OK, I've been pestering everyone with technique questions recently, first with
how to bond copper tubing then with how to weld a threaded nut so the threads
match another part. I thought I'd post some pictures of what I'm making. I'm
working on passing the 7018 overhead welding test to get a Washington SMAW
welding certificate, and to this end I'm making a welding positioner. Like most
of my projects, it is made almost 100% from scrap materials, in this case pipe
and some bits and pieces, plus an old sheet metal clamp-on base I dug out of a
dumpster. The idea is to make a clamp which has no exposed threads to collect
welding spatter. So I relieved the threads and glued copper tube pieces onto my
clamping piece. The bit it threads into is where I had to weld on the coupler
nut and not have the threads bind. It isn't finished yet, there are a few more
pieces to make, but have a look:

T-handle: http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/T-handle.jpg
welding positioner: http://www.tinyisland.com/images/temp/In%20Progress.jpg

GWE