Completely new to welding - can't a good arc going

[malcolm]

There's a demo showing how the autodarkening helmets operate in the video on http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/thin-metal.htm It's only dark when the arc is going. The real advantage is working out where to strike the arc without everything being black. No difference during a weld.

Plasma cutting discs? It's a marketing con, though how they think you'll use them again after the con is beyond me. They are your normal thin (or ultra-thin) cutting discs and are brilliant compared to the old 3mm cutting discs. Available cheaper elsewhere.

For weld testing - it's no good unless you break it. It's when it breaks away from the weld that you know it's a good one.

For welding in a straight line can you see the weld pool and the joint it needs to follow while welding? Having your head way to the side helps a lot.

Oh, and the knee bone is connected to the... thigh bone.

 

[pointer2null]

How much are Drop saw's and any links to good values ones?

 

[cookie munsta]

yeah mate inclusionis where youget stuff that ain't weld metal in your weld so keep your metal clean of dirt oil other stuff etc, umm keep a straight line: make sure your welding helmet shade is dark enough but light enough to see whats going on as a general rule 5or 6 for gas axe, and 11 or round about for mig, like sparkey said you can use chalk, draw a straight line at the end of put a little tack so you know where to stop, centre punch a line or lightly groove with a grinder but if you can see whats going you'll do better. we all do it now and then any way i tried the other day to pump a little heat into the side of 125*125*6 RHS to try and counter a sweeping bend that i could have shot arrows like robin hood with, 700mm long and and looked like a graph or a squiggle, effective for its purpose anyway just not pretty,had a dirty lens cover.