PHOEBE GETS ALL BUTCH WITH A WELDER AND PLAYS WITH PLASMA

FABRICATION /  METALWORK

This afternoon I used a welder and a plasma cutter for the first time. I had my first Introduction to Fabrication class. The group of around 10 students was split into two groups the first doing metal work for four weeks of the semester and then woodwork for four weeks the second vice versa. I chose to have a stab at metalwork as I was dreading it and it's best to get things you fear out of the way early on... anyway I discovered there was nothing to fear after all.

The plasma cutter was my favourite... and I thought plasma was just something they talk about on Star Trek and on science shows... With a plasma cutter you can cut metal like drawing a line. I didn't get a picture of it but you lay a sheet of metal over what looks like an enormous BBQ grill and hold what looks a like a tap on a hose over the metal and well, just sort of draw with it... but the drawing is actually a cut right through the metal. It works like a welder using electricity to do the job and it sparks and smells like a big sparkler. Its heaps of fun and cuts like butter.

PLASMA CUT SHAPES

(the number 10 is to put on our letterbox)

Then  came the bit I was worried about... the welder. The welder used electricity in pretty much the same way the plasma cutter works, only a strand of wire feeds through the hose and is surrounded by a mixture on nitrogen, argon and carbon dioxide gas to stop too much oxygen getting into the weld. If too much oxygen gets in the weld it looks like rice bubbles (apparently). The wire forms a "filler" that meshes the two pieces of metal you are welding together. Before you start you have to get dressed up in heaps of protective gear because the sparks are extremely hot and can catch your clothes on fire. The biggest danger though, comes from looking at the light emitted by the welder as it fuses the metal together. The light can actually give your eyes "sunburn". Apparently this feels like having sand in your eyes. So before you start the weld you have to look through your visor to see where you are welding. Modern visors worth $500 darken when they detect the welding process and then switch back to normal tint when welding stops. 

ME DOING MY FIRST SPOT WELD

That's Stuart supervising me, notice the funny shoe covers! I gotta get me some boots.

Anyway, turns out I'm pretty good at welding...  Stuart Houghton (my teacher) said I did the best straight weld of the day, which surprised me considering I was a bit nervous about it. I'm certainly less frightened of the spark now I understand how it works and how to protect myself. In fact, dare I say, it was actually fun! 

YEP, I"M A WELDER NOW! 

Our assignment over the next four weeks is "to design and fabricate a metal structure, using square and round tube or rod, capable of supporting yourself safely and easily. The support structure will have a combined height + width + depth of more than 0.6m and less than 1.6m." (FSF102 Introduction to Fabrication Unit Guide, 2011, UTAS Handout).

Put simply, I gotta make a stool. Which is handy because we have a breakfast bar bench that needs some sort of sitting device. Hopefully I can make a good one that we can use.

MY FIRST WELD

CLOSE UP OF NUMBER 10 FOR THE LETTERBOX

Thanks to Greg for taking photos of me welding. Thanks to Sam for helping me with my protective gear. Thanks to Will for helping me with grinder advice.