Do I belong here?

[CITIZEN F16]

Everyone belongs here if they are willing to learn...a lot of the older members have stopped willing to learn or teach and would rather piss and moan about things that they don't even have to look at.

I think I qualify as an old geezer as I am in my 60's. The problem is what I am willing to learn now a days is mostly useless to me. My technical skills on CNC machine repair ends at the circuit board. I studied board level technology ages ago and it did not stick. It seems there are extremely bright people on that subject right here, but they are useless to me. A welding torch, buzz box stick, propane torch or a soldering iron has always been a weapon in my hands. If you think I am lying I will post pictures of the mess I made sweating copper pipes together when I put in a new water heater. I insulated the pipes to cover it up, ha,ha. If someone told me, just replace that capacitor in the lower right corner that is leaking. I will pull it and pay an expert $1000 to fix it.

I have no problem helping people when I can. I think another issue here is people who behave differently anonymously behind a keyboard than in person. I am the same guy typing on the internet or talking in person.
I think there are a few Pewee Herman types pretending to be Chuck Norris hiding behind a keyboard.

 

[plastikdreams]

I think I qualify as an old geezer as I am in my 60's. The problem is what I am willing to learn now a days is mostly useless to me. My technical skills on CNC machine repair ends at the circuit board. I studied board level technology ages ago and it did not stick. It seems there are extremely bright people on that subject right here, but they are useless to me. A welding torch, buzz box stick, propane torch or a soldering iron has always been a weapon in my hands. If you think I am lying I will post pictures of the mess I made sweating copper pipes together when I put in a new water heater. I insulated the pipes to cover it up, ha,ha. If someone told me, just replace that capacitor in the lower right corner that is leaking. I will pull it and pay an expert $1000 to fix it.

I have no problem helping people when I can. I think another issue here is people who behave differently anonymously behind a keyboard than in person. I am the same guy typing on the internet or talking in person.
I think there are a few Pewee Herman types pretending to be Chuck Norris hiding behind a keyboard.

I hear ya...in my travels I've run across those who are more than willing to give you all the help you need, and those that are willing to do all they can to make life hell.

I've also learned when to turn and walk away and when to tell someone e x a c t l y where to go...on the internet and in person. I haven't mastered walking away yet lol.

 

[52 Ford]

I think I qualify as an old geezer as I am in my 60's. The problem is what I am willing to learn now a days is mostly useless to me. My technical skills on CNC machine repair ends at the circuit board. I studied board level technology ages ago and it did not stick. It seems there are extremely bright people on that subject right here, but they are useless to me. A welding torch, buzz box stick, propane torch or a soldering iron has always been a weapon in my hands. If you think I am lying I will post pictures of the mess I made sweating copper pipes together when I put in a new water heater. I insulated the pipes to cover it up, ha,ha. If someone told me, just replace that capacitor in the lower right corner that is leaking. I will pull it and pay an expert $1000 to fix it.

I have no problem helping people when I can. I think another issue here is people who behave differently anonymously behind a keyboard than in person. I am the same guy typing on the internet or talking in person.
I think there are a few Pewee Herman types pretending to be Chuck Norris hiding behind a keyboard.

Yep. Easy to hide behind a keyboard, that's for sure.

When you're sweating pipes, keep a damp rag with you. Sweat the pipe, THEN wipe the joint off with the rag. Takes all the excess off and makes the joints look all clean and purdy.

 

[CITIZEN F16]

Yep. Easy to hide behind a keyboard, that's for sure.

When you're sweating pipes, keep a damp rag with you. Sweat the pipe, THEN wipe the joint off with the rag. Takes all the excess off and makes the joints look all clean and purdy.

Thanks for the advice, but I think most of my soldering or welding is going to look like projectile vomit, no matter what. No matter how hard I try. I never had the hands of a piano player or brain surgeon, and probably made them worse with too many heavy bag work outs. That is what my orthopedic doctor says has probably caused my carpal tunnel hand issues. Not to worry I am self employed and will keep soldiering on the best I can.

I think welding and soldering is just like art, and I could never even draw a good stick man with a quarter and a ruler. Unlike many people these days I admire those that are good at what I suck at.

 

[Mark P.]

Some can be a bit abrasive on here. As my dad always told me, consider the source. Shrug it off. There are plenty of really bright people on here willing to help. I've got 30+ years of machining experience and try to offer what little I know. I walked away from machining and pursued a different path recently....but I still see myself curious as to how our products (Medical) are manufactured.

 

[plastikdreams]

Some can be a bit abrasive on here. As my dad always told me, consider the source. Shrug it off. There are plenty of really bright people on here willing to help. I've got 30+ years of machining experience and try to offer what little I know. I walked away from machining and pursued a different path recently....but I still see myself curious as to how our products (Medical) are manufactured.

