Welder World Blog

Archive for January, 2010

Stick welding, technically called shielded metal arc welding, is an old school type of welding that many newbies learn as they are just starting to train how to weld. This is an important and in-demand skill because many people need this help whether they’re dealing with iron and steels or repairing boilers. It makes use of an electric current flowing between a gap in the metal and the stick electrode that is chucked up in a holder that looks like a jumper cable clamp. The rod is struck like a match to produce arc, allowing it to mix with the metal and form the weld.

Stick welding has been the most common method for many home-shop welding projects for a long time. However, creating a good weld can be very complicated for beginners. The name of the game in stick welding is experience. To be able to master the art of it, you need a good view of the weld puddle.

Here are some few tips and tricks to help improve your stick welding skills:

Choose the right electrode.

Many welders are not sure of the type and size of the electrode that should be used in stick welding. The size of the electrode you choose should match the situation you are welding within and the kinds and thickness of metals.

Polarity matters.

If you purchase an A/C only welding equipment, then you need to get stick welding rods that are specifically created to weld on A/C. Bear in mind that not all stick welding rods are created the same. 6011, 6013, and 7018, for instance, will weld on A/C, but 6010 wont.

Don’t use odd sizes for your metal.

Most metals come in specific sizes that are common. These metals are a lot easier to find and you can weld them faster and more effectively. You don’t need to experiment on your metal selection when it comes to stick welding. To be sure that you have what you need, stick with the ones that are AISI-SAE 1015 to 1025.

Know your arc length.

For a successful stick welding job, you need to use an arc length that is the same distance from the metal as the thickness of your electrode. For example, if you own an electrode that is ½ inch thick, then have your arc ½ inch thick as well. Don’t forget that as you use the stick electrode, you will need to move it closer to the metal.

Using a good auto darkening helmet makes you a better stick welder.

A good auto darkening helmet is very important in stick welding. Most experts recommend a welding helmet that darkens in 1/20000 seconds, can be adjusted from 9 to 12 shade, and has delay and sensitivity features. You need a good welding helmet for you to see visibly where you are striking your arc and that alone will make you a much better stick welder. Aside from that, it can also protect you from the harmful UV and IR emissions from the arc.

Setting up a welding shop isn’t as easy as it seems. People who want to enter in this business should possess technical expertise in many welding practices, know the basics of running a service-oriented enterpise, and, most importantly, understand the importance of following safety procedures. A good welding shop not only protects its welders and employees, but it also looks after its customers by not exposing them to possible hazards caused by welding sparks.

Here are a few tips on setting up a good welding business:

Build a good welding space. Choosing a good space is very important for a successful welding business. Welding is a serious activity and your surroundings should be controlled as much as possible. A good welding shop should be spacious enough that it can store a number of pieces of small and bulky equipment that are necessary for welding. Besides a working space, you’ll also need a specific area for storing materials such as steel and aluminum, as well as welding tables, drill press and saws, and other tools.

Buy the necessary welding tools and accessories. After choosing and setting up a working space, you will need to purchase all the necessary power tools and welding accessories. Welding tools such as angle grinders, metal benders and band saws will come in handy in most welding projects. Other important tools include magnetic clamp, C-clamp, drill press, corner clamp, cold chisel and hacksaw. This is not a complete list of metal working tools but is basically a good place to begin with.

Your welding equipment should match the kind of welding you intend to do. Not all welding equipment are created the same. The type of welder you need depends on the kind of welding projects you intend to do. TIG welding, for instance, provides splatter-free and welding welding of sheet metals like aluminum. Electric arc welding is very handy for repairing a number of metals. MIG, on the other hand, is usually used in joining metals with a rougher weld. Take note that welding machine may come with different functions and utilities, so selecting one is a matter of understanding your intended client base and your skills as a welder.

Safety equipment is also important in welding. Follow all the safety measures to protect your workers and clients. Stock your shop with an ample supply of welding safety gears such as helmets, leather gloves, welding sleeves, boots and aprons. An emergency medical equipment is also essential in case of accidents. Keep one or two fire extinguishers on hand too. The welding area must always be equipped with a fire blanket and a well-stocked first aid kit.

Do some marketing and advertising. A good welding business must be able to keep the cash flow coming in. You should strive to track of old clients and try to gain the trust of new ones through referrals and advertising. Distributing posters and flyers is always a good idea. You can also post advertisements online. However, the best form of advertising is still through referrals. If you have customers that are satisfied with your work, ask them to refer you to other prospective clients.

