User:Fitterdave

Fitterdave

Pipefitter[1], Pipe-welder, Highly Educated Prole, and technology enthusiast.

I am currently home AND working, a rarity.(but traffic sucks on I-90 to/from Elgin)
I am a traveler-pipefitter[2], this means I may not be in the Chicago Area (let alone the country) at all times, email me for post-card.
My apartment is located 30 miles west on I-90, traffic affects my attendance at the space.
If we are to meet at PS1 to work on something or I am Certing you on a welder, please respect my limited time; by being on time or letting me know you will be late/cancelling.

Email? Help? Welding? Where am I?

email is: fitterdave.chicago a t gee-mail
If you need something welded up and have the parts cut, cleaned and prepped; no problem. We can schedule something usually.(see top of entry)
Want to learn to use the welders and have 3 hours to kill for certing? Just need some advice on technique? We can work something out usually.
I usually only cert one person at a time. This is something I try to plan out.
When I am at home and between projects (not actively working) I have time to kill, when I am working usually I am gone and working 50+ hours a week. I will list on top of page if I am in town or not.

Certifying/Authorizing on Welders at PS1

Right now there is a bit of debate with being Certified /Authorized to use equipment, Vs. Certifying/ Teaching/ Authorizing. It boils down to: just because you have been shown how to use some equipment, does not mean you can teach how to use that equipment. Needless to say the difference in complexity of some of the things in the space adds to the debate. The lack of readily available and qualified teachers also add to this.

 So here is my take on the welders (since I work with them professionally).

If you can explain to me in laymen terms how the machine basically works, demonstrate how to safely set up, use, break down (put away for storage), and maintain/replace consumables along with safety equipment you should use. Then I have no problem Certifying/ Authorizing you on any of the welders with out any classes or sessions. I realize that what members of PS1 want to do with welding is not necessarily what I do with it, my main concern is Members personal safety (flash burn of the eyes or skin), then making sure the machines are not inadvertently damaged (duty cycle, shorting out). You do not need to know every minute detail and technical name of everything on the machine, but if you cannot use and maintain it without hurting yourself and the machine, if you cannot do this with a certain amount of accuracy; I will not certify you. I am firm on this.

The session/ class or whatever I teach is mostly about what I previously mentioned, and some basic techniques (helps if you have a project goal in mind). I am not an authority on welding, and there are all kinds of ways to learn, all I can teach is what I know about welding equipment and techniques I use (I weld on pipe). If you find/ Watch/ have an idea that works for you, please share this knowledge, its the best way to learn a possibly better way. Personally I like the Miller and Lincoln welder sites for additional training materials.

If you get certified by some one else (with a easier schedule) make sure they add you to the WIKI on the equipment page, it is a pain, but currently it is the only way we can track who taught who, and all that.

Other wise classes/ sessions normally run about 2-1/2 to about 3 hours depending on how often different tangents get discussed. Usually a week before I get back I try to narrow down a good time to certify . I cover everything from welding lens shades and why there are different shades for different jobs, to fire safety practices, and what is happening chemically to what you are welding (and why its important for a strong weld).

All the welders are on the wiki and at the space. A little research goes a long way. I say this because I personally know three (technically four) ways to tig weld and the Tig welder at the space is only capable of two ways.

Projects

T-shirt Launcher (done, abandoned)

AKA the big ugly spud gun
Fellow Member Will and I were discussing the power racing series, someone said wistful comment of: "I wish we had t-shirt cannons like nascar" And I said "okay".
Neither of us know what we are doing exactly, My skills of a pipefitter have caused this first attempt of a project to be built out of sch80 pvc (ugly grey) to be a safer build then what I have seen on the internet (sch40 tends to blow up after repeated abuse)
I received a paint ball gun to take apart since that's what the "pros use"

LN2 tapper, Liquid Nitrogen withdrawal, J**Z Jug project (done)

okay, Ryan is a nut, in a really good way that I understand (and highly respect) and he procured/arranged/stole a liquid Nitrogen (LN2) Storage Dewar, it is intact, and filled.
There is no safe way currently to pour/ withdraw this fun substance in the space, he mentioned how much it costs to get a withdrawal device and I replied "its cheaper to make one" (currently the system works, has some minor bugs, need a handel for the cap)
Since I have worked with piping this stuff before (1 1/2" piping delivery system I designed) it has made me very, VERY careful to the point I appear to be casually calm. I am actually scared of what this stuff can do potentially, then again Tesla coils scare me and they are cool as hell.
LN2 IS COOL AS HELL (pun intended)
I have hammered a nail with a Bananna,and smashed various thing while they were frozen
There is now a set up I feel comfortable with, it IS taking a long time to build up pressure for withdrawal. Ryan had blogged this.

Learning 3D printing

or WOW I am in over my head

UPDATE: seems I know quite a bit more then your average member about the process now (2015)
Making various things on the maker bot, because it is a easy learning curve and I lack the basic 3D modeling skills most have.
Tools: I have stuck to the easy Makerbot supplied tools and am learning to fiddle around with basic settings by trial and errors.
I have learned something from each of my printer failures, well maybe not from the last one. I was too busy laughing at how bad and funny looking it turned out.

About

+ 15 years pipefitting. 7 years traveling, 8 years happily divorced, 4 years DEBT-FREE!
Finished formal union trades apprenticeship (5 years of training). Educated Union member (no I won't talk politics or Preach)
Welding Certifications(expired/2015): 6g x-ray on Stick, Tig, Mig, and Combo. for Carbon and stainless.
My hobbies are: Practical uses for RFID/NFC, Body modification,(ask me how to combine the two[3]), 3D printing (read Makers yet?[4]), and locksport.
"There is no short-cut for time and effort"
"Actions speak louder then words"