Chris C

No sweat, Frosty. "Sharp edges" are nuttin tween friends.

Gotchya, Frosty.

I was more concerned about the pressure range, Frosty................but I answered my own question. I looked up my regulator purchase invoice and it said Hi-Pressure 0-30psi. On the Tejas website they say to order the next size over your regulator...............so I just ordered a 60psi from Tejas. Two more weeks and I'll be released from my weight lifting restriction, so if the Mayor has removed her "stay at home" order, I'll be able to load up my propane tanks and take'em to town and get'em filled. Yipee!

Take good care of it.

"At it", indeed. Nice work, CGL. ( That a S&W wheel gun? )

When I bought my high pressure regulator to use on my forge, I was trying to save money and didn't purchase a pressure gauge. I think I want one. I bought my regulator from Tejas and they offer several. But I don't know which one to purchase. Any recommendations?

Same here, Thomas. Just sat down to practice running beads with my Tombstone welder. (in the shop) Gotta improve and practice is the only way. Little wife came out of the house and hollered "We have no water pressure!". So off I go to the pump house. (not in the shop) Not being either an electrician or a well pump guy, it took me the better part of the afternoon to figure out it was the capacitor in the box that needed replacing. Got that taken care of and the pump still wouldn't work. Seems the pressure switch went down on the same day. Got another and replaced it. Now we've got water.................but by the time I got it all done it was dinner time and I was too pooped to mess with the welder. Sigh! So goes another day in "lock-down".

I used a "water level" when I built my barn. Was telling a neighbor about it one day and he said he uses a lazer in his bull-dozing business. Offered to come over and check my markers. Said I had one corner marked a quarter of an inch low. Thanks, Neil.

Ha-ha, Jennifer, did it come with a benefactor? Okay, I get it, Neil, thanks.

hmmmmm. Not quite sure I understand what you are explaining, Neil. Any pics?

I've looked. I've got a meteorologist level anemometer, but don't think there's any way I could put it in the flow of the air. Need something that will go into the 2" piping.

Well just let me say..............I hope I can "suck" that well some day!

Thanks, Jennifer.............for the info and the compliment. I do plan on putting a gauge on the propane line. But where do I get a flow meter for the air? I've been searching since I decided that information might come in handy.

Thanks, Les. I don't have a gauge on my propane line. Think I should buy one so I'll have at least "some" sort of reference. All I can say at this point is my needle valve is only open 1/4 of a turn.........................which actually means absolutely nothing!

I wasn't trying to hook anyone, Frosty. I was simply saying I was afraid to turn down the fuel because it might backfire. The comment was made because I don't know how to vary the temperature in the forge and thought you/someone might make some recommendations.

You must have misunderstood what I was saying, Frosty. Nope.............never had it backfire. I was just saying "what if I turned down the fuel". Nope, the burner is running just fine. Heck, it used up all my propane. I'm like a fisherman in the middle of the lake who just ran out of gas for his putt-putt! All is well at the forge.

arkie, I've used up 30 3/32" 6013 rods. I'm laying down what I think are pretty nice looking welds on horizontal surfaces. I've put down beads on just plates of steel and have welded plates to plate, plates on edge to plate and butt-welded plates. My biggest problem is starting the arc every time without sticking. Only have that problem when the rod is new............once it's been used, it poses no problem at all. Also tried up-hill, down-hill and across the face of a vertical wall. I'm not at all happy with the results of the up, down and across welds. But in all honesty, 90% of what I'll be welding will be on a horizontal surface. I will keep working because I'm sure the situation will come up where I'll need to know those three welds. All I have in stock is 6013 in 3/32" and 1/8". When the stay home restriction is lifted, I'll go buy some 6011 in 3/32", which I think will probably do all I'll ever need for welding. Am I right that several passes over the same run with 3/32" can be built up to equal a run with an 1/8" rod?

arkie, I just watched the video you posted. Hadn't seen that one and it was very helpful...........thanks. I think it'll be 3/32" 6011 I"ll be putting on my shopping list to get started. And I'll try and watch some of the videos on the video link on the WT&T site. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks, arkie. I'll be running beads today. Just wish I could come up with a useful project. I've had the Welding Tips and Tricks website on my desktop since buying this welder, but hadn't seen the video link at the top..............though I have stumbled onto some of the videos on Youtube. (my on-line school!) Will put 6011 on my shopping list. Thanks.

You're gonna love that ribbon burner, GD2. Just got mine finished and fired up this past weekend.

Marc1, if I read that chart right, "over 1/8" would be between 1/8" and 1/4", at which point the chart suggests stepping up to a 5/32" rod and 105-250 amps. Since this is an AC only machine, I'll stick with AC rods. arkie, I've already wasted my money on a 5 lb box of 7018. Was under the impression I was buying an AC rod. It makes pretty "horse puckies" welds. My rods are as old as the machine, (some 25 years old) so as soon as our "shelter-in-place" order is lifted, I'll get some fresh 60XX rod from the DIY store. I've no propane and no way to get any, so will be practicing on welding today. I'll use the thinnest 6013 rod I have, which is 3/32. Hate wasting it just running beads onto a plate. Wish there was some project I needed (like I did my hammer and ton rack) that I could work on and actually accomplish something, but bare beads it is.

Well I've not been welding long, but I've never had that happen.

Frosty, This is the chart I go by. Got it off the Internet when I first got my welder. I was using 1/8" rod. Trying to weld a 3/4" post to a 1/4" plate. Figured 145 amps was a pretty good choice.

Didn't know that equation, Glenn, thanks. No 5/32" rod, Frosty. Spent my rod money on a decent helmet last week, so it'll be a while before I can run out and buy practice rod. Besides as I mentioned, I can't leave the property.

Frosty, I'm not trying to make general purpose tongs.............like Viking types. I'm trying to make bolt jaw tongs. I've just bitten off too much to chew at my skill level, I think. I'll get them done. I've no propane and can't leave the house to get any. Even though Vikki and I had already been doing it, our Mayor put out a "Shelter in place" order today. All non-essential businesses are shut down. She closed all barber shops, beauty shops, tattoo parlors, etc yesterday. Oklahoma City has the highest confirmed cases count in the state, and where I live is second highest. So I don't even want to go out. I just made a 3/4" Hardy hole post to put on the bottom of a Fullering Jig I'm making. Cleaned the end off the post. Drilled a hole in the plate. Centered it up. Got an 1/8" 6013 rod and cranked up the amps to 145. Melted the end of the post and built a puddle all the way to the plate and then round and round and round. Turned it over and welded into the chamfer I put on the post and welded that side to the plate. Ground everything down so it would fit the Hardy hole. Dropped it on a trip to the anvil and the post fell off. I started the welding step over after getting everything cleaned up. Didn't fall off this time.............but I sure wouldn't guarantee it won't.