September 2016 – Stop spinning in circles, purge the weld zone, the Loch Ness monster, and dueling Robots are all featured in this issue.
WITH THE FLIP OF A SWITCH…
You can either tighten or loosen the clamp. No more spinning & spinning & spinning the lever around. Time = $$$, and long set-up time doesn’t pay the bills. Check-out the Pipe Alignment tools we’ve added to our line-up. Clamp it down & Get ‘er done!
TAPE IT. PLUG IT. WIPE IT. WELD IT.
When the best weld quality is the only option, you’re gonna need to ensure an oxygen-free weld zone. Set-up is key to success, and backing tape, purge plugs, & industrial cleaning wipes are your Go-To contaminant killers. As a bonus, they can lower gas consumption and labor (pre & post-weld).
WHEN YOU GOTTA KNOW
If your welding procedure specs out measuring the O2 around the weld zone, here’s a great hand held monitor. Get in, record the levels, and get back to business. Not everyone needs one, but if you gotta check the O2, then it had better be easy to use, accurate, work every time & not slow ya down. Check-out this lil’ bad boy!
ROBOTS THAT CAN HOT-WIRE [WELD]… HUH?
Have you heard of TIP TIG? The term was new to most of us. It’s a hot-wire welding process that feeds an oscillating wire under a tungsten electrode. It’s kinda like MIG wire meets an oscillating electrode that agitates & deeply penetrates the weld pool… all at high speeds. You can TIP TIG manually, but this article in The Fabricator magazine focuses on Robots that deposit welds in high gear. Check it out!
AN INSPIRATION TO ALL WHO MEET HIM
For Bill McCann the simple desire to build things out of metal is what sparked his interest in welding. Maybe it’s his background as a drafter, but Bill particularly enjoys conceptualizing the piece he is planning to create. We’re not sure what we’re more in awe of… Bill or his amazing works of art. It’s an honor and a privilege to see his work in the “metal” and share story with him & his wife. Check him out here on our Carmen Electrode blog.
#WELDLIKEAPRO
For Brandon (@dailymobber), welding is his passion; it kept him both busy & out of trouble in high school. A perfectionist, he welds everything from trophy truck roll cages to custom pipes. He’s also a young entrepreneur, student of Welding Technology at a Palomar College, and working for Microfab, here in SD. He says, most of his skills are honed on the job each day. We appreciate him sharing his success with our ArcTime Tungsten and Monster Nozzles. Join the [visual] conversation on Instagram. Check-out his work and that of all the men & women who weld hard everyday to elevate and celebrate the Trades!
FIGHT LIKE A [MEGA-ROBOT]
MegaBots, Inc. USA challenges Japan to a duel! 2 Giant Robots with Guns!!! The creators have a duty to science fiction lovers of this world to fight them to the death. Watch the story of the Mk. II MegaBot, a 15-foot tall, 12,000 lb Robot capable of hurling 3 lb projectiles at speeds of over 130 MPH. There’s even a few scenes showing the weld behind the Bot. Awesome!
When I was a kid working with my Dad and Grandfather in their shops, they’d say something like “A Clean Shop is a Safe Shop.” Like any kid I’d roll my eyes but as an adult, I now know how true it is.
With the internet, it’s easy to stay on top of the latest safety information, not to mention regulations. This list of resources should get you started: