Welding shop-what do I ask for????

[Gham]

I think I could convince my father-in-law to cut my son some mandrels if I bought the rods from a welding shop. I just am not exactly sure what to say to the guys at the welding shop when I get there. Will they know what I am talking about if I say that I want to use the rods for lampworking? (The HVAC guy was clueless when I said that I needed a ventilation system.) Is there a certain kind of rod that I should ask for? I know that Zach wants the 5/64 size mandrel, but I don't know if there are different kinds of welding rods. I am totally clueless when it comes to welding; I've never stepped foot in a welding place before. Any suggestions would be appreciated; I don't want to go in and make a fool of myself. :razz:

[Shrimp]

Stainless steel welding rods. They will most likely come in 3 foot lengths. Take them home, have your son cut them to a comfortable length and then grind the ends smooth. Hopefully they will have the 5/64 in stock.

[Puddy Tat Glass]

When I go in, if I don't know where they keep the rods I start out by asking where their welding rods are. Then if they ask me what I'm going to do with them, I tell 'em I'm a beadmaker and then they always know what I'm talking about. Don't know if it'll be that way for you. Then I tell them I need stainless stell 3/32" or 1/16" or whatever I'm wanting. If it's an unusual size you can call the shop ahead of time to see if they have it in stock. It surprised me the first time I went in and the guys knew what lampworking is and one of them was even thinking about getting into glass blowing. I guess it makes since though, they do deliver a lot of oxy to flameworkers and lampworkers so they're familiar with the process.

[Teri.p]

I ask for 308L or 316L welding rods.

[KEW]

I'm starting to get a little concerned. Why are you doing all the legwork for your son? Sure, I know he is still in school and busy, but if it is HIS passion, he should be doing at least SOME of the shitwork.

Are you interested in lampworking? You sure seem like you would be better prepared to launch yourself into this than he will be.

[Bakerman44]

Thanks for the tip! now to just find a welding supplier!!

now another question:

the rods that have the "slag" coating on them that you find in lowes (you can buy about 30 of them for pretty cheap) by the small "do-it-yourself-er" welding machines. i know this slag can come off quite easily, are these stainless steel by chance or usable for mandrels?

[PerfectDeb]

Thanks for the tip! now to just find a welding supplier!!

now another question:

the rods that have the "slag" coating on them that you find in lowes (you can buy about 30 of them for pretty cheap) by the small "do-it-yourself-er" welding machines. i know this slag can come off quite easily, are these stainless steel by chance or usable for mandrels?

wrong kind - thats mild steel and it rusts (ask me how i know 8-[ )

you want 316 welding rod with no flux (slag), its readily available

[Alaska]

Your welding shop supplier should have stainless steel TIG filler rod. It comes in a variety of alloys. Used 309, but any alloy will work fine for lampworking. As stated, it comes in 3 foot lengths and is sold by the pound. The last batch cost $7.48 per pound for 1/8 inch filler rod. Air Liquide and AirGas are both welding supply shops. There are most likely others in your area.

If you are looking for 3/16 or 1/4 inch try your local steel supplier. There stock will mostly likely be type 304 SS and it comes in 12 foot lengths. Cost for 3/16 is $4.48 and for 1/4 at $6.32.

[Mopnglo]

the rods that have the "slag" coating on them that you find in lowes (you can buy about 30 of them for pretty cheap) by the small "do-it-yourself-er" welding machines. i know this slag can come off quite easily, are these stainless steel by chance or usable for mandrels?

These are usable mandrels. I found some 3/16 coated welding rods in my husbands welding supplies. I wanted to make beads to fit Pandora without ordering them because I don't make them often. I just took a hammer and pounded gently down the length of the rod to remove the slag. Then took a scotch bright and made sure all of the slag was off. They will rust a bit but I just keep the rust off with the scotch bright. I've been using these mandrels for about a year and they are still fine. I don't use them often so I can't comment on how they hold up to regular use but for a "every once in a while" they are fine.

[maren]

I got quoted $21/lb for 1/8" and 1/16" (which is all they have here) 316L.
If you want to go that way, check the prices.

Are all the coated ones non-stainless? - I can't use non-stainless here because of the ocean, volcano, humidity and warm weather. -

Thanks for the tip about using a hammer. I read on the 'net that you can wash it off. Is that not so?

[Mopnglo]

I read on the 'net that you can wash it off. Is that not so?

I'm not really sure. It didn't even cross my mind to try to wash it. The ones I had, had a pretty thick coating so I just took a hammer and it all came off that way except for a little residue. I did wet the mandrel after and used the scotch bright thing. (I think that's what they are called?)

