I'm pretty sure that is a superlative I deserve.

And that's the BEST ONE!

Paul

And that right there is why I took up woodworking.
:D


Besides, some of the best welders I've ever seen I can honestly call close friends. They have the skills and the machines, and have been patient enough to teach me how to prep the mating surfaces.

Are you suggesting something?

Paul

Quote from: gitano;155405Are you suggesting something?

Paul

Nope.    Not at all.


:grin:


ETA: I'm fully capable of making something look worse than that with a MiG!

And when I do get one to look decent,...

That's more than "decent" I would say!

In my defense, I was welding dis-similar metals, and that adds a little to the difficulty. Not enough to account for my ineptitude though.

There was A LOT of sailor speak...



Paul

Quote from: gitano;155408That's more than "decent" I would say!

In my defense, I was welding dis-similar metals, and that adds a little to the difficulty. Not enough to account for my ineptitude though.

There was A LOT of sailor speak...



Paul

That's a very humorous meme I found, but when one of mine looks decent, that's about where it tracks in relation to the seam I'm supposed to create.
Besides, I'm pretty sure that's a TiG bead.


If it's any consolation, my welding teacher/coach used to equate my work to the slang version of: Hammered "Porcine Scat."


Now I have great appreciation for antique but still useful tools like Stanley planes and Marples Chisels and Disston saws.
And I can cut a mean dovetail!

Yeah Jamie a Tig bead, thought you had gone blind there fir a moment! Must admit I really struggle with dead tree carcasses, can't weld the stuff to repair the :cens:

Paul, don't worry you have some excellent competition over here, and a member of this board - won't name him yet!  Your solution is practise practise practise and never forget 'cleanliness is next to godliness' grind back ALL  mill scale rust etc to give yourself a fighting chance.

Just to be fair I have seen cold laps and Columba palumbus scat from 'professional' welders too!
- used to call that guy (interestingly his name was Paul - I'm positive no relation) a pro PIG welder (Pigeon Inert Gas) he only had one setting on his machine and turned out really poor work - amazing how some get away with it but after seeing some 1/2" plate fabs fall apart after being thrown in the back of a pickup...

I've moved more and more to hand-powered wood-working tools, although I still use power in many areas. I have found that TINY mistakes with powered tools usually lead to catastrophic results, (and occasionally blood loss), whereas the same mistake performed with hand tools usually leads to 'no problem' and certainly no blood loss. Also, the truth is that I'm seriously tired of the noise powered tools make. As for brands; It REALLY depends on the tool. I like Lie-Nielson planes, but I think chisels - for the most part - can be almost anyone's. I sharpen chisels so often that it really doesn't matter what name is on it. Marples are certainly nice, but... It's kind of like Bridge City tools. Gorgeous stuff, but I prefer to spend my money on wood and more tools instead of pretty ones. That said, some of their tools are actually 'valuable' in their utility. Still too rich for my psyche. Lie-Nielson gets as close to "fine tools" as I care to venture. I recently bought a tooth-setting tool for sharpening Western saws. I think one of the worst mistakes I made early in my woodworking was failing to appreciate what a difference a SHARP saw makes in the quality of sawn work. Nowadays I use Japanese style saws almost exclusively, but when not, I like the Stanley "Shark" saws. Disstons are nice of course, and were I planning on handing down to an heir, maybe, but since I'm not, AND I get quality cuts from cheaper saws, I don't think I own a single Disston.

Finally, I don't have any 'teachers' other than what I can get from the likes of j0e_bl0ggs and Ol'John, and Jay Edwards, and Paul Hoskins, etc. First because I'm a hard-headed cuss, and don't take 'lessons', (or BS), from people I don't REALLY respect. Second, once again, being at the end of the road limits the availability of non-arrogant teachers that actually know what they are talking about and are willing to share that knowledge. Here's an example of what I have to deal with: When j0e_bloggs sent me the stick welder a few years ago, I needed to get 'stuff' like welding helmet and gloves as well as consumables like welding rod. About a WEEK AGO I found out that the welding rods that the local welding shop @#$!%^&*er recommended were 1) wrong for this welder, 2) WAY too large in diameter, and 3) VERY SPECIALIZED for specific welding. Lying son of a bachelor could not have sold me 'wronger' welding rod. When I got some of the RIGHT rod for this welder and my applications, 'things' improved. Ultimately, between being at the end of the road and my hard head means that I am forced to pay the high tuition rates of the School of Hard Knocks AND essentially stumble around in the dark until I can 'figure it out', the effects of which are reflected in the welds above.

Paul

Sheesh! I just looked at that picture you posted Jamie.270 and saw the 'error'! The first time I looked at it I just assumed it was 'right on'!:stars: That's funny!

Paul

Quote from: gitano;155414Sheesh! I just looked at that picture you posted Jamie.270 and saw the 'error'! The first time I looked at it I just assumed it was 'right on'!:stars: That's funny!

Paul

I had to look at it a 2nd time to notice the mistake too Paul.
When I first saw it I said WOW! Nice bead!  Then noticed the oops and had my laugh, knowing I had done the same thing more than once.


My welding teacher/coach is a family member, so that makes a yuge difference.

I always found welding to be a lot like peeling onions. Just let someone else do it. .......Paul H .....