Slow progress lately but I got some new tools!

[montanafordman]

As a thirty something year old life has been pretty busy lately so my Model A progress has stalled, but I did save enough money to get some tools to eventually get me going again! Some of them arrived today! During our spring swap meet I garnered enough money to fund most of a new mig welder, and I just traded some stuff on eBay for some quality hammers and dollies! I bought the HF set and promptly got rid of it. There is no comparison to some good US made hammers and dollies. I also got "The Key to Metal Bumping" book which has a lot of good stuff in it. I would love to have bought a TIG welder and worked on my path to FLOP style enlightenment but a MIG welder is much more in the budget. I have been reading up on a lot of technique and have seen good results with MIG though so I think I can learn enough to do this job to my standards with a MIG. Sure I may upgrade later in life when I have the space and funds but this keeps me going for now.

No worries, I have a long way to go and a lot of practice and reading/studying before I go welding and banging away on my car but its going to be a fun learning process. As a pilot I have a natural eye for attention to detail so I'm confident the finished product will be adequate for my needs/desires/budget. It may not be a fine point car but I plan to put together a pretty nice driver and pay attention to the RG&JS while I do it. ALL the mechanicals have been gone through, now its time to make it pretty. Here are my new toys!

[brum1]

acquiring tools is a hobby in itself, great stuff

[C26Pinelake]

That is indeed a great start ! Wayne

[Jwilli]

Looking Good.

[CWilson]

Nice!

[Henry1953]

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That is a great looking job you have done on the frame and running gear. I also have a coupe that is a good driver. You will really enjoy it once it is finished. I agree the TIG welder would have been better but I have almost always managed with a MIG welder myself. The price difference decided for me as well.

[CarlG]

Owning a Model A is the best excuse to buy more tools

[Tom Wesenberg]

I agree, that's a great looking drivetrain, and since you won't be using it any time soon, I was thinking I could break it in for you.

[DThompson]

I had no tools when I bought my A 2 years ago. I joined the Model A club and immediately had access to just about any tool I could need! Also a wonderful pool of knowledge and always willing to help with projects

[Barber31]

I'm in the same boat as you. Thirty something year old with life slowing down my progress.
My compensation hasn't been tools but a 2 story garage. I can't wait for the paint and body to be done so I can roll it on in there.

[SeaSlugs]

Looks great! just a side note on that welder: DO NOT go cranking the wire tension anymore than absolutely necessary.

We have one or two of them at work and the wirefeed motor gearbox constantly wears out as its in a constant side load from the tensioner and its pushing on a brass bushing - no bearings in that gearbox... So it will wear out but will last as long as possible if you keep the gun cable as straight as possible and use the least amount of tension as possible. Other than that they are a great welder.

[jax55]

If the outside looks as good as the running gear, you will be very pleased with the outcome. Excellent start on the tools too, though I couldn't afford a TIG either. MIG will have to do for now.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Monty,
Whin I wuz 30-something, it wuz like the song, "THAT'S WHERE MY MONEY GOES, TO BUY MY BABIES' CLOTHES, I BUY HER EVERYTHING TO KEEP HER IN STYLE------------------"
NOW I'm single & too old (79 1/3)to use the crap I buy! Just "stole" a 60 gallon compressor for $300. I'll hook it up to my smaller compressor & have 81 1/2 gallons & I'll SELL air! (HOT AIR IS FOR FREE!)
Gotta' go, think I hurd the UPS truck, I hurd by the GRAPEVINE thet sum ADMIRER is sendin' me 4 BRAND NEW 3-X sparkling plugs!!!
Fast Bill W.

[montanafordman]

Ha! Bill, at my age I have some hot air too! Only 29 gallons worth though. Its cast iron, oiled and keeps up OK with grinding and sanding though (could be better), and I don't need to worry about feeding a blasting cabinet because I don't have one. Does the hot air capacity automatically increase with age or wisdom? I guess that will be on the long term wish list too.. Good thing I have local friends that have plenty! hehe

[1931 flamingo]

Isn't it nice to have HAD money??
Paul in CT

[37Benny]

Originally Posted by montanafordman

As a thirty something year old life has been pretty busy lately so my Model A progress has stalled, but I did save enough money to get some tools to eventually get me going again! Some of them arrived today! During our spring swap meet I garnered enough money to fund most of a new mig welder, and I just traded some stuff on eBay for some quality hammers and dollies! I bought the HF set and promptly got rid of it. There is no comparison to some good US made hammers and dollies. I also got "The Key to Metal Bumping" book which has a lot of good stuff in it. I would love to have bought a TIG welder and worked on my path to FLOP style enlightenment but a MIG welder is much more in the budget. I have been reading up on a lot of technique and have seen good results with MIG though so I think I can learn enough to do this job to my standards with a MIG. Sure I may upgrade later in life when I have the space and funds but this keeps me going for now.