I'm really not sure what the metal part is made of. I just seen a mandrel in the size I needed and used it without thought to the content but it does work for what I need it to do.

[Gham]

Thanks everyone for posting suggestions. I appreciate your help. I feel much better now about walking into the welding shop. :)

[squid]

One last thing - it's called TIG and it's pronounced as tig - rhymes with twig, not Tee-Eye-Gee. I would go in and as for 316L or 308L TIG - they should know exactly what you are talking about and you won't feel like a doof :)

[maren]

Thanks Terri and squidly. I'll have a look at Home Depot the next time I go there, but I asked a guy there yesterday and he said they didn't have stainless. I think for me it's HoWaCo or the bead box man. - Well, and I haven't called Air Liquide yet. Maybe they have it and don't ask an arm and a leg for it. GasPro/Air Gas isn't a place we normally go, because they are so expensive. -

[tammydownunder]

Another great thing to buy at the welding shop is tungsten to make your own tungsten pick and Chem-Sharp. One rod is long enough to make two picks. To cut the tungsten, I used my dremel with the saw blade attachment with the tungsten in the vice. You need to buy a handle or pin vice or, if you're cheap like me, a dowel stick and drill a hole and glue in the tungsten using and A & B epoxy.

Now comes the fun part. Heat up the end of the tungsten and dip it into the Chem-Sharp. Keep on plunging it in until the tungsten stops glowing. Dip into water and heat again and plunge again. Continue doing this until you get a nice sharp point.

[MerryFool]

I'm envious of any who have access to a welding shop. I haven't found one near me yet. :(

[maren]

I'm envious of any who have access to a welding shop. I haven't found one near me yet. :(

They aren't necessarily an advantage. Around here they're asking $21/lb 316L, that's 8 3' rods, or 24 12" mandrels. That's almost $1/mandrel. I think 1/16" is a better deal, but I'd like 3/32" and they don't even have it. :(

[PerfectDeb]

i bought some on saturday, the shop was packed solid with buffy workman type guys and here is me asking for stainless welding rod and a bottle of oxy - you would think an alien had walked in:rolleyes:

the guy asked me what i wanted it for, so i explained. some guy behind me laughed and said "you cant melt glass with a torch love, that would have to be like 1000deg , it would explode everywhere" i explained that i'd been doing it for more than a year and showed him beads that i have floating around in the bottom of my handbag, he said "bullshit, thats plastic"

so now i have a play date with a nice welding dude to show him lampworking and if i can show him that i can actually melt glass with an oxy/propane torch he's going to weld me a frame for my kiln - he thinks his bet is safe:cool:

[glasslass2]

And I thought the only places to meet buff guys was at the gym or the produce section of my grocery store. Welding shop, who knew?:lol:

[Bakerman44]

i wonder if i can meet any girls in the welding shop? im 25/m!

[squid]

i bought some on saturday, the shop was packed solid with buffy workman type guys and here is me asking for stainless welding rod and a bottle of oxy - you would think an alien had walked in:rolleyes:

the guy asked me what i wanted it for, so i explained. some guy behind me laughed and said "you cant melt glass with a torch love, that would have to be like 1000deg , it would explode everywhere" i explained that i'd been doing it for more than a year and showed him beads that i have floating around in the bottom of my handbag, he said "bullshit, thats plastic"

so now i have a play date with a nice welding dude to show him lampworking and if i can show him that i can actually melt glass with an oxy/propane torch he's going to weld me a frame for my kiln - he thinks his bet is safe:cool:

You might also want to explain to said buffy workman type that it's not 1000 degrees - it's more like 1500 degree. :p

[squid]

They aren't necessarily an advantage. Around here they're asking $21/lb 316L, that's 8 3' rods, or 24 12" mandrels. That's almost $1/mandrel. I think 1/16" is a better deal, but I'd like 3/32" and they don't even have it. :(

Wow, that is high. Is it still cheaper to make your own?

[Dale M.]

I'm envious of any who have access to a welding shop. I haven't found one near me yet. :(

Try yellow pages... Gas suppliers, Welding supplies.. Commercial welding supplies...

Also there is various online welding supply sources..... Just be sure of wire diameter and that its TIG filler rod ... Either 308L- 309L or 316L...

The site below is for example only, I have never done any business with them.... For their selection of filler rods (in diameter) check "drop downs"...

Welding Depot- SS Filler Rod (http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/scan/fi=products/st=db/sp=results/co=1/sf=category/se=Stainless%20Steel%20Weld%20Wire/op=eq/nu=0/bs=1/ml=20/tf=description/to=x/se=1/sf=inactive/op=ne/sf=tax_category/se=1/op=eq/va=banner_text=/va=banner_image=.html)

You will want ROD not spool...

