Welding in Toronto

I've spent the last 3 terms at the local community college learning and practicing TIG welding, and
I'm glad I learned TIG first. It is clean, relatively quiet, accurate, controllable, versatile, and
good TIG welds require no cleanup or cosmetic touch-up. You can weld essentially any metal you'd
like, and you can even "braze" with silicon bronze filler rod.

I'm certainly not an expert on the other welding technologies, but for building bicycles and
trikes I wouldn't even consider anything else other than perhaps gas brazing, but after using a
TIG torch a gas torch feels awfully crude. There certainly is something to be said for low
temperature silver brazing with lugs, but if you are interested in experimental geometries you are
pretty much out of luck.

Many web sites that I've seen, typically for aircraft, go on and on about the virtues of gas
welding. After you get good with the TIG torch, and if you are using suitable filler materials, you
can put your welds in a hydraulic press and beat the [censored] out of them, and nothing will break until
the structure is totally mangled anyway.

My welding teacher, who also teaches other welding technologies, used to build tandems for Burley,
and he continues to make motorcycle frames. TIG is his clear favorite, and he's basically "thrown
away" his gas torch.

The only drawback that I see is cost. My favorite TIG machine at the college is worth about $US
5000, where as you can get into a nice gas setup for about 1/10 of that. Acceptable, but not
awesome, TIG machines go for about $US 1500. At our local college, one can sign up for a lab, and
weld themselves silly for minimal cost.

Good luck, and please do try to not hurt yourself - or anyone else! :-)

Thankyou...good reply and I will look into the TIG process. Me thinks I read students are allowed to
work on their own projects after the 4th of 7 courses. I figure if I run into any serious problems I
can email rorschant for his wisdom.
**************************
"George MacKenzie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've spent the last 3 terms at the local community college learning and practicing TIG welding,
and I'm glad I learned TIG first. It is clean, relatively quiet, accurate, controllable,
versatile, and good TIG welds require no cleanup or cosmetic touch-up. You can weld essentially
any metal you'd like, and you can even "braze" with silicon bronze filler rod.

I'm certainly not an expert on the other welding technologies, but for building bicycles and
trikes I wouldn't even consider anything else other than perhaps gas brazing, but after using a
TIG torch a gas torch feels awfully crude. There certainly is something to be said for low
temperature silver brazing with lugs, but if you are interested in experimental geometries you are
pretty much out of luck.

Many web sites that I've seen, typically for aircraft, go on and on about the virtues of gas
welding. After you get good with the TIG torch, and if you are using suitable filler materials,
you can put your welds in a hydraulic press and beat the [censored] out of them, and nothing will break
until the structure is totally mangled anyway.

My welding teacher, who also teaches other welding technologies, used to build tandems for Burley,
and he continues to make motorcycle frames. TIG is his clear favorite, and he's basically "thrown
away" his gas torch.

The only drawback that I see is cost. My favorite TIG machine at the college is worth about $US
5000, where as you can get into a nice gas setup for about 1/10 of that. Acceptable, but not
awesome, TIG machines go for about $US 1500. At our local college, one can sign up for a lab, and
weld themselves silly for minimal cost.

Good luck, and please do try to not hurt yourself - or anyone else! :-)

Wile E. Coyote said:

Just thought it prudent ot mention here that next month I am going to begin Welding courses at my
local community college. This gives everyone within a few hundred square miles of Toronto adequate
time to relocate further away.

Since you did not specify which Toronto, it is assumed that you mean Toronto, Iowa since it is in
the US. Time for me to move then.

Quoted message said:

My mechanical and repair skills are legendary and I am the last person on this planet who should
be anywhere near Oxygen and Propane tanks with a Zippo lighter...but no way I am warning the
college....

Gas welding setups typically use oxygen and acetylene. Acetylene may spontaneously explode at
certain pressures, and knocking the valve off an oxygen cylinder converts it into an unguided
rocket. On the other hand, electric welders (arc, MIG, and TIG) offer the ability to electrocute
ones self.

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

George MacKenzie said:

... The only drawback that I see is cost. My favorite TIG machine at the college is worth about
$US 5000, where as you can get into a nice gas setup for about 1/10 of that....

You forgot to mention an advantage of Oxy-Acetylene setups - THE CUTTING TORCH. Of course, it is
easy to get carried away when using one. 😉

Tom Sherman - Quad Cities USA (Illinois side)

Tom Sherman <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Wile E. Coyote said:

Just thought it prudent ot mention here that next month I am going to begin Welding courses at my
local community college. This gives everyone within a few hundred square miles of Toronto
adequate time to relocate further away.

Since you did not specify which Toronto, it is assumed that you mean Toronto, Iowa since it is in
the US. Time for me to move then.

Are you sure he doesn't mean Toronto, Kansas? That's a bit close to Wichita, maybe I should move to
Canada to make sure I'm well away from any explosions.

-Bill Hamilton