This is Jack's complete frustration.

"Josh Welton" (watchtheprettylight)
12/09/2013 at 23:05 • Filed to: weldopnik, surgery, welding, fabrication

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I was hoping to be back to doing what I do last week. Unfortunately the surgeries I had on my ECU tendon/sheaths didn't result in functioning wrists. Went to the doc for my "last" post-op last Thursday and he confirmed my fears. The left side is still a mess, I'll need at least one more operation on it. Or more "slicey slicey fixxie fixxie" as my wife so eloquently puts it. The right side seems to be healing ok, although slowly. How the right side progresses will determine the course of action on the left.

So...another 4 to 7 months of Netflix, Norco, and Jalopnik.

If there's any interest in it I may try to compile a bunch of Q & As about welding and fabrication. I've done a couple just from questions I get all the time, but if you've got anything beyond that feel free to ask. No promises, but it's probably going to be more writing or finally succumbing to insanity. Or both.

DISCUSSION (11)

Carbyne > Josh Welton
12/09/2013 at 23:38

Ouch sorry to hear that. Wish you the best in your recovery and keeping your sanity.
Just out of curiousity, you wouldn't happen to have any recommendations on welding or fabrication shops in southeastern Ohio would you? Mainly just getting tube frames cut, welded, and such.

Josh Welton > Carbyne
12/09/2013 at 23:48

Not off the top of my head, no. My friend Jo Kerr has a shop near Indy, as does Tom Pastis. Josh Shaw is in Cincy, he focuses on old race car restorations but is a killer fab guy.

Carbyne > Josh Welton
12/09/2013 at 23:53

Cool, thanks!

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Josh Welton
12/10/2013 at 02:09

Just wanted to say, "Jo Kerr" is a freakin awesome name.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Josh Welton
12/10/2013 at 06:54

Bugger. My sympathies.

What happened to it?

Stef Schrader > Josh Welton
12/10/2013 at 09:24

Feel better soon. :o(

Josh Welton > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire
12/10/2013 at 17:33

Yeah it is lol. He does bad ass work too, and the stuff he builds gets driven. Every year he drives one or two of his cars up to the Detroit Autorama, the last two years it's been pretty brutal weather. Check out his site: http://www.jokerrfab.com/main.htm

Josh Welton > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
12/10/2013 at 17:38

Genetics. Usually this type of "injury" occurs in a freak athletic trauma...I know a few MLB players have had it and my therapist said she's seen gymnasts have it happen when the break a wrist in a fall. But neither my doc nor therapist had ever seen it in both sides, nor had they ever seen it without an injury like a broken wrist to cause it. I've had the symptoms forever, but the pain/restriction increased dramatically the last 2 years. The theory is that a groove in my Ulna bone isn't deep enough to hold the tendon/sheath in place. After years of stretching the sheath tore, and now the tendon is so stretched that it doesn't want to stay in place.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Josh Welton
12/10/2013 at 18:31

Ouch. Things like this scare the shit out of me.

I hope it all gets sorted :)

Welding-wise, is there a technique to welding upwards? I've noticed that if I'm welding the floor of the Spit I have to get really close to the surface to get a weld that doesn't splutter. It seems like the shielding gas is heavier than air or something so it just drops downwards away from the weld.

Josh Welton > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
12/10/2013 at 20:24

There are different techniques based on position and process, yes. I'm assuming you're mig welding. Not all shielding gasses are heavier than air, but 75/25 is. If you feel gas coverage is an issue, play with the flow rate. It could be too high(which would disturb the arc), or it could be too low(which wouldn't give the puddle enough protection from the atmosphere). Also check your surroundings....despite it being "heavier than air" it's not by much. The slightest amount of air flow can mess you up.

Technique is all about practice. Typically if you're welding vertically you want to travel "up." You probably won't use the same wire feed and voltage settings you would for horizontal or flat welding. Chances are you'll turn both the heat and the feed down a bit. If you're burning through, use a "whip" motion: direct the arc up above the puddle to let it cool for a split moment before pointing the wire back into the leading edge of the puddle. If you're welding sheetmetal, you can *probably* get away with welding down with mig. There's not the same potential for penetration mig welding down, but that isn't as important on sheet and going down is so easy it's pretty much like cheating.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Josh Welton
12/10/2013 at 20:33

Thanks for the help man :) I'll have a go at that. Hopefully it'll look a little less ugly.