Dale

[Dale M.]

You might also want to explain to said buffy workman type that it's not 1000 degrees - it's more like 1500 degree. :p

And flame is actually almost as hot as his oxy/acetylene systems....5500° f.

Dale

[Dale M.]

They aren't necessarily an advantage. Around here they're asking $21/lb 316L, that's 8 3' rods, or 24 12" mandrels. That's almost $1/mandrel. I think 1/16" is a better deal, but I'd like 3/32" and they don't even have it. :(

You also have to consider the little rock you are on.... Everything comes in by air or sea....

Dale

[EileenGlass]

I am so glad I came upon this thread. I never would have thaught of this. My hubby on the other hand may not be so pleased as this will be added to my long Honey Do list.

[houptdavid]

so now i have a play date with a nice welding dude to show him lampworking and if i can show him that i can actually melt glass with an oxy/propane torch he's going to weld me a frame for my kiln - he thinks his bet is safe:cool:

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D> :lol:

[PerfectDeb]

You might also want to explain to said buffy workman type that it's not 1000 degrees - it's more like 1500 degree. :p

we are talking celcius - but he was being condescending and chauvinistic.

[BellaBean]

I ordered some pre-cut stainless steel rods from speedymetals.com They will cut them to whatever length you want. They were much more reasonably priced than the mandrels from my local glass shop. (They were about 1/5 of the cost.) The shipping was great. I ordered on a Friday afternoon and had them Tuesday morning. They ship anywhere, so they might be a nice option for those of you with no welding shop near by.

[maren]

Wow, that is high. Is it still cheaper to make your own?

Nope. Most definitely not, not even not counting the work I have to put in. Got some on the way from the bead box man. Hope they get here by the weekend :)

You also have to consider the little rock you are on.... Everything comes in by air or sea....

Not so little - well, of course if you compare it to the rock you're sitting on it is.
And, on this side of the island we at least have welding shops.

[emberfox]

Hi,
I am learning how to weld at a tech college and am also interested in making glass beads. I was searching this forum about using an oxy-acetelyne torch for lampwork. Would it work or would the flames be too hot?

I would eventually like to do both metal work and glass work and it seemed to me that a oxy-acetalyne torch could do both metal cutting and glass melting. Has anyone tried it or heard if it would work?


i wonder if i can meet any girls in the welding shop? im 25/m!

:waving: In answer to your question.. sure you can. But we are a rare breed (25/f here). In my school there are only two other women in the entire welding program and most pictures I see of other college programs around the country only have one or two women in the class. I think I heard statics that around 5%-10% of welders in the USA today are women.

[lbowman1]

I'm surrounded by welding shops and I'm still ordering all my stuff online because it's cheaper. National Welders and the like are charging so much for regulators that they must be made out of solid gold. Mountain Glass has their prices beat by about 1/3 and I saved even more by buying used ones here. Makes me wonder if those "professional welders" are upping the prices because I'm female.

Oh btw I've been told (but not at welding shops) that there is nothing hotter than a woman with her own power tools and a torch!

Lori

[Dale M.]

Hi,
I am learning how to weld at a tech college and am also interested in making glass beads. I was searching this forum about using an oxy-acetelyne torch for lampwork. Would it work or would the flames be too hot?

I would eventually like to do both metal work and glass work and it seemed to me that a oxy-acetalyne torch could do both metal cutting and glass melting. Has anyone tried it or heard if it would work?




:waving: In answer to your question.. sure you can. But we are a rare breed (25/f here). In my school there are only two other women in the entire welding program and most pictures I see of other college programs around the country only have one or two women in the class. I think I heard statics that around 5%-10% of welders in the USA today are women.

You can use the oxy/acetylene torch BUT acetylene burns really dirty (lots of soot in glass) and is not a good fuel.... Using the oxy/acetylene torch with cleaner burning PROPANE as a fuel is a vary viable solution....

Only restrictions are physical, that being flame size you can create with different torch tips....

Most lamp workers have moved away from premix (welding) torches to bigger softer flame surface mix torches...

Dale

[dragonfly designs 56]

is this called flexshield or something?

[emberfox]

I'm surrounded by welding shops and I'm still ordering all my stuff online because it's cheaper. National Welders and the like are charging so much for regulators that they must be made out of solid gold. Mountain Glass has their prices beat by about 1/3 and I saved even more by buying used ones here. Makes me wonder if those "professional welders" are upping the prices because I'm female.

Oh btw I've been told (but not at welding shops) that there is nothing hotter than a woman with her own power tools and a torch!

Lori

Haha! Yes, I tend to buy all my welding gear online for the same reason. It's cheaper and I feel less intimidated.

