♣Metalwork and Welding♣

T.L.E. 70

Metalworking- is the process of working with metals to create individual parts, assemblies, or large scale structures. The term covers a wide range of work from large ships and bridges to precise engine parts and delicate jewellery. It therefore includes a correspondingly wide range of skills, processes, and tools.

Metalworking is a science, art, hobby, industry and trade. Its historical roots span cultures, civilizations, and millennia. Metalworking has evolved from the discovery of smelting various ores, producing malleable and ductile metal useful for tools and adornments. Modern metalworking processes, though diverse and specialized, can be categorized as forming, cutting or joining processes. Today's machine shop includes a number of machine tools capable of creating a precise, useful workpiece.

♣Metalworking Handtools♣

Calipers-are measuring devices typically employed by Engineers to determine distance between two opposing sides. Different types of Caliper exist to measure in different situations, inside and outside of a tube for example.

Deburring Cutters-are ideal for deburring holes which have been drilled into steel. Deburring Cutters are used by engineers and metalworkers alike.

Metric Die Nuts- are an Engineers hand tool designed for cutting a thread onto a preformed cylindrical rod. Tap and Die Nuts allow for the rod to take on the function of a bolt once it has been threaded.

Edge Finders- are an Engineering tool used for finding the edge of pieces of metal, when put into the chuck of a machine tool.

Hand Reamers -are ideal for making holes more accurate dimensionally and also improve the quality of the surface. Reamers are a key machining and engineering tool and used by metalworkers and engineers alike.

Hole Punch Keys -are Hexagon Keys designed specifically for Q.Max Hole Punches.

Silver Steel- is used as tooling steel; it is supplied in centre-less round bars. Silver Steel is much like carbon steel; however, it usually contains small amounts of chromium, which improves the wear resistance of the metal.

Vernier Gauges- are ideal for measuring the distance between parallel sides. Vernier Callipers clamp onto the item which is being measured and can therefore give an accurate reading of its dimensions on the ruled distance found along the bar.

Screw Extractors -are ideal for removing broken bolts and screws. Screw Extractors are inserted into the drilled hole and have a tapered thread so that extraction of the screw becomes easier.

Locking Clamps- are used for binding and holding metal together. Locking Clamps lock into place to that it allows for a hands free clamp making work far easier.

Feeler Gauges -are use to measure gap-widths. They are used by engineers to measure the clearance between two parts.

Welding- is a fabrication or sculptural process that joins materials, usually meatls or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence. This is often done by melting the workpieces and adding a filler material to form a pool of molten material 'weld pool' that cools to become a strong joint, with pressure sometimes used in conjunction with heat, or by itself, to produce the weld. This is in contrast with soldering and brazing, which involve melting a lower-melting-point material between the workpieces to form a bond between them, without melting the workpieces.

♠Safety Issues:♠

Arc welding with a welding helmet, gloves, and other protective clothing

Welding, without the proper precautions, can be a dangerous and unhealthy practice. However, with the use of new technology and proper protection, risks of injury and death associated with welding can be greatly reduced. Because many common welding procedures involve an open electric arc or flame, the risk of burns and fire is significant; this is why it is classified as a hot work process. To prevent them, welders wear personal protective equipment in the form of heavy leather gloves and protective long sleeve jackets to avoid exposure to extreme heat and flames. Additionally, the brightness of the weld area leads to a condition called arc eye in which ultraviolet light causes inflammation of the cornea and can burn the retinas of the eyes. Goggles and welding helmets with dark face plates are worn to prevent this exposure, and in recent years, new helmet models have been produced that feature a face plate that self-darkens upon exposure to high amounts of UV light. To protect bystanders, translucent welding curtains often surround the welding area. These curtains, made of a polyvinyl chloride plastic film, shield nearby workers from exposure to the UV light from the electric arc, but should not be used to replace the filter glass used in helmets.