I can still smell the heavy, biting scent of burnt sulfur and cheap mineral oil from my first year in the fabrication shop. I remember a young apprentice—well, I was that apprentice—trying to force a drill through a hardened steel Continue reading Using Lubricants in Metalworking
I remember a Tuesday back in ’84, working a heavy fabrication job on a custom chassis. I was reaching for a pair of pliers I’d picked up from a big-box hardware store just because they looked shiny and cost next Continue reading Essential Pliers for Metalwork
I remember a Tuesday back in ’84, working a heavy fabrication job in a shop that smelled of ozone and burnt oil. I was wearing one of those flimsy, canvas-style aprons that some supplier swore was “industrial grade,” only to Continue reading Protective Clothing for Metalworkers
I remember standing in a massive industrial fabrication shop back in ’84, watching a young apprentice try to force a cheap, flimsy hacksaw through a thick piece of angle iron. The blade buckled, the teeth stripped, and he ended up Continue reading Selecting a Hacksaw for Metalwork
I can still hear the ringing in my ears from a Tuesday afternoon back in ’84, when a rookie in the fabrication shop decided he could force a dull, cheap tool through a thick piece of high-carbon steel. He was Continue reading Using a Cold Chisel on Metal
I remember a job back in ’88, standing over a piece of heavy-gauge steel that I’d spent three hours trying to force into shape with a cheap, flimsy set of pliers I’d picked up at a big-box hardware store. The Continue reading Tools for Bending Sheet Metal
I remember standing in a crowded hardware aisle back in ’84, watching a young lad stare blankly at a wall of shiny, overpriced tools, trying to figure out which one wouldn’t shatter his workpiece. It’s a mess out there today. Continue reading Common Hammers Used in Metalwork
I remember sitting in my old shop back in ’84, staring at a rusted-out piece of cast iron that looked more like a hunk of coal than a tool. I’d spent half my paycheck on some fancy, high-end spray from Continue reading Common Agents for Cleaning Metal
I remember sitting in a cramped fabrication shop back in ’84, staring at a botched TIG weld on a custom manifold that looked more like a bird’s nest than a seam. I’d spent three hours fighting the arc, only to Continue reading Choosing Tungsten Electrodes for Tig Welding
I remember a job back in ’84, working on a custom chassis for a heavy-duty tractor. I was young, cocky, and thought I could “eyeball” a few key dimensions to save some time. I ignored the proper metalwork measuring tools Continue reading Measuring Tools for Metalwork Accuracy