Welding is the prime method of putting pieces of steel together to make sculpture. There are five major techniques used; forge welding, oxy-acetylene welding, stick welding, TIG welding, and MIG welding. If the operator is skilled, any of these techniques can produce good results in a variety of situations. Forge welding is the original technique, developed by blacksmiths thousands of years ago. It is done by bringing two pieces of steel to white heat (one can see small sparks fly off as the material begins to burn). Then quickly, while the steel is still as hot as possible, they are pounded together with the hammer. Some blacksmiths use borax flux to help keep an oxide coat from separating the two pieces, others do without. Once this skill is mastered, it can be a very efficient way to weld. It requires no additional equipment besides a forge, hammer, and anvil, and can produce welds of special beauty.
theoxy-acetylene torch is a versatile tool, good for heating, brazing, and soldering; and it usually comes with a cutting attachment which permits steel to be cut fairly easily, if roughly. It is also a hazardous piece of equipment which must be treated with proper respect. Aside from the obvious hazard of burning oneself either directly or indirectly by touching hot objects, there is the danger of setting ones studio on fire or even causing an explosion by letting the volatile gas escape. The acetylene has been known to explode spontaneously if transported in an enclosed space like a car trunk, and it shouldn't be turned up past the low range (5) on the regulator. The bright light of the flame is bad for the eyes- although not as bad as the light caused by arc welding - so the appropriate goggles must be worn. For gas welding the goggles should be shade 5; for MIG, TIG, and stick welding a shade 10. The newer gold-coated lenses afford a little more visibility for the same-rated shade. For forging and forge welding, some people use only clear safety glasses- this is a minimum requirement, but the infra-red heat can cause eye damage- it's best to use didymium or shade 3 lenses. The metal itself will "pop" when overheated, so it is also essential to wear proper protective gear, traditionally including leather clothing, gloves, and cap. Avoid wearing synthetic fabrics. They tend to melt right into the skin, causing bad burns. The new flame-retardant cotton gear is lightweight and washable, and more pleasant to wear, especially in warm weather. The showers of sparks emitted by the welding process stay hot for quite a while, so one should avoid open pockets, etc. where they can fall in next to ones skin.
The torch-welding process involves adjusting the the oxy-acetylene torch so a tiny bright inner core flame, called an "oxidizing flame" appears, then taking a plain steel rod in ones other hand and feeding it into the drops of molten metal created on either side of the seam, joining them into one advancing puddle that knits the two sides together. The torch must be moved rhythmically back and forth as it advances in order to keep the two sides molten but not so hot they pop, and the feed metal must be added just right to unify the bead without sticking to the cooling metal. Although the process is fairly simple, it takes considerable practice to master. This and all welding processes work more easily on a flat and level surface; working on vertical and overhead surfaces is considerably more challenging.
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