Rob MacLennan

I would think that a pulse arc style welder, like the one sold by TRL, would get the job done if it had a gas shield. I bought a similar (if not identical) unit through Amazon and made my own electrode base using a TIG welding handle. If I'd used a copper tube instead of a simple bolt, I could have set it up to allow for gas flow. After that I'd just need a gas source, valve, and pedal to sister up with the welder's pedal.

I was wondering how anodized Ti would react, so I bought a small amount (some 16 gauge and 20 gauge). Tried them with both resistance welding and pulse arc welding. I was rather amazed that the resistance welding produced anything at all, as I figured the anodizing would be resistant. Both produced incredibly brittle and unusable welds.

I'd love to make an anodized Ti shirt, but just can't justify the cost. I would also want to weld it which would incur the cost of an inert gas rig, that I don't currently have.

I like working with Jeweller's Brass, but not everyone can tolerate it against the skin. My favourite piece was a simple Dragon Scale necklace using jeweller's Brass for the large rings and bronze for the small. The yellow and redish tones worked well.

If you're not using something like Scrivener, then Google Docs is your friend. It tracks revisions, does live saves, and can be accessed from any connected computer on multiple platforms. Makes losing that manuscript a lot less likely, next time

You might enjoy checking out David Guyton's Youtube channel, while waiting for some time to actually start crafting again. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoYXnhsEbfvlreCoRf49mQ

I'll second that. I'm 5 years away from being able to retire at full pension, due to the 20 (years of service) + 60 (years of age) policy where I work and I'd like to take it that early, but fiscal realities will make it otherwise. I can do the basic fabrication for many things but I need to develop the artistic side, like leather tooling, to punch-up things like simple bags into something more. Ultimately combining leatherwork and chainmailing is my aim.

I've been doing a little chainmailing recently, but have mostly switched to leatherwork over the last couple of months. What's everyone else up to?

Not specifically with respect to the TRL products, but anodizing in general. Many custom motorcycle parts are anodized. It generally takes a few years of being exposed to the elements for such parts to show obvious fading. Sun, alone, would take far longer.

Interesting that the cutting lube is gone. Good thing that I bought 3 or 4 last time and have a few left. Seems that I'll have to work on the Mk II sooner than I would have liked and will need to mock-up the bracket with 8020. Might have to get some local tool & die guy to make the cutting block out of billet aluminum, so it will take tougher metals than brass/bronze like my current one does. The sort of cutting oil that I'm talking about can be found at this link. I generally hear people talking about mix ratios of 10:1 or 20:1, when cutting metal. https://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/cutting-oil-coolant/A-p8034012e You can see what I did to make a rig in this video, if you're patient enough to make it through the hand worked windlass part https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psIGKM4TD-Y

On the plate thing here's an interesting Youtube page though not a historic, nor really combat related one: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkoYXnhsEbfvlreCoRf49mQ

Like @lorenzo said, a wax based lubricant (TRL sells this) or simple gravity feed should work fine, unless you're doing some serious high volume, or high hardness stuff. I've been using wax lubricant for quite some time now. Also, when talking about cutting oil, you're likely in the 10:1 (or lower) water to oil mix ratio. I don't think that would be an issue for a fish tank pump. I've got such a pump currently sitting in a box, waiting for the Mk II of my current cutting rig to be made. (It's been a while.) If it does eventually fail they're fairly cheap, so no big deal.

The elephant analogy is an apt one. Also, with a resistance welder that is, unfortunately, no longer sold by TRL. Even a tack weld increases the strength of the ring immensely. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgMM8VTGgDY

I tumbled my welded stainless shirt in ceramic, a couple of square feet at a time, then joined the pieces with saw cut rings to minimize the burr after welding. Worked pretty well overall. As you say it's OK for smaller pieces, but problematic and prohibitively expensive for larger. My larger rotary tumbler is only a 15 pounder.

The only thing that I've used ceramic "fast cut" media on is to deburr welded stainless steel rings and you can believe that I police-up every single granule that ends up anywhere, but in the storage bin after use