"treebeard" wrote in message
news
I've read a book (Richard Finch's) and some internet material, own no
equipment but can buy what I need, and have no prior experience.
I would like to make what amounts to ornamental "sculptures", as a
hobby
100 pound load, about 2 yards X 2 yards in size
draft then design as I go over several months, -- I need to do the
welding myself
using only 1/8" round steel stock welded together and about 1000 small
welds.
oxy-acet-- I don't have a safe place to store the tanks -- I have a
house with an attached non-ventilated garage which gets to 130F in the
summer. Covenants forbid storage sheds. I could probably put a small
1-2 yard tall box with ventilated sides in a well-shaded area,
although it would get a little wet. Would this work? Summer
temperatures reach up to 110degrees here. If I could get around the
storage issues, I would use small tanks since tank refill versus
convenience is not an issue. What kind of torch would I need?
wire-feed mig -- will a 115volt house current welder be able to do
the job? I'm really concerned about the ultraviolet radiation which
is why I would prefer the oxy-acet. But I suppose mig is what most
novices are using. Would a decent fan blow safely blow away the toxic
fumes? Probably. I've read the automatic darkening eye helmets allow
some UV radiation through while they're darkening. UV eye damage is
cumulative.
brazing? Not sure if I could join two 1/8" round stock rods together
so they'd stay together. I'm trying to imagine two rods, one lying on
top of the other, perpendicular, and I see not much of a contact area
for a braze (1/32 of an inch?) particularly for someone who doesn't
know what they're doing.
spot welding? -- too thick
So, from what I know up to now, it looks like a 115v wire-feed mig
with a good helmet and all the other clothing protection, with a fan
to blow fumes away, and some type to sight baffle so kids and pets
don't look at the flame, or, if the storage works as described, some
type of oxy-acet welder, which I would prefer. I would buy from the
local supplier and make sure they would refill.
here's a link to fume and other safety issues:
http://www.afscme.org/health/faq-weld.htm
UV eye damage
Prevent Eye Damage - Protect Yourself from UV Radiation fact sheet at
http://www.epa.gov/sunwise/publications.html
You are smart to seek out the dangerous parts of the task.
Of all the processes you mentioned, I would use the MIG.
Yes, it is dangerous. Protect yourself at all times. Buy the best
equipment you can afford, especially safety equipment.
UV rays will give you skin cancer, but that is to EXPOSED SKIN. Wear long
sleeved shirts, I prefer Wrangler with the snaps. Wear welding hats. Wear
boots that slip on so that the dingleberries (molten BBs of metal) don't go
down into your socks. Don't wear any pants or clothing that has frayed
edges. It WILL catch fire. Wear good gloves. Good welding gloves are
around $15 a pair.
Get a good autodarkening hood. Wear it at all times. I like the ones with
the 4x5 window.
Wear ear protection. A molten dingleberry will burn through your eardrum in
an instant, and can mess up the rest of your life when it comes to anything
that requires balance. I like the spring clips that hang around the neck
when not in use. The sponge rubber types get dirty too easily.
If you will be spot welding, the fumes won't be bad. You can't have wind
blowing on your weld with a MIG, but you can have a fan pulling the air away
from you. I wouldn't be concerned about the fumes unless you are welding in
a confined space. Clean the metal, because that is the source of a lot of
smoke.
Buy a good wirefeed welder. Cheap ones are attractive, but you can't get
parts as easily. Good ones last a long time, and are easier to get
serviced. A cheap one isn't a deal if it isn't working or in the repair
shop. Look for used. I would stick with Lincoln or Miller only.
Buy good tools. They last, and are safer.
Observe all safety rules. Particularly shop clutter, and having flammables
around the welding area.
Good luck.
Steve