[emberfox]

You can use the oxy/acetylene torch BUT acetylene burns really dirty (lots of soot in glass) and is not a good fuel.... Using the oxy/acetylene torch with cleaner burning PROPANE as a fuel is a vary viable solution....

Only restrictions are physical, that being flame size you can create with different torch tips....

Most lamp workers have moved away from premix (welding) torches to bigger softer flame surface mix torches...

Dale

Oh! Good to know. Thanks :)

[The bead box man]

Quick primer for a guy that spends about $200 a month on tig rods.

Two grades of steel at most shops. 316 and 308. 316 is a little better and runs a little more a pound. You should ask for cut length stainless steel tig rods 316L. It comes in 10 pound boxes or tubes. There are two common types of rods those that are inscribed with the steel quality and those that have the grade pressed into the end or ends of the rods (what I call crimped rods) Prices vary markedly from shop to shop and month to month. Lately I have been paying 7 to 9.50 a pound. I have been quoted as much as $16 a pound at the same time my usual shop was selling it for half that amount. It usually costs more if you ask them to sell you part of a box. Most shops have 316L in 1/16, 3/32 and 1/8. They may be willing to order other sizes. They looked at me like I was nuts when I asked for 5/64. They were able to order it for me but I had to take all 10 pounds and prepay and pay about 1.5 times what the usual sizes cost me per pound. They may also have the same in a coppery looking metal and aluminum as well. Once you have them they can be a pain in the butt to cut to size. I use a grinder. You must wear eye protection when cutting them even if just using wire cutters. The 1/16 you may be able to cut with wire cutters. It is hard to cut them with wire cutters without bending the rods. On a grinder use a cutoff wheel. I prefer 0.035 or 0.040 thick wheels. I love even thinner ones but you can burn through a 6 inch wheel with just a few sets of cuts. When you cut them you will get rough ends that need to be ground smooth. The cut ends will be very hot fresh off the grinder and can burn you or anything else they touch. It is a bit messy as well.

Finally, Maren thanks for the kind words

[Alaska]

Check your local steel supply shop. They may have the larger sizes of stainless rod in 3/16 and 1/4 for larger mandrel needs. Our local supplier has 304 SS in 12 foot lengths.

Just another option for those looking.

[mary1_$]

I looked at their site and they sell the 316L 12 in.for $1.08 + shipping. Where I live that's a high price. Some people on LE beat that price in garage sale. But be ware some dont use good rods. But I have bought very good ones here in the past.Post a want in garage sale and see what you find.Lovies Mary



I ordered some pre-cut stainless steel rods from speedymetals.com They will cut them to whatever length you want. They were much more reasonably priced than the mandrels from my local glass shop. (They were about 1/5 of the cost.) The shipping was great. I ordered on a Friday afternoon and had them Tuesday morning. They ship anywhere, so they might be a nice option for those of you with no welding shop near by.

[The bead box man]

I looked at their site and they sell the 316L 12 in.for $1.08 + shipping. Where I live that's a high price. Some people on LE beat that price in garage sale. But be ware some dont use good rods. But I have bought very good ones here in the past.Post a want in garage sale and see what you find.Lovies Mary

was that for 5/64"?
For 5/64 316 I offer all of these in 316L for $10 + $5 postage in my etsy shop every day.
Option A: 40 9" half of them will have a crimp on one end
Option B: 30 12" 2/3 will have a crimp on one end
Option C: 30 10.5" no crimps
Option D: 20 12" no crimps and 10 9" no crimps.

[The bead box man]

I'm surrounded by welding shops and I'm still ordering all my stuff online because it's cheaper. National Welders and the like are charging so much for regulators that they must be made out of solid gold. Mountain Glass has their prices beat by about 1/3 and I saved even more by buying used ones here. Makes me wonder if those "professional welders" are upping the prices because I'm female.

Oh btw I've been told (but not at welding shops) that there is nothing hotter than a woman with her own power tools and a torch!

Lori

Most weld shops I have used have different pricing for their regular customers vs someone that just walks in and does not have an account with them. It can be a very large difference.

[tammydownunder]

Most weld shops I have used have different pricing for their regular customers vs someone that just walks in and does not have an account with them. It can be a very large difference.


We usually do a bulk buy and when I walk in the door with cash in my hand, the guy gives me a great discount. He said the reason why is he doesn't have to chase me like some customers with a bill, postage, 2nd and sometimes 3rd notices.

With a decent $20 bolt cutter, I can cut through 1.6mm and 2.4mm. 3.2's I have to pull out the grinder. So guess who doesn't use 3.2s?

If I am using cz's, I cut off the crimped end and use that to attach my cz's. It works great without haven't to waste anything.