at the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX at Heartland Park Topeka. Will is the 11th woman to win in the Pro categories. 2008 we had the first major open wheel race win by a woman– Danica Patrick.

And as I watch my five-year-old daughter tearin’ it up around the neighborhood on her bicycle– without training wheels, I might add– I wonder what the world of racing will be like when she grows up.

This is a nice looking bike, and best of all proceeds support the Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The raffle winner will be chosen in a random drawing during AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, in July of 2008.

Proceeds from the drawing benefit the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio.
Full details on the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum website–>

The Lincoln Electric® Welding School — an industry leader in welding education– offers courses on the various types of arc welding methods to educate and train students in arc welding safety, processes, techniques and Lincoln® products as well as qualification and certification programs.

Courses cover basics in: plate and sheet metal, pipe welding, plasma, TIG, MIG and Flux Cored Arc Welding…. and advanced courses are offered as well. Check out the full line up of welding classes at the Lincoln Electric website.

They even offer a special Motorsports Welding School, a five day technical program focusing on basic motorsports materials (aluminum and stainless steel) and applications (GMAW, GTAW, Oxy fuel, and plasma cutting). A basic and an advanced course is offered.

The newest addition to the welding school is a welding and safety maintenance course for repair welding applications.

Designed to instruct welders in the automotive repair, construction and maintenance fields, the course demonstrates and instructs students in various welding processes including stick (SMAW), MIG (GMAW) and TIG (GTAW) welding, as well as oxyfuel cutting.
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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 –>

You may have read previous posts about my “early” motorcycle racing days (more posts coming with some really neat bikes and personalities). I grew up in SO Cal riding motorcycles most every day and racing at least 2 days a week when I was in my teens. If you have ever heard of or seen the movie “On Any Sunday” you know what I’m talking about — if not rent it — it’s awesome!

I bring that up because there is a terrific motorcycle event coming up on the first weekend in May. Here’s the 411:

Legend Of The Motorcycle International Concours D’Elegance is a celebration of the art of motorcycling, past, present and future.

The event takes place Saturday May 3rd at the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, CA (just south of San Francisco). It’s the 3rd edition and this year MV Agusta & Norton are the featured brands. Over 30 MV’s of various models will be presented, including an Agostini TT winner and a 2004 Bonneville speed record holder. Special Norton models featured to include a JPN, a Cosworth Challenge, a Ron Wood, a Monocoque, a Rotary, etc. More than 200 vintage bikes will be exhibited including the only known 1914 Ixion, U-frame Merkel racer, and oldest production 1902 Indian in existence. Among other attractions, there will be a special photo exhibit of Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman’s “Long Way Down” trek curated by celeb photographer Timothy White exclusively for Legend of the Motorcycle. Also an exhibit of artwork by renowned graphic artist Conrad Leach.

Info and tickets ($50) at Legend Of The Motorcycle.