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Life changes


TR5tar

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As some may have read in another of my posts, I'm currently looking at purchasing a welding machine. I'm thinking about which model to buy and getting together all the extras I'll need, mask, gloves, jacket, etc. What really surprises me is how much joy I take in just thinking about getting a set of tools together and learning how to use them. I always imagine that most of the people using this forum have been involved with engineering to some degree or another for many years. For me, it's a new thing, as up until five years ago I had no particular interest. Since I bought the TR, I've a real urge to make and mend.

One of the things I want to do with the welder is make a small forge and then start learning some blacksmithing skills. I enjoyed metalwork at school, but was never that great at it. After leaving school I studied a non-practical subject at university and then went into office based work, so up until recently I hadn't done any metalwork in about 35 years.

I wonder why my interest has changed so much. 

Darren 

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Darren

Male menopause.  I started the same process about five years ago.  But in my case, my underlying character flaw (diagnosis: bodge it and scarper) has been a major obstacle to actually achieving anything.  But I'm now an expert watcher of YT lathe and welding films.

Paul

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Hi Darren,

                   before joining BEA as an aircraft Technical apprentice my main loves were gardening and cookery. I considered joining the army catering corp and had an apprenticeship almost lined up at a local bakery.  After 2+ years working with file and hammer etc etc my gaze turned towards transistors - magic things.

I'm good and spanner work, I'm very good at finding cracks etc but every now and then I will squirrel myself away for few weeks building daft electronic devices.

Over  a good many years, intertwined with the above, I have thought about blacksmithing and thatching - I would love to do both.

I think the problem is, is that I am interested in the things I do not know or can't do.

 

For your blacksmith dream seek out a blacksmith and ask if he would show you the ropes in his spare time.

If you do it alone it will cost a fair bit in equipment to get started.

 

Roger

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Come on, an anvil is about the most blokey thing you can own!

I really enjoy making stuff, doing a bit of welding and so on. Trouble is I too have a flaw, that I tend to rush or not finish stuff. Plus I am better at doing jobs for other people than for me. Bizarre....

Gill is still waiting 2 years on for me to tile the basin splashback in our bathroom. Rest has been fully functional. Just a few straight cuts and job done....I may even go and do it today.

The one skill I fancy learning is stained glass window making (or more specifically, repair) I have several that need doing, and think it could be a decent little earner as there are so few people offering to do that work, and I reckon loads of clients around Brighton. Plenty of victorian stained glass windows that are cracked or need repairs. How hard can it be? Then the other idea is to do an electrical course, get some certificates and do some testing. That would be up my street, and keep me occupied. All ideas, but I need something to keep me busy (so I am told)

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Darren,

While you might find a friendly blacksmith to be your pupil master, but they also have a life and living to make, so I'd suggest a course.   There are plenty around in Blacksmithing, just google.  The College I attend teaches farriery,  the equine subset of blacksmithing, has a dozen furnaces in their forge 'classroom' and short courses to C&G level on offer.   I often get into college to the sound of hammer on anvil, and the Henry V prologue springs to mind, "Now thrive the armourers"!

As part of my course, I've learnt (relearnt! Properly!) MiG welding and gas welding, and felt these sub-courses well-worthwhile.  I've considered doing their TiG course, but the kit is so expensive.  Can't afford gas kit either, which can heat your metal to forging temp without a furnace.

John

 

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"Male menopause" ... I think you might be right Paul, especially as I have the same symptoms as you, although for "bodge" I like to say "work around"! I'm also an avid watcher of Youtube welding, blacksmithing, and restoration films. Just finished an interesting one on restoring a leg vice.

Blacksmithing and thatching, Roger! Hopefully not at the same time. I'm also interested in things I cannot do, which in my case gives me a lot of scope. But as Frank Spencer once said, "Nobody that never did nothing, never did nothing wrong". Sounds like the bodger's maxim!

I'd like to pick the brains of a local blacksmith, and there are a couple that are not too far from me, but as John says I wouldn't want to impose.  My work does make it difficult to commit to a full time or even part time course, unfortunately, but there is a forge near Hereford that runs a day course that looks good.     

