Finaly got to weld again after being paralysed.

You could use the pen feed to advance the rod only when you want it to, not a continuous feed, that would be similar to someone stopping and resetting their grip on the rod.

Your willingness to keep after it and innovative spirit is what makes hot rodders (and Hambers) unique.

 

Cheers woody man, thats huge compliment coming from someone of your calibre.
It needs to be light, and manoverable for different positions i also need a sliding rail, to clamp to the job/table to rest my right wrist on and slide along.
Ive got a few ideas. im keen on welding at least some of my own chassis.

 

After a bit more searching I found this http://www.ckworldwide.com/coldwire.htm

It looks a bit spendy..but is this sort of what you were thinking of?

I attached a catalog page of a type of slide that may work fo your hand. Are you hoping to be able to rest your hand on a small platform that slides along a rail? Something like the items on the attached page might work, thy are sort of like a heavy duty drawer slide that can handle an offset load. You could clamp the shaft next to whatever you were welding to help stabilize your hand. As I'm sitting here typing this out, it sounds like something I could use...If you could find something with a bendable track you could actually bend the track along your weld path...

Hope this helps Dave

 

What they all said, I can't think of any new words to say how this makes me feel.

 

Goes to show you can't keep a good hot rodder down!
Inspirational,mate.
Mark

 

Unreal....congrats on having such incredible drive to keep on keeping on!!

 

Speachless.............Courage & Heart is what you got!

 

damn , thats so cool....never give up.

Hey CutUp, after reading more of the post, you might be on the verge of inventing a welding aid that could be patented and make you some big bucks. That would be cool.

 

this is along the lines of what i'm thinking, a drawer slide with a tri pin wheel adapter attached. a couple of good-sized feet on the ends of the slide rail to 'bridge' what you're working on...

 

man, that is amazing. I love how you didnt let your accident get you down, and you still have the ambition to follow your dreams! Good for you man and keep up the good work!

 

You are an inspiration!! Thanks you made my day!!
Jimmy White

 

Wow man, keep up the good work. Proud of ya gettin' back up and after it.

 

You are an inspiring young man! Best of luck on your project.

 

Ruler!!!

 

This has got to be the most amazing thread I have read here so far! I had to suggest something to your thread. If you cover your legs with a welders blanket you could possibly still get burned if you should sag thru and drop your puddle for thin area welds. I was thinking about if you cut a shield like idea from a thin metal trash can that could extend out from the arms of your wheel chair in a downward tilt to keep you from getting your legs/feet burned. I hope from all the suggestions you have and will recieve in these posts will help you or give some idea of being able to achieve satisfaction of what you are doing. Dude you are one BAD AZZ in my book! you totally have shown us all what kind of a man you are and nothing will stop you from doing what you want to do. The rod is looking awesome! Keep posting pics of your progress!

 

Thanks to you all for the kind remarks, i hope i can do you all proud.[/QUOTE]


Hey cutup....YOU ALREADY HAVE!!!

 

Maybe you could control the feed by using an old wire feed welder for parts somehow. You know, just the feeding mechanism. Set the speed control real low and rig a switch to just tap with your chin or something. Just a thought, good luck.

 

Sweep the White House clean and put you in! Truly outstanding.

 

GOOD FOR YOU!

THat said I dont have any answers for ya....but i know someone that my....my uncle is a active ate up fabricator that is also a paraplegic...(high speed he is...makes me tired)

He got pissed when he found out that no one made a method of getting into a huge assed RV and once you got in no one made a hand control set up for driving the thing...therefore, he designed and made his own...

PM me and I'll send you his contact info, at the very least even if he doesnt have any answers for you you can talk to the cat and get some other ideas that you may have not thought of to make your life a bit easier and more active...

My uncle sounds alot like you.

 

cool, is that one with the brake and gas on the right side of the wheel? i'd like to see some pics of that setup...

 

Just incredible! Congrats, Man! Keep up the great work!

 

Wow!!! Keep it up Bro... don't let the word "Can't" show up in anything you do!!! nice job!!!

 

Fuckin A. You ROCK sir. Best, Slim

 

You are way ahead of other people in your situation, way ahead, most give up..... in fact, you are ahead of those who have given up and are not even disabled. When you need money, you can get on one of those speaking tours and tell your story.

 

You certainly have grit and determination !;an inspiration for all;my hat's off to you sir !!

 

Theres' just something special about tig welding isn't there. Very personal. What i do with the wire when it gets on the short side i leave it in the puddle and pull the torch back a bit and the wire will cool into the puddle and it'll stay at the right angle etc and i slid me grip further back and bring the torch back to the puddle and keep on gettin up. It sounds way more complicated in describing than actually doing it.

 

Congrats !!!...Great to see that your back to welding and back in the garage.........For the welding rod.....what if you made something say out of aluminum round stock that was around the same dia. of a pencil with a thru hole just slightly bigger than the rod....with a side hole that was maybe spring loaded with something to capture or keep it together so it would not fall out, I kinda picture a airbrush but you would hold it different and w/ a flatter button that did not stick out as far.....you place the rod thru it squeeze it to keep the rod in place and release it slightly to allow the rod to drop out more....You would need to cut the rod down so it did not bow and stop it from sliding out....I bet in no time you would be able to make that work and aquire the touch of the release?........That's all I can think of at this moment.......Congrats again!...........Littleman

 

You know what, when I looked at it, it confused me....kinda looked alot like airplane controls....

Slick set up though....

 

In our current world superlatives are all too often erroneously used to describe the mediocre leaving us without proper words to adequately describe that which is truly extraordinary.

You sir, are amazing and what you have accomplished is awesome and inspriational!

Keep up the good work and never say die.

 

where are you at in NZ?