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Califbill

KC wrote:
On 12/26/2013 10:29 AM, wrote:
On Thursday, December 26, 2013 8:11:53 AM UTC-5, KC wrote:

Yeah, that's where they told me to start. Jess and I have a bud across
town who is a welder by trade, said to call him as soon as I get a
machine and he will head over to start the lessons I already have a
couple projects in the works.

Get some scrap metal and practice! Since my first project was (and
still is) some auto body work, I went by a friends body shop and got
some body panels that were pulled from wrecks. Cut a chunk out, weld it
back in, repeat. Tough to do at first without blowing holes through it.
Figured out later that thicker metal is easier to weld, you just have
to worry about getting enough penetration instead of too much.

Get a decent quality welding helmet. Gotta protect those eyes.

That is an issue. They got me a number 5 lens on goggles but I can still
see through them indoors and that concernes me.

I was looking at a couple of the auto tint helmets at Harbor Freight and
it says they change in 1/25000 of a second... that scares me too.

Any input from you all on helmets and what is a "decent quality" welding
helmet... If you got a minute, maybe show me a link to one you would use
(if you were on a tight budget like me...? Thanks.

The HF helmet is fine. I use a Jackson helmet and I like the fit. Even if
the helmet is slow changing, you might get bright light, but even if the
helmet did not change it protects the eyes from the UV, so no flash burns.