Where the heck is everybody?

Geez guys...is it my breath? The group has been really dead for a week or more. All you lurkers need to start speaking up.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler
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Heck, no. It's just too damn cold in the garage to enjoy much of anything. I'm working on my winter's resolution to get my mill up and running. So far, I'm almost done with the bondo and sanding.

Anyway, tomorrow I'm heading down to visit family in Texas and get the boat ready for spring. It'll be about 50 deg. warmer down there.

My son is expressing an interest in learning to weld when it warms up some.

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Peter T. Keillor III

I'm a lurker, I guess, but in the spirit of making a meaningless contribution to the noise level of the group I'll mention that I just ordered a Thermal Arc 185 TSW, largely based on what I've been reading here. The Powcon 300 ST I've been trying to resurrect is a lost cause, so I bit the bullet and bought the Thermal 185.

If this thing is everything people say it is, this novice will be laying down perfect beads right off. Well, what I'm looking forward to is a machine with which I can practice without worrying about what's going to break next. I've got to figure out what to do with my brand new ReadyWelder which I bought so that I could do aluminum welding using the Powcon as a power supply. I suppose having it around isn't a bad thing although it feels like an embarrassment of riches given my skill level...

Reply to
Peter Grey

I read it every day; but been busy busy busy. Helping the local science academy build a robot for competition and we only have 6 weeks to build. Also trying to get some non rain days so I can install the Banks chip for my truck.

Mike not doing a whole lot of welding right now!

Reply to
mike

For what it's worth, I've been welding. Giving my Syncrowave the most use it's seen in a while and paying a couple visits to the local steel supplier and one to the Airgas branch for more Argon.

Pete C.

Ernie Leimkuhler wrote:

Reply to
Pete C.

Reply to
RoyJ

What are you racing?

Peter

Reply to
Peter Grey

I had a router die on me - then the old software to drive the DSL modem was not functional under MP prof - but had hardware(wires) verified and then SBC came in and in 30 minutes (less really) I was up - insert router CDROM and keep fingers crossed - working! - phew. The net for me was down for three days. The old Linksys router was 2 years 10 days old. Almost looks like 10 day grace period after a 2 year license to me :-)

The new router - Cisco Linksys - same model - enhanced more power and 35% faster

- and I believe the speed is faster. To/From the other computers I share disks with is really fast now. Internal chip speed I suspect, not just the 100 Mbps. (faster than the DSL anyway :-) )

And I'm packing up my shop - lots of work there - using old ammo metal cans - 50 cal and 20 mm to pack machine tools. Taking all of my tool boxes and tools in general with me, ship the house and equipment. The investment is in the tools. Now if I don't have a problem myself... :-)

Martin [ trying to sell this place in the rain to bug out to Texas ]

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Peter, what are you going to do with your dead Powcon? if you're planning on getting rid of it, please let us know before you give it away, ok? Steve

Reply to
SPR

50 cal and 20 mm

have a problem

Ooooh. I'm jealous. I'll be a few years behind you.

Pete Keillor

Reply to
Peter T. Keillor III

I welded up the part that holds the ball screws for the X and Y axis on a mill. Cast iron part using TIG and some pure Ni. balls I bought on Ebay. Worked very well.

Les

Reply to
PIW

Well, if you're asking... Let me introduce myself then.

Ilya here. I'm a software engineer by trade, but like to tinker in my off-time. After lurking on this group watching the posts go by, I just recently bought an Invertig 201 from HTP. (See how after reading all the same posts different people make different decisions? :-) This is my first welder, and I've been playing with it just about every other night, cutting strips off some scrap metal and welding them together at all sorts of odd angles. I've also tried welding tubes with some success, using my benchtop milling machine to notch them.

The first real project with a purpose that I anticipate making is a rear subframe for my racing motorcycle (I race at Loudon, NH). The racing season begins in April, so I have plenty of time to practice my TIG-welding technique before taking on the project. I will make the subframe out of square aluminum tubing, and will mill the "ears" connecting it to the frame out of billet. Shouldn't be hard.

Ernie, I appreciate all the input you and the other guys here have provided for me (and the likes of me) to digest. I feel that the only reason my first-ever welds came out as good as they did was because I read your answers to other people's problems. Any and all problems that I've encountered so far I have been able to solve by searching through the archives. Great!

I will probably take a welding class in the summer, unless by then I feel like I'm past needing it. I read some books on the theory of welding, and anything that an instructor might add this group has been providing plentyfully. Aside from inspecting my welds, that is. :-) That's about it. Thanks!

-- Ilya "+1 post but still a lurker" Kriveshko

Reply to
iillyyaa

no kidding...I have a 150K BUT propane furnace in my shop (3 car garage) and it took 2 hours the other day to get it comfy enough to weld an aluminum deck chair...I'll just stick to riding my snowmobiles for now...

Reply to
Jamie Arnold (W)

Reply to
RoyJ

So THAT type of road racing. Looks like fun!

Peter

Reply to
Peter Grey

It is NOT your breath, it IS your answers (-: I read here every day, I actually DO USE searches to find answers to my questions that have already been asked. Heck, the group is already a COMPLETE encyclopedia of welding knowledge, what's to ask/talk about ?

OK, here's something TOTALLY off topic that I havn't (yet) seen answered; Ernie, how should we pronounce your last name ? As a courtesy to you I'd like to pronounce it correctly and I suspect that "Lime Cooler" isn't the correct answer, though you've probably heard worse. tnx,

Reg (-:

Reply to
2regburgess

Heck, I've been having too much fun driving around in this Toyota truck some guy sold me for 25 bucks. I kinda think the truck might have been stolen, but, what the heck eh?

Reply to
David Todtman

--In the shop with a conundrum. Got me one of those Chinese offroad "gokarts" brand new off of ebay and the damned thing won't start! Any electronics experts in the area (Santa Rosa) welcome to drop by; free pizza if you get it running! :-(

Reply to
steamer

Actually "Lime-cooler" is the current correct American pronunciation. The original german pronunciation was dropped about 100 years ago along with the umlaut over the U.

There are only a few hundred Leimkuhlers in the US. Most are still in the Baltimore area where 3 of the 4 Leimkuhler families settled from Germany. A fourth landed in New Orleans so there are a few in the Ozarks now.

The name breaks down to leim - kuhl - here or lime - pit (quarry, mine) - Mr. So technically it is Mr. Lime Pit.

A "leimkuhl" in Northern Germany is were lime clay was mined for use as wall plaster. The family came to the US in 1870. Most the Leimkuhlers in Germany are in Osnabruk, near Borgloh , outside Hamburg. Pretty much pure Saxon.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

Very funny.

Reply to
Ernie Leimkuhler

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