A second incredibly warm and sunny day, perfect for a little welding in the barnyard. Yesterday, something kinda disengaged in the riding mower deck, leaving behind a pretty nasty racket and nearly no mowing action, and now the deck is getting a long-overdue overhaul.
Hitting rocks in the field can’t be reasonably avoided. After four years of pounding, the spline on one of the pulley assemblies that spins a blade was completely worn down and the whole thing had to be replaced. We picked up the part this morning, and an hour later, the mower was back in business. Here, Bob welds on a washer to patch a cracked mounting hole (he’s brazing, which is a type of welding, or high-heat soldering, depending on how precise you want to get…it’s all joining molten metal to me!).
DIY repairs keep the tiny farm rolling. I can do routine minor repairs—splicing hoses, replacing tines, sealing tire leaks, sharpening blades, re-priming pumps, basic rough carpentry, banging on things until they work, and the like—but welding is still far in the distance. Welding is great. We should all learn to weld, right away…! :)
your information was helpful to us… thankuuu….
I just stumbled upon your blog today while Googling “welding on a farm” and must say that your blog is great! I work for a welding gas and equipment distributor and wholesaler in the Midwest – ILMO Products Company. As we prepare for the 2009 Farm Progress show in Decatur, IL, your insight on “around the farm” applicaitons for welding will help me shape a few conversations with our visitors. Keep up the great welding, and have a great summer.
Blair Dial
Marketing Director
ILMO Products Company
http://www.ilmoproducts.com
I know you guys are on a farm but are you really welding without a shield on? Or even goggles at least? I hope you guys know what you’re doing. But I agree DIY is the way to go for the simple repairs at least. Detailed or dangerous jobs call for professionals.
Thanks for the article, but what about eye safety and protection?
In my racing we wear a lot of protection, it didn’t look that safe welding you guys.
Look closely as this is gas welding and not electric arc welding
Welding is definitely a valuable skill on the farm. Have you ever heard of the Multiplaz 3500? It’s an incredibly powerful welding and plasma cutting machine anyone in agriculture should not go without. It runs on water and alcohol alone – no shielding gas or bulky compressors necessary, because it’s that safe and efficient. You can plug it into any residential outlet, and it actually fits in a portable bag that weighs less than 30 lbs. Because of its fuel source, you can run it so much more often than other welders. Check out http://www.multiplaz.com/portability to see just what I’m talking about or call 855.314.5551 to see what farmers are talking about. It’s available at http://www.multiplaz.com for only $2495.