[ihc] Welders

[John Hofstetter <hofs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I forgot to mention that when I got to the vendor area to see if I could get
my shackle mount welded, the Premier Welder vendor was right next to the BF
Goodrich truck. He had one of those units mounted in a Jeep and was set up
to let people try his welder.

He was very nice and offered to let me use his welder to repair the shackle,
but he didn't weld any more because his eyes were shot from a lifetime of
welding, including many flashes, I assume.

I thought about a strange welder, lying on the ground under a vehicle,
welding partly overhead (again with a strange welder) and thought out loud
that maybe that wasn't a good idea.

So, the premier guy went over to the BF Goodrich guys and asked them when
they could MIG weld my shackle. Now that little bugger with only one hand
and no eyes was one heck of a guy. I hope he sells thousands of his units.

I can't afford a Premier, and besides that, I really would need 3 of them,
one for each 4 wheel vehicle. That would give Joel a challenge, wouldn't it?
With my luck (actually, I have wonderful luck), I'd need the welder to fix
something on the engine that wouldn't run. <g>

Have you guys seen the home made welder that somebody did the article on in
the Binder Bulletin. I could do that, if I weren't too lazy or whatever
keeps me from doing the things I should do.

I've read a number of times of guys out on a trail welding from two or three
12 volt batteries hooked in series. 36 volts, lots of amps, should work.

As I was contemplating whether or not I wanted to try welding it myself, Del
asked me if I knew how to weld. I said no. He said, "I thought you had a
welder and used it."  I said something stupid like, "I keep the welder
around for other people to use."

Damn, one shouldn't ever lie! What happens when I slip up after a couple of
Death Valley "nips" and start bragging about the things I've welded, "in my
day" as we old farts like to say?

John 

John Hofstetter
www.goldrush.com/~hofs