Perhaps I am getting more "blokey" in my old age Clive, because I badly want an anvil. Trouble is, they are not cheap. For a decent size second hand one, costs seem to be in access of £300. I'd be interested to hear more if you decide to start doing stained glass window work. Perhaps we should all get together an offer an "Old Crafts" service ... I'll make the tea.

Your college seems to have a good selection of courses John. My nearest one, Swindon, seems quite limited on what is offered. 

Darren 

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it seems there is a lot of it about. 

Whilst always having motorbikes my midlife crisis was buying a Ducati 748s after a Caldwell track experience day.  Not great on the roads where speed limits hampered its enjoyment and handling.

my 3/4 life crisis is competing in my TR3a.

but work wise I gave up my job in June to support my mum and dad through his terminal illness. They live(d) 250miles from me so not just a case of popping in to help.

I had trained to be an EHO in my 30’s inc full time degree and professional exams etc and after 17/18 years I don’t think I can go back into local authority work. 

So I am now in need of a job and one I can enjoy preferably hands on also realising a salary cut in favour of ongoing sanity. ( well whatever is left)

Any one in Cheshire need anyone ? PM me  

 

Edited by Hamish
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My older son, the Spitfire restorer, did some blacksmithing before he got to cars.  He made his own "forge" from a 16" car wheel, a cast iron garden chair frame (the stand) some random scrap and for the bellows, an old hairdryer that he blagged from one of his mates mothers.

Crude....?  Oh yes.  But surprisingly effective.  For an anvil we mostly used a short length of 6" RSJ nailed to a large log though later on a neighbor lent us an anvil (perhaps in the hope that it would be quieter than the RSJ which rang like a bell!).  Damn it was heavy.

Have some pics on my computer at home.  We were going to upgrade the forge, but then he discovered cars and has mostly been doing sheet metal work since!

Nick

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Always wanted to understand 'how it works'.  But not to the extent of putting in any effort into learning math, so proper engineering not a  careeer option. I realised in retrospect my research depended upon solving micro mechanical problems. So if anyone wants to inject a living cell 1 thou diameter , just ask. 

Peter

 

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I was going to make my own forge ... I've already earmarked the BBQ for it (and got permission). Lots of videos on Youtube of different designs and how to make them. 

Trouble with buying tools is it seems to snowball. Once I have the welder I feel that I'll need something for cut sheet and bars, so there's another dilemma ... metal band saw or plasma cutter?

Darren

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A decent 4 1/4" grinder will do a lot of jobs. I even used mine to cut sizeable RSJ's when the builder was struggling with their 9" grinder (quality 1mm discs made all the difference)

If you do a lot of cutting it may be worth a plasma cutter, or ideed a bandsaw. At school we used a really ancient old powered hacksaw, brilliant if a tad slow.

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3 hours ago, TR5tar said:

I was going to make my own forge ... I've already earmarked the BBQ for it (and got permission). Lots of videos on Youtube of different designs and how to make them. 

Trouble with buying tools is it seems to snowball. Once I have the welder I feel that I'll need something for cut sheet and bars, so there's another dilemma ... metal band saw or plasma cutter?

Darren

I dislike sawing, then discovered suppliers will cut to 'exact size'. eg 4mm thick ali  boxsection and endplates fro a new plenum chamber - no sawing needed. But I do use hole saws for >1/2 inch holes. Peter

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But for a plasma cutter you need compressed air..... and that leads to a compressor...… and that leads to other things.

I have managed perfectly well for 30 years (6 major restos, countless "repairs") without a plasma cutter or compressor.  I'm with Clive on the angle grinder.  Very versatile tool (did you know you can roller blinds to length with them?!)  and capable of surprising high precision in practised hands.  Quite capable of setting things on fire too (like the overalls you are standing in) if that's what you like.  You can buy a whole heap of angle grinders for the price of a plasma cutter and you'll need at least one anyway.

Good CO2 fire extinguisher should be on your kit list.

I confess that I do now have a bandsaw.  I didn't set out to buy one - it came in the deal with lathe and mill, and actually gets more use!

This is a really slippery slope you know.....  I refer you to earlier pics of my (incomplete) hammer collection!

Nick

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Ahh, but my Christmas present to myself this year was a compressor. Not a top notch one (just 100 ltr, 14.6 CFM), but should be able to handle a plasma cutter I'd hope. But you are right Nick, it's an addiction that could get out of hand :wacko:. A good angle grinder is the thing to have, I concede. And it'll be better for my bank manager. 

