Learning to use a welding machine

 

The worldview kind of changes once you learn to weld

Yes, I bought a welding machine and have been learning to do basic welding stuff for our own use. Welding is something I have always wanted to try. With wood you can use string, glue, nails and screws. But when it comes to metal the one sure way (to me at least) is welding. I have seen people to welding work and some amazing daily things that requires welding. Learning to weld opens up a whole new world of possibility. 

The welding machine

I asked a few friends. Went to the shop and they all said the same thing. Avoid sticks and get a MIG (with gas). But wait, for MIG, there is another option....gasless MIG or in some other parts of the world is called fluxcore welding. Good friend and mechanic KC told me to get the gas MIG set as well. The gas MIG would need a shielding gas, hence the gas tank that it needs to work properly They are know to produce better looking welds. 

The sort of setup that would probably go against all safety codes

Like the many times e would ask the whole world for advice and did just the opposite, I went ahead and bought a Riland MIG135E. It is one of those things where I had to weigh the ROI. A gas MIG would cost close to RM1000 while the gasless Riland MIG is just under RM400. I only have a couple of projects in mind with the welding set, and just couldn't bring myself to forking out that additional RM600 for the gas MIG. So, gasless MIG it is. 

The welding projects

I have completed quite a number of welding projects. The first of them all was the island table for kitchen. This was the first project and I went it blindly. As expected, modifications had to happen along the way but it eventually worked out ok. Wife likes it very much and that is all that matter. This island table was the push I needed to get the welding set. After that, I went from one project to the other. 

The metal shelf for the store, a weekend project 

A DIY home made rocket stove. 
Did not work as well as I had hoped for

Spending too much time on Youtube landed me with the obsession to build wood stove. I had quite some leftover, recycles metal bits. Rather than leaving them to rust and rot or taken away by the metal scrappers, I wanted to try my hands on welding p more things. The above rocket stove was horrifically not good looking and it did not work as well as I had hoped for. So, I told myself I will experiment with other designs of wood stove (which I did but that's another story).

Cutting up old gates for metal bits

In Klang valley, you can leave any scrap metal items outside the house and have them carted away by metal scrappers for free. I had some old gates and fences that I took my angle grinder to and manage to cut up some pieces for future welding projects. The rest I stacked them neatly outside the hours. They were carted away the same day!

Welding what next?

I do have a few welding projects in mind. All in good time Some months back KC gave me an empty aircon gas tank which I later turn into an awesome wood stove. Well it is awesome to me anyways. Then a few weeks ago, KC gave me another one. He has been asking me about it (what I have done with it). It is kinda like a hint really. I think of all the people I know, he would be one of them that would appreciate a wood stove. Who knows, if I have some spare time...I may very well make one for him.