Okay Terry, now it's my turn...

[Randy Forbes]

Tomorrow, I'll be starting my 4-1/2 day Lincoln Motorsports Welding School.

Though I've become proficient at MIG welding over the past twenty years, I've never had a professional guide me along (hope it's not too late).

The main reason for taking the class, besides Pinecone's prodding, is to see if I can hold a TIG torch. That's something I've been wanting to do for quite a while. Now that TIG machines have become something the hobbyist can afford, I just can't put it off any longer.

Terry's day by day write up. (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45034&highlight=lincoln+motorsports+school)

I guess Daniel will be the first one to benefit...

http://www.rfdm.com/albums/album02/ro_001.jpg

(have to keep the thread on topic; leading up to dual ear differential cover mods to an M Rdstr)

[Pinecone]

Cool. I kno wyou will enjoy it and learn a LOT. When you decide to go back for the Advanced course, let me know and we can do that one together.

I need to find some time to get out and practice my TIG welding. I got some sheet I need to cut up into coupons for practice. I got it from Online Metals (www.onlinemetsl.com). I have mld steel, Al, and stainless for practice in several thicknesses each.

But your effect is working on me, I am SERIOUSLY looking at a lathe and mill/drill. The lathe may be very soon, as I have a project for that.

[Randy Forbes]

Whew!

Okay, now we know that I'm not a natural born TIG welder ;)

I can see where this is an acquired skill. I did the "fusion welding" left or right handed pretty easy (with relatively few trips to the grinder) but adding filler metal to the equation does complicate things!

Even though this is Day One, I already feel I have gotten my money's worth. Just knowing that I can hold the torch is bad news for Sue... :angel:

[Razorbak]

Damn! I am SOOO jealous. :mad:

Just sent off for a brochure. Enjoy the course. :thumbup:

[Pinecone]

Whew!

Okay, now we know that I'm not a natural born TIG welder ;)

I can see where this is an acquired skill. I did the "fusion welding" left or right handed pretty easy (with relatively few trips to the grinder) but adding filler metal to the equation does complicate things!

Even though this is Day One, I already feel I have gotten my money's worth. Just knowing that I can hold the torch is bad news for Sue... :angel:

Glad it isn't just me. I found fusion welding very easy, but coordinating the other hand makes it a WHOLE 'NOTHER BALLGAME. :)

Been shopping lathes. I think I found the one I want to get, just have to find it available somewhere.

[Randy Forbes]

Glad it isn't just me. I found fusion welding very easy, but coordinating the other hand makes it a WHOLE 'NOTHER BALLGAME. :)

Been shopping lathes. I think I found the one I want to get, just have to find it available somewhere.

I must be strange too (I don't think we need to get Sue's opiion on that)...

I too found it easier to weld the aluminum (with filler) than I did the steel :dunno:

I was doing okay with some 22Ga. steel too, so then I went back to the 10Ga. and did better. As I'm sure you'll agree, we just need more experience.

Tomorrow is chromium molybdenum...

If it takes me until 4:00 on Friday, I will get a decent weld on the 4130!

So, what kind/size of lathe are you going for? And what is your first project?

[Randy Forbes]

Damn! I am SOOO jealous. :mad:

Just sent off for a brochure. Enjoy the course. :thumbup:

All things considered, it's a pretty reasonable price for the exposure to any type of welding you might want to do. The class is about TIG, but they will also let you ty any of the machines there (stick, MIG, plasma, etc.).

If you think you'll ever want to weld on your Z3 (keeping the post On Topic ;) ), I highly recommend it. Like Terry did to me...

[Pinecone]

I found Al much easy to weld also. I found mild steel the hardest to weld nicely. Stainless was easy and 4130 was pretty easy (trick, use SS filler rod). But hte more I welded, the better I got with everything. I never did try the SS tubing with purging. Just too much simplier stuff to practice.

How was dinner? :)

WRT lathe, I am looking at a 9x20 like yours. It turns out just about EVERY 9x20 (including the Jet) is the same lathe. HF, Grizzly, Enco, etc. It t is a good lathe, but it does have a few warts.

The one I found that seems to be a bit better is the BV20 (actually BV-20L). I has lots of standard parts (like both 3 and 4 jaw chucks, steady rest, follow rest, live center, etc.) I found a plae in Louisiana that has them for $795, but they are out of stock. The importer is supposedly just up the street in Philly. But I can't get anyone to contact me back via email or phone. One place will ship them direct from China, I may have to go that way. :)

[Elwood]

I found Al much easy to weld also. I found mild steel the hardest to weld nicely. Stainless was easy and 4130 was pretty easy (trick, use SS filler rod). But hte more I welded, the better I got with everything. I never did try the SS tubing with purging. Just too much simplier stuff to practice.

How was dinner? :)

WRT lathe, I am looking at a 9x20 like yours. It turns out just about EVERY 9x20 (including the Jet) is the same lathe. HF, Grizzly, Enco, etc. It t is a good lathe, but it does have a few warts.

