Lessons

A project of this nature will teach many lessons.  Every day involves some level of learning process.  And some days one re-learns lessons previously taught.

A lesson  re-learned yesterday is that almost all metal fabrication processes are best undertaken wearing a quality pair of leather gloves.

One of yesterday's tasks was re-sharpening my collection of tungstens for the TIG welder.  Any time the tungsten in use becomes contaminated, such as touching the work or the rod, or the point is misshapen, the tungsten must be re-sharpened.  This involves breaking off the contaminated end with a pair of pliers and using a dedicated grinding wheel to put on a point.  I keep a collection of sharpened tungstens so that when I do contaminate one I can just pull out another one and install it in the torch rather than pulling the one out, breaking it off, re-sharpening it and re-installing it.

I was busily breaking off the ends of the ten tungstens I use in rotation and, being in a hurry, did not take the second to put on my gloves.  Predictably I jammed the end of a tungsten into my thumb.  It was (and still is) quite painful and bled profusely.  

SAFETY FIRST!!

Speaking of tungstens, a lesson I learned a few weeks ago is to be inquisitive about how things are priced.  At my local welding supplies store thoreated tungstens are sold 2 for $4.98 or 10 for $8.95. Wow!