The problem is, the minority of abrasive people are grinding away at new members (see what I did there)...I enjoy helping people, it's why I'm a fire captain and also a nationally certified fire instructor. Everyone learns differently and to be an effective instructor you need to know how to adjust so that everyone is able to learn. It makes me cringe when I see guys on here jump on people, especially knowing how much knowledge they have to share.

I started a thread on here recently on making a separate section for people new to the trade or hobbiests. It garnered some interesting responses. It may have also ruffled a few feathers, but that's gonna happen sometimes.

 

[Brian.M]

The problem is, the minority of abrasive people are grinding away at new members (see what I did there)...

That's kinda where I was coming from. The few times I have posted I had people give good advice but also some tell me what I made looked like shit without giving any advice as how to improve. I can take criticism, but I feel like its just common decency for it to be constructive.

 

[Mark P.]

Looking back, I realize how lucky I was. My dad taught me everything I know. We never got along great when I lived at home BUT he was the absolute most patient, positive and knowledgeable teacher I could have ever had coming into a profession I knew zero about. That in itself instilled a passion and pride which I brought to work every day for 33 years. Treating people like garbage will get you nowhere.

 

[EmanuelGoldstein]

I think welding and soldering is just like art, and I could never even draw a good stick man with a quarter and a ruler. Unlike many people these days I admire those that are good at what I suck at.

Citizen, if I can do it you can do it. Clean. All soldering, clean clean clean. If the pipes are in the house, make sure there's no water in them, doesn't matter if it is two floors away, it'll suck up your heat and screw the job. Drain them. Flux, they say don't use the acid kind it'll eat the joint in twenty years, okay, but still, use some sort of flux. It's part of that clean thing. Silver solder works a lot better than the cheap stuff, holds up under 250 psi steam so I like it but if you're a cheapskate, can try the crappy kind, will still melt nice.

Stick the joint together, heat it up with the propane torch, then touch the solder to an edge of the joint, it will suck right in and flow all around inside. Done. And looks pretty.

I'm guessing you're not doing the clean clean clean thing, maybe not getting the adjacent piping dry, probably using crap solder, no flux, and maybe not giving it enough heat. But them's the only ways you can screw up a copper pipe solder joint. It's actually easy.

Go practice, you'll see.

 

[kustomizer]

everything is easy, once you know how

 

[steve45]

Welcome aboard, Brian.M!

Contrary to legend, there ARE such things as dumb questions. A dumb question is one in which you could have easily found the answer yourself by doing a brief search. As others have mentioned, do a search for an answer before asking a simple question for the 100th time.

I was surprised a couple of years ago when I asked a question about machining bronze. I thought I must be an idiot to be having so much trouble, and expected to receive the wrath of people here, but I learned that bronze can be very difficult to machine. (I was cutting grooves and drilling small holes). And I got some tips that solved my problem.

 

[eKretz]

Citizen, if I can do it you can do it. Clean. All soldering, clean clean clean. If the pipes are in the house, make sure there's no water in them, doesn't matter if it is two floors away, it'll suck up your heat and screw the job. Drain them. Flux, they say don't use the acid kind it'll eat the joint in twenty years, okay, but still, use some sort of flux. It's part of that clean thing. Silver solder works a lot better than the cheap stuff, holds up under 250 psi steam so I like it but if you're a cheapskate, can try the crappy kind, will still melt nice.

Stick the joint together, heat it up with the propane torch, then touch the solder to an edge of the joint, it will suck right in and flow all around inside. Done. And looks pretty.

I'm guessing you're not doing the clean clean clean thing, maybe not getting the adjacent piping dry, probably using crap solder, no flux, and maybe not giving it enough heat. But them's the only ways you can screw up a copper pipe solder joint. It's actually easy.

Go practice, you'll see.

The only thing I'd add to that otherwise good overview is to bring the heat up slowly and test by periodically bumping the solder into the pipe at the joint. Once it melts, feather the heat. Walk around the joint once and add just a little more heat (a second or two is plenty) for good measure. Give it a quick wipe 'round with a wet cloth as mentioned earlier and et voila.

Oh and you can screw it up by overheating too. Don't do that. Once the solder melts well, don't add a lot more heat.

 

[Brian.M]

Welcome aboard, Brian.M!

Contrary to legend, there ARE such things as dumb questions. A dumb question is one in which you could have easily found the answer yourself by doing a brief search. As others have mentioned, do a search for an answer before asking a simple question for the 100th time.

I was surprised a couple of years ago when I asked a question about machining bronze. I thought I must be an idiot to be having so much trouble, and expected to receive the wrath of people here, but I learned that bronze can be very difficult to machine. (I was cutting grooves and drilling small holes). And I got some tips that solved my problem.