The one I found that seems to be a bit better is the BV20 (actually BV-20L). I has lots of standard parts (like both 3 and 4 jaw chucks, steady rest, follow rest, live center, etc.) I found a plae in Louisiana that has them for $795, but they are out of stock. The importer is supposedly just up the street in Philly. But I can't get anyone to contact me back via email or phone. One place will ship them direct from China, I may have to go that way. :)

Glad you guys reminded me of the school. We mostly do large scale welding but are looking to expand our small gauge capability and TIG is the answer. Just need some proper schooling.

If you think AL is easy, try doing something with a heavier wall. Thicker you go, the harder it gets. Keeping the weld pool to temp get's fun due to the rapid heat transfer of AL


Stay away from Enco..PLEASE! When parts break....it's going to cost you. We have one at work..and I just want to use a stick of TNT on it.

Our neighbors are these guys:http://www.acergroup.com/ They make a nice machine. I'm not sure if they have what you want tho. And I can't comment on price....well...they ARE our neighbors :eeps: ;) :D

[Randy Forbes]

I found Al much easy to weld also. I found mild steel the hardest to weld nicely. Stainless was easy and 4130 was pretty easy (trick, use SS filler rod). But hte more I welded, the better I got with everything. I never did try the SS tubing with purging. Just too much simplier stuff to practice.

How was dinner? :)

WRT lathe, I am looking at a 9x20 like yours. It turns out just about EVERY 9x20 (including the Jet) is the same lathe. HF, Grizzly, Enco, etc. It t is a good lathe, but it does have a few warts.

The one I found that seems to be a bit better is the BV20 (actually BV-20L). I has lots of standard parts (like both 3 and 4 jaw chucks, steady rest, follow rest, live center, etc.) I found a plae in Louisiana that has them for $795, but they are out of stock. The importer is supposedly just up the street in Philly. But I can't get anyone to contact me back via email or phone. One place will ship them direct from China, I may have to go that way. :)

Be wary of the cheaper of the "identical looking" lathes, some of them (Enco is one) don't use as many bearings...

That's right, change gear shafts turning in bored holes right in the cast iron!

Almost the end of the day, but I finally got on the 4130. Not real pretty yet, but I'm working on it ;)

[Pinecone]

Actually I have seen several web sites, that are non-manufacturer (home machinist based) based that have compared all the 9x20s and they are the same machine, same factory. Although if Jet actually has parts, that may be a factor.

WRT Enco, yeah there are parts problems, but the same is going to be true of most small machines. The US manufacturers do not seem to be interested in making small machines.

Acer group has nice stuff, but nothing as small as I need/want.

[Randy Forbes]

Almost the end of the day, but I finally got on the 4130. Not real pretty yet, but I'm working on it ;)

WooHoo! Passed the tensile strength test (tubing wall broke before the weld; weld stronger than base metal).

[QikSilver]

Damn, I'd like to go to that Lincoln school. I've had a TIG 185 for 6 months and although it's a very sweet machine, TIG is tricky; just looking at the box of torch parts is intiminating. And keeping the tungsten tip sharp is a pain. Thankfully, you can change it over to stick for a fast weld. I just bought a very small TIG torch and practiced welding aluminum cans together. Amazing, the control this machine has. But there's so much to learn. Love to hear any cool stuff you learn, like that SS filler on 4130. Enjoy the course.

[Pinecone]

Well just go to the course. It is only $445 plus your personal expenses. AND they cover all equipment, materials (tungstens, coupons, filler), and give you access to the plant cafeteria for breakfast and lunch, and fee you dinner two nights. GO.

[Randy Forbes]

Damn, I'd like to go to that Lincoln school. I've had a TIG 185 for 6 months and although it's a very sweet machine, TIG is tricky; just looking at the box of torch parts is intiminating. And keeping the tungsten tip sharp is a pain. Thankfully, you can change it over to stick for a fast weld. I just bought a very small TIG torch and practiced welding aluminum cans together. Amazing, the control this machine has. But there's so much to learn. Love to hear any cool stuff you learn, like that SS filler on 4130. Enjoy the course.

I'm convinced (that in my case, anyway) it costs less to attend the school than to learn on your own (poor welds, short consumable's life and frustration have an education value/price too).

If you join their Motorsports "Group", it knocks about $200.00 off the price of the school. I paid $445.00 against the published price of (I think) $625.00 The advanced school with discount is about $6??.00 and I'm guessing that has a lot to do with the higher cost of the materials you'll be working with (Titanium, Inconel and some other unobtainium type of alloy that escapes my mind at the moment). Oh yeah, magnesium ;)

Another neat trick is the silicon-bronze filler. Like "brazing" only with a TIG. Really good for body panels and other areas prone to heat distortion (you don't get the base metal hot enough to melt, only the filler).

[Pinecone]

Yeah, the Basic course is a LOT of knowledge in a week, plus the skill straining. They quote something like 70% welding, 30% classroom, I think it is more like 60/40 but VERY good info. You will leave with a LOT of reference materials.

The Advanced course I hear is more like 90% welding, 10% classroom, and you can again work with any metals or with any process. IIRC $665 with Motorsports Club memebership (which is free).