Being able to work with steel can be a good thing...
A tree fell on the house damaging the roof which was repaired and the railing.. which I am repairing.. I measured and put in a steel order... Today I did one of the three inserts and it went quite smoothly.. two more to do and then some bracing and painting..
A few years ago I purchased a Lincoln MIG welder, I also have a grinder with cut off and other wheels... a great deal of money is saved being able to do these things myself..
The next project is to repair and hang some tent side panels around a covered lower deck to enclose it for the winter months.. This will keep the snow and rain from blowing into this area and allow us to sit out there on moderate and sunny days.. The side curtains have windows to allow light in, are translucent and the porch roof I built has clear panels in it to allow light in as well...
@ArishMell I put the other two panels in the frame today.. Not all the small bits (12 of them yet to do).. Welding is a skill that improves with practice.. For what I am doing the heat setting is up and the wire feed rate is slowed... a steady hand and not being frightened by it all all important.. I have gained a feel if the weld has flow and sticks... Its very satisfying to do this and the savings are substantial..
@pdqsailor1 Oh, I agree entirely on the satisfaction.
I struggle with conventional arc-welding partly because I have wobbly hands - always have had. The doctor says it's an "Essential Tremor". Curious name for it. It's not "essential" to me! Though the biggest factor is lack of practice.
@ArishMell When ever it is possible I brace my right hand / arm and this helps dramatically in stability..this works better if you have hand / wrist strength.. Same idea as when I fire a pistol only there I use both hands. I make use of clamps and magnets when I weld and the first welds are spot welds so the magnets and clamps can be removed....then the part is properly fastened.. Most of it is the set up and while it can be tedious it works...
@peterlee Thank you ... I have been told that I absorb skills like a sponge absorbs water across a multitude of disciplines.. but where this comes from is an understanding of how things work and being able to solve problems analytically... I did a sketch of what was missing, pulled off a bill of materials..got a quote from the steel shop and picked it up with the utility trailer... The welding, well they taught us rudimentary stick welding in shop class in Junior High school and I have soldered or brazed since then and taught myself how to mig weld which is about as easy a method as it gets as most of the process is automated... What other skills? Carpentry both framing and cabinet making, electrical wiring, installation of electronics, plumbing, fibreglass repair, mechanics (engines, brakes, mechanical repair - boat engines and automotive), refrigeration and air conditioning, construction - concrete, decks, framing, roofs... sewing .. Yes I can sew and operate a multiplicity of machines... appliance repair... I am a sailor and I love sailing.. and I have a rather fast and comfortable sailboat that can do a LOT of things..It can do a lot of things because I have been sailing for a LONG time with this boat and I have been able to apply my mind to make it better than it was..
I try but I always end up telling my wife to call the man. 😅 The roof needed to be changed and I thought about doing it but my wife said, 'don't even think about it.' So I hired someone to do it. 😂
