Scenes From a Welding class..

[zapster]

Well it beats me and everyone else why very few show up for a free clinic..

It dont get any better than this!!AND ITS FREE!!!!!!!

Lorenzo..Myself..Microzone(albeit late) and Bduris has a heck of a time!

Bduris gets the gold star..He came in as a "person that can stick metal together" and left as a tigger..

Lorenzo was kind enough to bring hs mobile set-up down and show us some plasma cutting..





Arc gouging (That I found facinating)...







And we'll continue next post..

...zap!

[zapster]

And now to the tig part..

Bduris needed a little direction with the basic tig "overview" but once he "got it..
We had him do some positioner welding..
Getting set up..



For a basic beginner? This is awesome!!



Then I did my best to weld some .020 sheet aluminum for Microzone..
I got it!
But I didn't "keep it"


This was by far the most difficult thing I've done in awhile..
And if you think "Oh thats easy"..
Think again!!

We do a free class and nobody shows up..Well you have no idea of what you miss out on..

And yes we had the B-B-Q at the shop..
Sorry no pics..

If you dont come to the next one you only have yourself to blame..

...zap!

[Joker11]

Zap,
Let's say I jump on a plane Friday night after work.....Class is on Saturday and I jam home on Sunday......
Class is free, but what about room and board?
Let me know when the next class is. Tig is my hardest process and it kicks my *** on aluminum.

It would probably be worth the effort for me to come from sunny Yuma, AZ.

[Supe]

Looks like a good time! Wish I was local, I sure would have come. Arc gouging is a blast, but you pay the price REALLY quick when you do it in a confined space and forget your ear plugs!

[zapster]

Originally Posted by Joker11

Zap,
Let's say I jump on a plane Friday night after work.....Class is on Saturday and I jam home on Sunday......
Class is free, but what about room and board?
Let me know when the next class is. Tig is my hardest process and it kicks my *** on aluminum.

It would probably be worth the effort for me to come from sunny Yuma, AZ.

I have had one "student" already form Phoenix (really!) already..
He went home very happy!

...zap!

[olddad]

Originally Posted by Supe

Arc gouging is a blast, but you pay the price REALLY quick when you do it in a confined space and forget your ear plugs!

You got that right...do NOT forget your earplugs !! They are loud but do beautiful work. Looks like 1/4 inch in the pic ? I prefer 3/8, the air just seems to flow under the rod so much better for me. With a steady hand and the proper air/power settings you can count the grain, they are an exceptional tool for any metal shop.
Glad everyone had a good time and the newbie got some quality training for a good price !!

[ThunderRobo]

Looks like fun... wish i was there!

Bduris, VERY nice bead!!!!!!!

[lorenzo]

Thanks again Zap for the hospitality and the lunch..... unfortunately the turn out was low but I still had a good time.

As the pics show I brought my trailer and a couple of different machines for everyone to play with. We did a little plasma cutting, some arc gouging... as well as some MIG. I covered the different modes of transfer and gave a demo of them as well as hands on. Touched on different types of portable wire feeders (voltage sensing vs. non voltage sensing). Touched on a lot of different things to be truthful. All in all it was a good day.... and the burgers hit the spot!!!

Micro.... it was cool to meet you, just wish you had gotten there earlier but it was what it was.... in the future you'll have to crash at my house the night before.

Bob... It was nice meeting you as well.... hopefully you walked away with your expectations met.

In the end I just want to say that if you ever thought about going to one of the FREE clinics, classes (whatever you want to call them) that have been offered by some of the forum members (ZT, Zap and myself in recent months) you should take advantage the opportunity. It's not often you get the chance to do something like this especially for FREE. The people who offer this do it because they want to give those, who may or may not have a handle on things a chance to ask questions, see demos and maybe get some exposure to processes they don't have the means to try. I think the reward is worth a few hours on a Sat. and a bit of effort on your part.

Just my opinion.

[tresi]

I'm glad that there is people that share their time to help other learn a craft. If time and money were available I'd show up. I'm doing the best I can to limit my working to 6 days a week, not including babysetting.

[zapster]

Chris..
I could'nt have said it better!!

Thanks bro!

...zap!

[ZTFab]

Well, regardless of turnout it looks like you guys had a good time.

I really wish I could've been there to try some arc gouging, I think it's something that could be useful at my shop.

I will be holding another class in the near future and hope that the turnout will be like the last one that I had.

Lorenzo and zap, thanks for taking the time to hold another class. I'm sure it was appreciated by those that took advantage.

Joker, it might be a "little" closer to come to the class I hold at my shop. I have driven from here to Yuma and back in a day. I will keep everyone posted on when I will hold the class if you're interested.


- Paul

[KRS]

Maybe MK and I can convince you to do a remote class in Arizona?

