New to Welding and Forum, Request Help with Airco (Miller) Welder

[ryanjones2150]

Reminds me of that old cartoon, "rock-bye-bear"....google it, it's funny. 15 minute cartoon that will make your day. From the 50s or 60s I think.

[ryanjones2150]

Alright, so it's only 7 minutes. Whatever. <br />
<br />
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2l4cs_rock-a-bye-bear_shortfilms

[Olivero]

Aeronca, Sounds like we got similar viewpoints, After a while I found it very relaxing, I started calling it "blue therapy" as I would get all worked up about something and go get some blue therapy at work and feel much better at the end of it. Interesting stuff, different strokes for different folks.

Ryan, agree with you there aluminum is very loud, especially with higher frequency. I use headphones with the sound cancelling buds to keep that quiet, and I still hear it.

[Alan W.]

All,

Happy Thanksgiving!

My Home-Made Leads:
In my last episode, I talked of making my own leads from jumper cables because the #2 wire was so much cheaper. Well, it turns out the "you-get-what-you-pay-for rule" applied here. When my online-ordered Miller old-school lead-to-welder connectors and electrode holder arrived and I began assembling my leads, I quickly discovered my #2 jumper cables were not all copper. They were almost entirely woven aluminum, with a thin outer "jacket" of copper. I looked online at quite a few "lead cable size" charts for both copper and aluminum, and the consensus appears to be, because aluminum conducts electricity less efficiently than copper, that one must use aluminum cables one size larger than the proper size copper cables. I'm probably still OK to start out learning with what I've made, because per my old Airco's manual, #3 copper is good up to 150 amps for 50' or less. It'll do 150 amps max DC, 180 amps max AC, so I'll keep the amps down to be on the safe side. Another negative, true copper welding cables have a tough "sheath" meant to withstand the abuse of welding, but the outer "sheath" of my jumper cables is a plastic/vinyl material I'm sure will melt readily when hit by hot metal. So again, my newly constructed short 10' "budget" leads will likely be short-lived learning tools. I've not yet had the opportunity to try it all out, but hope to soon after the "turkey dust" settles.

Olivero:
Thanks for the welcome! For my birthday, my daughter bought me a new Auto Arc Explorer Series auto-darkening helmet. I'll need to read the instructions before striking out (pun intended).

Aeronca41,
Thanks again for the link and recommendations. I'm reading and watching YouTube videos!

Ryan,
I watched "Rock-A-Bye Bear" ... funny! Those older cartoons are the best. I Googled it and learned it was made in 1952. With the "pin up" and the "once more the the boys" at the end, I had guessed it was from the WWII era. Turns out it's one of a series of sorts, and Metro-Golwyn-Mayer started them in 1939, and several were produced during WWII. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Bear.

All — The Pleasure of Craftsmanship
I've really enjoyed your comments on the philosophical/experiential/feelings aspect of welding. Though not yet a welder, I can relate. Sometimes I get into a sort of "runner's high" of living the moment in the experience sufficiently to block out the whirlwind of other stuff when working on a project (home auto maintenance & repair, replacing all the carpet in the house with hardwood, restoring a 50-year-old canoe and 2hp Johnson outboard motor ... the list is way too long to write here). Thank you all again for your help and warm welcome. I'll happily help out here if ever I can.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving!

Alan

[H80N]

Welcome Aboard Alan........

[Aeronca41]

All,

Happy Thanksgiving!

Alan

Same to you, Alan!

sorry to hear about your jumper cable experience. You can still use them for a while pending getting the right stuff later. When I bought my first little AC/DC buzz box back in seventies (it was terrible moving away from home and all that welding gear!), and had to extend the 10' cables that came with it, someone gave me a length of copper heavy duty service cord, I think #2, and I cut it up and made leads. Surprisingly, those individual conductors lasted for a number of years before the insulation cracked off, and by then I got real cables.

I dont think any of us have mentioned it in this thread, but Jody Collier's site, weldingtipsandtricks.com, is one of the best. Maybe you've already found it. Be sure to look up Amazing Blaze on there-what a character, and you know in a minute that guy has been around the block a few times in the world of welding.

Ryan,

loved the bear! I had almost forgotten the "flavor" of those old cartoons.

Happy thanksgiving and God's blessings to all. Despite all of our problems, we still live in a great country-and Hillary is not our president! (Oops-can I say that out loud? My apologies to any I may have offended)

[ryanjones2150]

QUIET QUIET SHUT UP SHUT UP!!<br />
<br />
Long live the 2nd amendment!

[Aeronca41]

QUIET QUIET SHUT UP SHUT UP!!<br />
<br />
Long live the 2nd amendment!

Yeah, sorry Ryan, I knew you were one of the ones who would just be heartbroken when all us evil uneducated stupid deplorables showed up on Election Day. :-)

[ryanjones2150]

I was so crushed I just wanted to go out and burn my own neighborhood down.

[H80N]

I was so crushed I just wanted to go out and burn my own neighborhood down.

Me too.... WHERE ARE MY CRAYONS...!!!!!!

[ryanjones2150]

I need a "safe place". Reality is just too scary.

[H80N]

I need a "safe place". Reality is just too scary.

How about some Prozac and a teddy bear.....???

[Aeronca41]

....just not that bear in the cartoon. He's way too loud and scary for a safe place.

Alan, we promise to get serious on your thread here when you have questions.

[ryanjones2150]

As long as the teddy bear isn't brown. I don't know why, but the color brown makes me sad.

[H80N]

As long as the teddy bear isn't brown. I don't know why, but the color brown makes me sad.

even if we double your Prozac...???