I do try and avoid simple questions, there are alot of good videos (I find Joe Pieczynski particularly helpful) on YouTube. I also try and search Google for PM threads and find many answers.

 

[projectnut]

Not sure where I fit in, am I the dreaded "home shop Harry" or amateur? Im not a full time machinist, but as an industrial Mechanic I make alot of parts for machines, as well as modifying production parts. I am relatively new to machining, 4 years or so and completely self taught; SB lathe, Bridgeport and Kent surface grinder.

I've found alot of helpful information here, but when I've posted I've gotten not much help, and some smart ass answers.

Do I not belong here, or have I just had bad luck on here?

As mentioned it's best to have thick skin. There are plenty of helpful people on this board, and a few that like to stir the pot. Even those that stir the pot are willing to provide helpful answers from time to time.

Starting on this board kind of reminded me of my first day in a machine shop. A grumpy old guy came up to me, stood toe to toe, blew some cigarette smoke in my face and made the comment, "We took a pole of all the guys in the shop, and we decided we didn't want you here". I calmly stood there looked him in the eye and replied, "I guess I'm lucky it wasn't your decision to make".

All he was really doing was testing me to see if I would cower and retreat, hold my ground, or explode. Just the fact that I didn't explode or run away told him I was there to stay and I could handle whatever came along. In the long run things worked out fine. I became good friends with everyone. We all shared ideas and worked closely together for another 20 years. If I had gotten offended or intolerant I would have missed out on the best 20+ years of my career, and never met a hundred or more people that would become good friends.

 

[Bill D]

My answer to soldering is to get some old solder with lead in it to learn with. The new improved lead free solder does not wet well and is very limited in temperature where it works. easy to get too hot or too cold with a very narrow working? range. If I was learning to solder with the lead free stuff I probably would never have learned to do it right.
Bill D.

 

[CITIZEN F16]

Thanks for the soldering advice, I have solved the issue of sweating copper pipes together by re-plumbing the house with PEX.

 

[DMF_TomB]

Not sure where I fit in, am I the dreaded "home shop Harry" or amateur? Im not a full time machinist, but as an industrial Mechanic I make alot of parts for machines, as well as modifying production parts. I am relatively new to machining, 4 years or so and completely self taught; SB lathe, Bridgeport and Kent surface grinder.

I've found alot of helpful information here, but when I've posted I've gotten not much help, and some smart ass answers.

Do I not belong here, or have I just had bad luck on here?

.
i started as a millwright or field machinist 20 years, 12 years as maintenance machinist or industrial mechanic
and made many (over 3000) parts for fixing or improving machines, also took cnc night school classes and been a
cnc operator about 9 years (some programming but 99% just a operator) in 9 years machined
about 3000 tons of parts.
.
I started as a apprentice and obviously learned from the more senior experienced machinist.
Its usually ok to ask questions, just have to realize not everybody is as helpful or nice.
some having personal problems at home or just plain grumpy people.... I find asking old timers
usually is worth it, it might take some time to understand their reasons or beliefs. Many times you might
be stuck figuring out something, maybe its in 2000 pages of the manuals on a machine and it could
take hours or days or longer to figure it out or a old timer can give you a answer in a few minutes.
.
Many places have CAGS or corrective action guidelines. if machine not working you look up problem and see the
recommended things to try to get machine going again. still its often easier to see something done by a old
timer rather than read about it. I often write what I learn down so as to not ask the same questions later.
Work instructions or Procedures whether fixing a machine or running a machine are often worth creating or updating.
some times terms or words used are not universal it helpful to "translate" it to something more understandable.

 

[EmanuelGoldstein]

I have solved the issue of sweating copper pipes together by re-plumbing the house with PEX.

That's a "solution" that may turn out not to be

Some friends redid an older small house when they bought it. Moved everything around, replumbed with that great modern stuff. A few weeks ago there was a cold spell and a leak appeared. Went under the house to fix it (3' crawl space), couldn't get at it, cold, nasty, we're old, to heck with it, call the plumber.

He found 18 places where rodents - field mice, bunnies, opossums, raccoons, who knows what - had chewed on that wonderful modern "solution".

Now what ? Keep poison under there all the time and kill anything that moves, possibly including the dogs or the neighbor's cats ?

Modern shmodern. Pex sucks.

 

[Scottl]

There are some here who get off on being A******s to newcomers. Ignore them and look at the advice from those who try to help.

As long as you are not asking about crap like Asian 7 x 10 lathes or their big brothers and don't have a chip on your shoulder you should be fine. If you are not getting good responses either your questions are too general or vaguely worded. Look at threads where they get good responses and you'll get a hint of how to ask.

 

[JS]

I would say yes, hell they've put up me for a while now....