[bduris]

I'd really like to extend a huge Thank You to Zap and Lorenzo for holding this class. It was truly an awesome experience. In the course of a single day I got well-qualified instruction in, and hands-on trying of the following and more: cleaning and welding aluminum, cleaning and welding stainless steel, tig welding thick steel joints, tig welding cylindrical steel using a rotary table, operating a plasma cutter, operating a carbon-arc gouger, mig welding a heavy steel joint with a monster mig machine in spray mode.

I have to admit I was a bit nervous at first, meeting these "legends" of the WeldingWeb. But it turned out they're these friendly and approachable guys who have what is all too rare these days - a sincere and intense desire to help others. Now, I've been looking around the last couple of years for ways to learn and improve in welding. I've read a bunch of books, watched a number of videos, and even managed an evening class last fall at the local tech high school. But nothing can replace a true hands-on opportunity like this with experienced and knowledgeable guys. I certainly hope to make it to another Zap's class (with a little more practice under my belt), and would encourage anyone else to make the extra effort to come too. It'll be far more than worth it. Thanks again guys.....

[cheeseclip]

the arc gouging looks interesting. can it cut the steel?

[Bruce]

Hey Zap,
I am sorry that I missed another one! Which coast was the demo/class on? All of the stuff I need to learn!

[o.c.d.]

No good now, but I sure wish I could have made it also. It sure looks like there was a lot to be learned, I was thinking about you guy's the moment I woke up this morning, and throughout the day, wondering what you were doing "now".

o.c.d.

[zapster]

Bob..
I'm glad we made good on our promise..

We aim to please!

Chris thanks again for the time and effort..I'll forget about the mileage on my truck..

That was kinda funny actually..

I realise it may take anyone interested a few miles to get here..
Microdrove 5 hrs one way..
But we still made it worth his time..

Give it some thought next time to attend if your serious about advancing your skill fast for free.. No matter Who puts on a show Where!...

...zap!

[lorenzo]

Bob,

As Zap said I'm glad you felt as though it was worth the trip. Hope to see you at a future class. From the sounds of it I think at some point you'll be back.

Zap, it was a pleasure to come down, thanks for inviting me to be your co host.... If you had just pointed me to Lowes in the first place I wouldn't have put 17 miles on your truck driving up and down route 1 looking for an eletrical store...

[elvergon]

If next one is on school vacations I´ll probably be there, taking a 10 hr bus...

Glad to see you guys got one hell of a time...

And what´s arc gouging?

[partagas]

Sorry I was not able to make it. I had a full schedule with work and family that I could not get out of. Hopefully Zap will have another that I can make.

[maxyedor]

I have about 30 plane trips coming in the next 2 months so I should have plenty of airline miles to get me to the next class you guys hold, luckily Paul is pretty close by so when he holds his next one it will only be an hour or two worth of driving.

Not many forums have people with as much knowledge as some of you guys, and even fewer have people with skill and knowledge who are willing to share it and help others get to the same level.

[out in the shop]

im only two hours away, and was planning ro go to this one. work had me on a shutdown. next time ill be there, if they like it or not. kinda bummed, it was a low turm out though.(include myself in the blame). zap. it is very honorable for you to have these classes,and for your employer to allow them on there property. there are very few people left, willing to help other people. it IS people like YOU that further the skilled trades. the more you help to educate and open people eyes to what is out there, and what they can do if there put their mind and hearts in it. even though i was not there, iwant to say thanks. and I WILL be there on the next one.....todd

[lorenzo]

Hey guys.... no need feel guilty, work is work and that's the most important thing... and as long as someone comes I'm sure there will be other clinics.

We're just saying that it's the people who live in the area (1-2 hrs drive) that have nothing going on (IMO) should be the ones coming to these clinics. That the clinics are informative and helpful. There's no attitudes from anyone and the material that is gone over is tailored to the problems or questions of those who attend. Someone is having trouble doing this or that.... maybe you're thinking of buying a plasma cutter and want to play around with one, without the pressure of a salesman standing over you. Having a problem with stick no problem...

So if you can find the time to attend a class, no matter what coast you are on, do it. I don't think you will walk away feeling your time was wasted.

See some of you guys next time around.

[PJ1]

I know I'm kinda late to the party but where was the class at? I had no idea the class thing was real, I thought you guys had some inside joke goig . You guys probably could have brought my skill up from "guy who makes lots of sparks" into "person that can stick metal together". Lord knows my weldind skill is not great...
PJ

[zapster]

it is very honorable for you to have these classes,and for your employer to allow them on there property.

Thanks for that..

But it is true that my bosses are the ones that make this all possible..
Without their "OK Go For It" attatude I dont know what we'd do..
So a big round of applause for Tommy and Paul for letting us make a mess.

(that I just got back from cleaning up..and besides I left my wallet in my toolbox yesterday.. )

These are 2 of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet!

And Chris..
I like having you as a "co-host"
You bring a diffrent demention to the gathering with what you do vs. what I do..

Its nice to combind the two areas of "expertise" in one outing..

And all that have attended in the past go home with a better understanding of what it takes to "get to the next level"..
There is Nothing like hands on experience..

Thanks again everyone..

There WILL be more clinics..

...zap!