kerley":3s0uneof said:
I am thinking of buying a decent welder and paying some one to teach me to weld.
Tom
Probably the best move you'll ever make. Get yourself a cutting torch as well. It is even easier to weld these days with the see through hoods. Strike an arc just like striking a match. When one side starts to melt, walk across to the other side and let the rod fill the gap, then go back across. Back and forth until the rod is gone. Practice will get the rod angle right. I would run 1/8 inch rod on that drill stem. 7018. Sometimes it is magnetic. Wrap your lead around the pipe if you get into that.
I gave up on them making me a journeyman instrument hand. Went to night school on an apprenticeship. Got my stick certifications and started into heli-arc. That was right about the time they set me up as a journeyman so I never finished the welding school. Started to night school at a local college in engineering instead. Didn't strike an arc for about 5 years and couldn't believe how hard it had become.
Once I got my own rig, I was burning rod all the time around the farm. Built practically everything you can think of. Now I barter or just help good folks out in my spare time. There aint much spare time