Thursday, March 8, 2012

Arc Welding Intro: Flux Core Welding Projects Explained

Hey guys,

This arc welding projects video may seem a bit random, but I just made a tutorial for people who want to learn how to weld. This tutorial is designed to show how one can learn to take up flux core welding for hobbies without needing any experience or expensive equipment! If you're really keen on learning welding from the basics to the advanced methods, learn how to weld with this in-depth guide.

Welding For Beginners: Video Guide To Flux Core Wire Welding


If you have welded before (and don't want to see the boring intro), fast-forward to 9 min and 58 sec to see the actual welding. The trick to reducing your spatter is covered starting at 9 min and 15 seconds (or so).

Flux Core Welding Tutorial: Easy, Inexpensive Arc Welder Projects

I hope to help those whom have never welded before and do not have the money to spend on expensive equipment but want to learn how to weld for hobbies or fixing things around the house. Flux core welding is great for hobbies, diy automotive repair, and fixing things around the house. In my opinion, everyone should know the basics of welding so they are prepared to fix anything and don't have to rely on expensive professionals who provide the same practical results. These downloadable manuals are another great way to teach yourself how to weld for those who prefer reading. I really hope this video tutorial helps, and I would love to hear your comments here!





Welding Equipment For Hobbies: Affordability and Simplicity

If you're on the fence about wanting to start welding your own projects like in this video, but you think you need expensive equipment, you may want to check out these items:



You'll see that you can get started with flux core welding for less than $100 dollars. If you want to weld like I did in the video above, it's about $250 because of the auto-darkening welding helmet (which I realized isn't necessary at all - flipping up the visor manually is not that difficult haha). If you're welding for an extended period of time, and you're welding different spots on you're work piece consecutively, you may want to invest in a $50 auto-darkening mask for convenience.

Arc Welding Safety Precautions and Equipment

Remember: safety first! I know everyone, especially those who are just starting out, wants to save money, but never cut corners on safety when it comes to welding (or machining). The arc from an arc welder can reach temperatures of over 20,000 degrees Fahrenheit (some even hotter). Your work piece will not cool down fast at all, and you cannot tell whether it has cooled down by the way it looks. Just because it isn't red hot anymore does not mean it won't give you third degree burns. Never weld without a proper visor to protect you from the ultraviolet radiation which comes from the arc (you can't see it). It is not the brightness of the arc welding that damages your corneas but the harmful UV radiation invisible to the naked eye. The UV radiation in arc welding can also harm exposed skin, thus you want to make sure you are always covered from head to toe. Leather is best because it is naturally heat resistant, but cotton or denim works well too (any natural materials).

Thanks for watching/reading! :-)

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Arduino Code for Ball Bot - FREE, FULLY WORKING BALLBOT CODE

Arduino Code for Ball Bot - FREE, FULLY WORKING BALLBOT CODE Hey guys!
Sorry it took me so long to find the Ball-Bot Arduino code and upload it. Finally, I have placed the zip file and the individual .pde files on dropbox.com. Please refer to the earlier blog for dropbox.com account access below. You do not have to install DropBox. You can just go to DropBox.com You will also find our final research documentation there. The research paper (PDF) is full of figures & diagrams, theoretical/mathematical proofs, trade studies & verification of approaches, and everything related to the final product that is the Ball-Bot.



You will find the latest version of our Arduino code that runs on the Arduino MEGA 2560. You can run this code on any Arduino, but you may have to change some of the pin configurations in the code. This code includes the PID controller and noise filtering algorithm. The code is of course designed for our unique Ball-Bot. However, this code was written as a non-linear, advanced, control system, and it should work for any Ball-Bot project of any size with very minor modifications.



The Arduino is a great way to build a custom ball-bot (or any hobby robot), but for something more simple and quicker, check out Lego Mindstorms NXT Robots.