On Sat, 02 Jul 2005 04:17:34 GMT, Ernie Leimkuhler
wrote:
Hi Guys.
I have decided to spend some of this summer finally compiling a welding
book.
I am curious what you guys would want in a book.
I am looking for a balance of technical info to step by step
descriptions.
Lots of pictures and likely I will do at least 1 dvd or tape to work
with the book.
I will likely start with a general welding book and move on to a TIG
specific book, or maybe the other way around.
Reference material. The mysterious and arcane ways to get it set up
pretty much right the first time, so we do not have to make each and
every one of the stupid beginner misteaks ;-) ourselves. (Reference
"Gunner's Flying Spare Tire Incident" from a year or so ago... ;-)
And easily refine what you are doing wrong without a bunch of angst.
"This is a picture of what you're doing wrong, and this is how to stop
it." For MIG, a chart that shows what kinds of wire and gas to use
for various situations - where you need to use a mixed gas and where
plain (and cheap) straight CO2 works just fine, etc.
Frankly, I'm almost afraid to do structural work with my Miller
Challenger like reworking a trailer frame, because I'm not sure
whether I'm making a strong weld or just a pretty one. And having the
frame unzip driving down the freeway is not the time to find out.
You always chime in on TIG stuff (which I've never done) where
people are using the wrong tungsten or gas, and that's another good
cross chart. What needs back-purging, etc.
For gas welding and cutting, I can get a neutral flame but I'm not
quite sure how and when to adjust to oxidizing or carburizing (sp?).
I can make it work, just don't ask me how I did it...
And make the tip selection charts clear where the cutoffs are if
you're running on a small B or MC cylinder, to avoid sucking the
Acetone out of the bottle. I don't think any of my welding tips are
in the danger zone, but cutting tips...
A separate companion book would be a "Buyers Reference Guide to Used
Welding Gear." I'd love to get a plasma cutter, but it would be great
to have a chart of the units to avoid because the consumables are made
of those rare earth metals Unobtanium or Highpricium. Or if I run
across a TIG power supply or an engine-driven unit, whether it's a gem
or a dog. Or the ones that break when you look at them sideways.
Sure, I can ask here - but that takes a couple days, and by then the
unit is probably long gone.
I need both for teaching and if it is an actual published book the
school can buy them.
Just don't pull that odious tactic of "Every student needs to buy a
new copy of my way overpriced book - and to prove it you have to tear
out and turn in the flyleaf page for course credit, or you fail."
The students who find your book valuable won't want to sell it back to
the bookstore for used resale, they'll keep it as handy reference for
many years.
(This response would be shorter and more concise, but I don't want
to stay up all night polishing it.)
-- Bruce --
--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
Spamtrapped address: Remove the python and the invalid, and use a net.
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