No worries, I have a long way to go and a lot of practice and reading/studying before I go welding and banging away on my car but its going to be a fun learning process. As a pilot I have a natural eye for attention to detail so I'm confident the finished product will be adequate for my needs/desires/budget. It may not be a fine point car but I plan to put together a pretty nice driver and pay attention to the RG&JS while I do it. ALL the mechanicals have been gone through, now its time to make it pretty. Here are my new toys!

Good score, my view point on tools is such; you can give one guy the best tools and the best equipment and he can produce junk..then you can give another guy a claw hammer and a rock..and he can produce a million dollar finish..I'm in the same boat as you, martins are good hammers, Hobarts are good welders..just like millers but different color and cheaper, Welders are just like hammers certain hammers are for certain jobs..for car bodies mig welder will do fine..but be leave it or not when it comes to frame or anything, that I don't want to break and kill me I use my old man's buzz box and run some 6011 or 7018AC..when I was in trade school all us guys just wanted to wire feed and "Be Cool" and our instructor told us "We need to learn how to walk before we can learn how to run..you guys need to start out on that 6010/6011.."..And you know I think he's right cause when I started doing MIG I understood what was going on more. Good score, and good Luck,Benny

[montanafordman]

Originally Posted by 37Benny

Good score, my view point on tools is such; you can give one guy the best tools and the best equipment and he can produce junk..then you can give another guy a claw hammer and a rock..and he can produce a million dollar finish..I'm in the same boat as you, martins are good hammers, Hobarts are good welders..just like millers but different color and cheaper, Welders are just like hammers certain hammers are for certain jobs..for car bodies mig welder will do fine..but be leave it or not when it comes to frame or anything, that I don't want to break and kill me I use my old man's buzz box and run some 6011 or 7018AC..when I was in trade school all us guys just wanted to wire feed and "Be Cool" and our instructor told us "We need to learn how to walk before we can learn how to run..you guys need to start out on that 6010/6011.."..And you know I think he's right cause when I started doing MIG I understood what was going on more. Good score, and good Luck,Benny

Thanks Benny, Totally agree. similarly I've seen guys that can fix anything with some slip joint pliers, a hammer, and a few odds and ends from harbor freight - where some people with $20,000 worth of Snap-On tools can't fix a sandwich. Of course there is a happy medium in there somewhere and I'm looking for the balance. That is where attention to detail comes into play I guess. What good is a $600 paint gun when the surface prep and sheet metal underneath is substandard? I only plan to paint one car so its smart for me to spend that time and money on prep work or other things and not worry about using a little more paint or needing a few more hours color sanding & polishing. I want to be the guy who is picky and resourceful enough to have an impressive end result with inexpensive or basic tools, but I want good quality tools and the ability and knowledge to do most things myself, be proud of the work and enjoy the process.. Its a delicate compromise isn't it? Life is great when you have choices.

I have not welded since I was in high school and that was mostly in metal shop (too bad kids today don't have that!). Since we had an arc welder on the farm and I saw my Dad and Uncle fixing equipment with it when I was younger that's what I was most eager to learn. Gas welding in shop class was a slower process that was more difficult for me so I didn't even try to master it. In hindsight I wonder if I had spent more time gas welding that I might understand penetration and puddle flow better and apply it to arc welding. I only used a MIG back then (1999) for an afternoon and I have not welded in any form since. (college, career, life since then) I'm back at square one now but I think my past experience might help a little. I can only afford one welder so I'll focus on the MIG and sheet metal technique for now but I'm anxious to start sticking some metal together again. I'd love to get a nice old stick welder though and burn some more 6011 again one day.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Aaron,
During High School, I worked part time @ at farm shop & got a lot of puddle control, running Stoodite hard facing on crates & crates of NEW plow shares! Gov Riggs, an old time welder taught me SO much stuff that you can't learn in trade schools. He was single, lived with 3 Dogs & raised FIGHTIN' CHICKENS, ALWAYS had a 1/2 pint of whiskey in his back pocket, BUT I never saw him DRUNK! His Brother was a MILLION Dollar Rancher.
MUCH of what I know, came to me from the most unusual, colorful, KOOKY people you could imagine!!!
Bill W.

[Curt Campbell]

I am plain ol excited for you! Have fun!