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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
The thick work surface of our Miller ArcStation table makes it sturdy to take some serious smashing but still be maneuverable.
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
Additional clamps and other accessories are offered and are well worth the cost when it comes to holding our junk in place before burning it in. They are all compatible with Millers line of welding tables, be it portable or permanent.
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
Included with the table are a gun-holder bracket and a grounding clamp tab. With the top being bare steel, this allows you to work without having the grounding clamp getting in your way.
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
As one of our “Garage Gear” criteria, we need to be able to put the stuff away after a day of “play”. Two locking pins are all that’s needed to fold the F-series ArcStation up and roll it out of the way. In a previous issue, we hauled the table up to a remote campsite to build a 2001 Chevy in our “Build in the Bush”… it’s that portable.
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
Our stickered up Digital Elite lid is simple to use and plenty comfortable. Our eyes will thank us in the years to come. Although wider than our old Pro-Hobby welding helmet, the bulk of the shield is flexible enough to get our fat heads into plenty awkward positions.
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
Although easy to figure out, the small button can be a chore to enable when the gloves are on. We do like the adjustability and durability of the electronics package. Alternate helmets with the knobs being external to the mask are great… until you break one off.
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
The thick skinned and insulated Miller MIG/Stick welding gloves we chose have a medium length cuff for protection from sparks and are lined to keep the heat away from your fleshy digits. Remember you are likely to burn the back of your hands during these welding procedures so be sure to check the back of the gloves for proper protection.
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Bryan Irons photos
Garage Gear - Welding Getup
TIG specific gloves are typically thinner to allow for increased dexterity while doing the “TIG Shuffle”. They are designed for minor heat reflection (hence the white).
Story & photos by Bryan Irons
Melting metal together with electricity is not something we’re new to, MIG and stick welding are our normal go-to for cobbling our junk together, but our TIG welding skills were choking with dust bunnies and needed cleaning off. We had just picked up a new TIG capable machine but before we got started roasting fingers and scorching eyes, we lumbered down to a local welding supply shop and picked up some gear. Keep an eye out for a review of the Miller Multimatic200 in a future 4WDrive “Garage Gear” installment.
The first yank on the line was to reel in a new worktable that was comfortable to “play” at with a sturdy enough base to hold up our scrap iron while we putter away. If you have followed Garage Gear in the past, you may have seen some of the second rate work tables we have dealt with over the years. From plastic picnic tables to cobbled together plywood fire hazards; we needed something better. An F-Series ArcStation from Miller followed us home, on wheels in fact! The table is capable of holding up 500 lb and comes with accessories like a MIG/TIG gun holder and a grounding tab. The biggest benefit to us is the table’s ability to fold flat and roll out of the way. This is “Garage Gear”, not “ultimate shops”.
The thick tabletop has slots cut in it for a set of optional 5-in hold down clamps. We find that being able to hold our work down firmly results in better-finished products. The brass coated clamp screw and foot make for good welding conductivity and won’t allow welding spatter to stick to them. You can use regular bar or “C” clamps but you will be limited to positions in which to hold things down.
Next, the melon and peeper protection aisle in the form of welding helmets. Like our worktables we have used some junk, some horrific junk, and some adequate pieces. Skip the single shade and non-auto-darkening units, we as humans have progressed past the point of these $1.95 specials. Our last bucket was a Miller Pro-Hobby auto-darkening welding helmet. It has stood up well and protected our eyes, but was just as Miller named it, a “hobby” helmet. We came home with another Miller, this time one of their Digital Elite series welding buckets. If you’re looking for a new helmet, go somewhere that has them out for you to try on. Widgets and gizmos are great but if it’s uncomfortable or just doesn’t fit your dome, it’s not worth it - no matter how many fake flames, screaming skulls or half naked pin-ups are revealing themselves across the side. The Elite is a little cumbersome to get fitted the first time, but once you have it set, you may forget it’s on.
The second criteria keeper to look for in a welding helmet is a large viewing area, and for good reason too; when welding out of position or in cramped spaces, being able to see what is around you or being able to watch your progress out of the corner of your eye is important. Again, the Elite had us covered there with a large window and easily swapped out lenses for when they get scratched up. The elite also carries sensors for engaging the auto darkening in many locations. Instead of just one simple sensor that can be blocked when striking an arc, you can be sure not to see blue dots from welding flash again.
When welding using various processes such as MIG, TIG and stick welding, the type of arc and intensity can play a great part in what shade lens you need. Editor Irons prefers to be a little on the lighter side of what is recommended depending on what process and lighting conditions are present. The Digital Elite offers an easily adjustable shade range and delay settings as well as a grinding, cutting and X-Mode settings. Our peeves were the control buttons and dials, which are hard to operate even with our midget size hands; it’s like Andre the Giant winding up a wristwatch. Small potatoes really, and manageable once you have your gloves off.
Off to another aisle to find some mittens to use while melting metal. You will hear a lot of blithering about different gloves for different jobs, and we have to agree. When it comes to welding, we keep two kinds on the shelf, one for MIG and stick welding, and another for TIG. Because of the precise movements required and its lack of spatter (if you’re doing it right) with TIG welding, a thin glove that allows good finger dexterity is best. Golf gloves need not apply as you still need to protect your hands and wrists from the BRIGHT arc that the process produces. Long cuffs and leather thick enough to reflect the heat are still key.
The Stick and MIG welding process could really be done with boxing gloves. Once you have a hole on the gun/stinger, the rest is a choreographed technique performed by your wrist and arm. For these, we like a thick leather glove with a liner to stave off the heat. With sparks, spatter and excessive heat, find a pair with a long cuff but not so wide as to funnel sparks to your fingertips when welding. Ensure you can get a relaxed grip on your gun without having to apply too much force; fatigued limbs will only lead to poor control.
Our foray into the welding store had already consumed our allowance but we still had more to get. Screw the allowance. After having a few t-shirts engulfed in flames and emitting the stench of smoldering chest hair and sweat, we really need a welding jacket… on a budget. Without breaking the bank, we score another Miller piece. With so many options out there, decide what works best for your typical project, in what position, and what the weather conditions are like. Dumb-dumbs like us seem to perform the vast majority of our welding in the summer months, so a fire resistant woven material with plenty of venting is called for. Your particulars may not mimic ours so pointing out “the perfect jacket” doesn’t make sense; use your judgment and recognize name brands you know and trust as the quality products they are.
Discount tool store “buy one, get some free” sales on welding garb may be a great draw, but beware the materials and workmanship… or lack thereof. These are not so much tools as they are safety equipment. You may get a chance to buy a new pair of gloves if they fail, but you only have one set of eyes, and fingers are a pain to grow back.
Miller Welding Equipment – www.millerwelds.com