CO2 extinguisher is already in the kit, and I'll get the safety clothing before I do anything else. One positive about lacking confidence in my skills is that I (hopefully) never get complacent about what I'm doing. 

Angle grinder it is then. 

Cheers, Darren  

 

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Talking of angle grinders....

My trusty Makita was left with my caravan-owning friend. Somehow (goodness knows how though) he managed to mangle th espindle lock. He gave me the cracked button and spring(!), but the pin was inside teh grinder jamming it up a bit. And the disc lok just would not come undone. Well, took me about 20 minutes, a large vice, medium hammer and a long punch, plus a brave pill.

New pin, button, spring, set of brushes cost under a tenner delivered. But the nice thing was he had bought me a brand new one as well, same model by the looks of it. I dodn't ask him to pay to repair the old one, that would have been greedy!

But I can recommend the pro type makita grinders, nice bit of kit that lasts well. The good bosch ones are worth owning too. And you do want 2. (they are around £50 a pop)

Easiest way to check is it is  a quality grinder seems to be the lead. If it is rubbery and flexy, that is good. Stiff PVC wire-cheap n nasty.

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Darren,

You mentioned safety kit above, and I thoroughly agree, but did you include an apron in that, for welding?    IMHO, not needed for Mig, perhaps for arc, nor the enormous welders gauntlets that are sold.     I wear a pair of "riggers" gloves to weld, leather faces with canvas backs, cheap as chips, throw away if torn or burnt.

What PPE do others wear?   My other essential is eye protection - I once got a sliver in my eye from a grinder, the pain was only equalled  y the embarassment of attending A&E in my own hospital! - and I now wear a visor rather than goggles.     That goes easily over my specs, and tips up and down like a welding mask.

And steel toe caps.    I like to wear clogs in the garage, and in the past managed to find some steelies.    They are badly worn now and I may have to go to comventional steel capped shoes.

John

PS I did have a Bosch grinder, but it wore out and i've a DeWalt now.   It feels so much more meaty than the Bosch!   No idea about life yet.

Edited by JohnD
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15 minutes ago, JohnD said:

And steel toe caps.    I like to wear clogs in the garage, and in the past managed to find some steelies.    They are badly worn now and I may have to go to comventional steel capped shoes.

 

John,

Plenty of 'Safety Clogs' on the market.  Google is your friend

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I've just purchased a "Welding Jacket" John. I'm not sure if the sparks from welding are likely to burn through clothing, so I thought a jacket would be good, and useful for forging too, if I get that far. Gauntlets were going to be my next purchase, but if you don't think they are necessary for welding, I'll use the "rigger" gloves that you suggest. Auto dimming mask is also in the pipeline. I can fool myself into thinking I'm not spending too much if I do it bit by bit!  

For eye protection I have a full face, clear, Honeywell mask (similar to what you have I think), and a 3M respirator to wear under it if required.

I always wear leather boots, but not steel toecap ones, as on the whole I do not work with heavy items, although that might now change, so I'll add them to the list.

Darren       

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The only thing about shoes is that they are leather. Steel toetectors not really needed.

I did try using old running shoes for working on the cars. Very comfy and all fine, except when welding. Holey socks and the little black marks on me feet. And the odd dance.

Now use some deck shoes as very comfy and leather. They are good for prancing about on house roofs too, as it happens, but that is a different story.

As to jacket, I use an old leather jacket taht works well. Or just overalls. And always scuffy clothes. In fact it is more or less the only type of clothes I possess. (according to my mother)

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Ive got a couple of angle grinders but my go to is a 4 inch Sealey I have owned for 30 years... Its getting on now though, could do with some brushes, and 4 inch discs are hard to find at the local shop.

With regard to safety old german para boots for me, I quite often weld cross legged, sat on the floor and after I did a Zetecspit and burned holes in my socks I decided to always wear boots. I have a Parweld  auto dimming mask, and some cheap crappy builders gloves. I have overalls but an old leather jacket would be better for when spatter burns through the overalls then trundles down your body 

For grinding I have some fully enclosed goggles, I cant get on with masks. 

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