Karnage Welder - who here has one?

[4BY4ADV]

I expect to get some flak, but here goes.

I’d like to get into welding, but the garage at my rental doesn’t have the power necessary to run a welder. I’ll trip breakers and I’m not prepared to buy/run a separate generator just to weld.

I also would like the ability to weld on the trail, as I go camping at remote locations and on our last Baja trip, we had to run around for hours to find a shop that could make some repairs. So a portable welder makes sense.

I like the idea of the Premier Power Welder, but in all likelihood, I won’t have my jeep on all of the trips.

Understanding that my time per session will be limited, for those that have a Karnage Welder, how difficult do you think it would be to learn to weld with it?

Coming from firearms, train with what you expect to protect yourself/hunt with. Could the same be done with the Karnage Welder?

 

[macleanflood]

Community college class perhaps?

Former military? Lots of bases have auto shops.

Got a friend with a garage and the right power?

-Mac

 

[4BY4ADV]

Problem with CC, parents garage (30 minute drive), etc, is time. I’m then limited to when someone else is available or hoping the class and my schedule match up.

Vs the ability in my own garage being able to weld here and there, between meetings one day, etc.

Maybe next year I could carve out enough time for CC classes, but I’m not so sure.

 

[bucky]

I did the CC route. They had night classes but I worked swing so the day class worked for me. The pluses are you get to use ALL their supplies, you get instant feedback, I was able to bring free practice steel home, you gain a skill for life and I still reference my text book occasionally. Everyone has the time if it’s a priority for them.

 

[Wildman]

Here's some info in this thread.

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/trail-welding-option.59300/

 

[sab]

Everyone has the time if it’s a priority for them.

Wisdom right there

 

[sab]

Learning to weld is very difficult to do "here and there, between meetings one day, etc." Yes, it can be done, but it would take ten times longer that way than to take a class and learn efficiently. It takes some technical understanding to get things right, but it also takes developing muscle memory, and with your firearms training background, you have a great analogy to the learning-to-weld process. How quickly could you go from Novice to High Master if you only shot "here and there"?

 

[macleanflood]

I did the CC route. They had night classes but I worked swing so the day class worked for me. The pluses are you get to use ALL their supplies, you get instant feedback, I was able to bring free practice steel home, you gain a skill for life and I still reference my text book occasionally. Everyone has the time if it’s a priority for them.

Also a lot of CCs will give you a certificate. And while that may not be your career of choice it's sure nice to have a fallback.

I do that a lot with volunteering. We had RVs dumped in the woods...local dump won't take them without asbestos tests...so we got certified.

I DJ on the weekends. I'm a ordained Pastafarian minister, have a food handlers card and an Oregon server card. Know how many weddings I've rescued? Can buy all the advertising you want and you'll never beat that.

Was at tractor supply the other day to get an air compressor. Went at 7 pm since they're open till 9. Come back tomorrow we don't have a forklift operator this late. Pulled up my forklift operator card on my smart phone, grabbed my hi vis vest, walked out to the yard and loaded my compressor.

-Mac

 

[macleanflood]

Here's an option too...they rent garage bays...

http://www.theheads.biz/

-Mac

 

[GregBelleville]

I DJ on the weekends. I'm a ordained Pastafarian minister

Mac is that a typo or are you smoking some of that sweet Oregon fettuccine?

 

[Wildman]

Mac is that a typo or are you smoking some of that sweet Oregon fettuccine?

https://www.spaghettimonster.org/

 

[GregBelleville]

https://www.spaghettimonster.org/

Wut... Mind blown

 

[Wildman]

Wut... Mind blown

I had to look it up...

 

[GregBelleville]

I had to look it up...

This is my favorite part:

 

[macleanflood]

 

[GregBelleville]

View attachment 534488

Should we be referring to you as Reverend Mac?

 

[DEValken]

View attachment 534488

So what kind of test is there to get ordained? Boil noodles and make decent meatballs?

I want it just for the card...

 

[DEValken]

This is hilarious:

Afterlife​

The Pastafarian conception of Heaven includes a beer volcano and a stripper (or sometimes prostitute or paint stripper) factory.[39][41] The Pastafarian Hell is similar, except that the beer is stale and the strippers have sexually transmitted diseases.[42]

 

[macleanflood]

May his noodly appendage bless you...

-Mac

 

[bucky]

Also a lot of CCs will give you a certificate. And while that may not be your career of choice it's sure nice to have a fallback.

I do that a lot with volunteering. We had RVs dumped in the woods...local dump won't take them without asbestos tests...so we got certified.

I DJ on the weekends. I'm a ordained Pastafarian minister, have a food handlers card and an Oregon server card. Know how many weddings I've rescued? Can buy all the advertising you want and you'll never beat that.

Was at tractor supply the other day to get an air compressor. Went at 7 pm since they're open till 9. Come back tomorrow we don't have a forklift operator this late. Pulled up my forklift operator card on my smart phone, grabbed my hi vis vest, walked out to the yard and loaded my compressor.

-Mac

Volunteering is something most people overlook the personal value they get from it. Many of my skills have come from just helping other people. It also gives you a chance to meet other people and form lifelong relationships. I was a Boy Scout Leader for 10 yrs and still hang out with my fellow Scout parents and weekly meet one of my Scouts who are now adults with their own families. which makes me feel old. In fact I recently help one move 2 storage sheds by pulling them into place with the TJ’s winch.

On the Karnage welder front I see that it is only rated at “100% for 15 min or when the batteries die”. That’s OK for a quick emergency repair on the trail but not much good for home shop welding. For $1K you can get a decent welding set up especially if you can find a used unit. I paid $350 for my Hobart Ironman 140 with cart and supplies including 2 tanks. I’ve since added an Hobart Ironman 240 and it’s amazing how much having the extra power and duty cycle is. Welding requires a lot of practice but it is a skill easily mastered.