In recent years, the use of laser beams in welding has steadily increased due to continuous demand for precised steel products in construction and other industrial purposes. Due to many of its advantages, the technology of laser welding is being used in a wide variety of applications in the metal fabrication industry. Many welding experts are now recognizing how efficient laser welding is when it comes to producing better quality fabricated metal products at better productivity and much lower cost.

One of the main advantages of laser welding is its versatility. It is applicable for combining welding steel structures or miniature electronic materials in excess of 1 inch thick. Laser beams are not used only for cutting thick steel plate, they are also capable of cutting other pieces of metal, from structural metal, pipe steels to aerospace components, with magnificent power ranging from hundreds of watts to 60 kilowatts. In fact, weld lines can be as narrow as 0.1mm (0.004 inch).

A typical laser welding equipment consists of a laser beam generator, beam-directing optics to transfer the beam to the work and focus it to the needed spot size and power density. It also has a workstation that normally contains a workpiece handling machine that may either feature automatic or manual loading and unloading. The sophistication of laser welding technology allows stainless steel, ferrous metals and even alloys to be joined themselves or each other.

Another advantage of fabricating metal with a laser is the capacity to engrave and cut at the same time. This means that better productivity, welding speed and accuracy in fabrication are achieved. Laser beams can also produce good-looking welds without post-processing. Many laser welding machines these days have the ability to create welds that are full penetrating and with improved material strength without undergoing any finishing operations.

Moreover, laser welding creates a low heat affected zone, hence causes minimal welding distortion in the metal. It is even safer than other forms of mechanical cutting such as router cut signs or saw cut signage. Working with laser beams doesn’t require physical contact and there’s no unsafe cutting edge which can become contaminated by the metal.

Forge welding is a welding method of heating scheme two or more parts of iron alloy and then hitting them together. The method is one of the simplest methods of connecting metals and has been utilised since very vintage times. Forge welding is versatile, being proficient to connect a proprietor of alike and dissimilar metals.

With the creation of electric and gas welding methods all through the Industrial Revolution, forge welding has been mostly replaced. Forge welding between alike components is begun by solid-state diffusion. This outcomes in a weld that comprises of only the welded components without any fillers or spanning materials. Forge welding between dissimilar components is begun by the formation of a lesser dissolving heat eutectic between the materials. Due to this the weld is often more powerful than the one-by-one metals. The heat needed to forge weld is normally 50 to 90 per hundred of the dissolving temperature. Steel welds at a lesser heat than iron. The iron alloy may take on a glossy or damp gaze at the welding temperature. Care should be taken to bypass overheating the iron alloy to the issue that it presents off sparks from fast oxidation (burning).

One of the most well renowned submissions of forge welding is in the output of pattern-welded blades. During the method a billet of iron alloy is frequently drawn out, bent back and welded upon itself. Another lesser renowned proposal was the construct of shotgun barrels. Metal cable was spooled up on a mandrel, and then forged into a barrel that was slim, consistent, and strong. Often such things are obnoxious etched to disclose the underlying pattern of iron alloy which is exclusive to each part and adds to their aesthetic appeal. During method, fuel is put in or on the hearth and ignited. A source of going air, for example a follower or bellows, inserts added air into the blaze through the tuyere. With added air, the blaze consumes more fuel and burns hotter. A common Scottish smithy at Auchentiber, North Ayrshire, Scotland.A blacksmith balances the fuel and air in the blaze to match exact kinds of work.

Often this engages modifying and maintaining the form of the fire. In a common, but by no means universal, coal forge, a firepot will be centralised in a flat hearth. The tuyere will advance in the firepot at the bottom. In method, the moderately hot centre of the blaze will be a ball of burning coke in and overhead the firepot. The heart of the blaze will be enclosed by a grade of moderately hot but not burning coke.

Around the unburnt coke will be a transitional grade of coal being changed into coke by the heat of the fire. Surrounding all is a ring or horseshoe-shaped grade of raw coal, generally kept moist and firmly crammed to maintain the form of the fire’s heart and to hold the coal from burning accurately in order that it “cooks” into coke first. If a bigger blaze is essential, the smith increases the air raging torrent into the blaze as well as feeding and deepening the electromagnetic flow meters and inside micrometers coke heart.

The smith can furthermore adapt the extent and breadth of the blaze in such a forge to accommodate distinct forms of work. The foremost kind from the forge and blaze just explained is a ‘back draft’ where there is no blaze vessel, and the tuyere advances into the hearth grade from the back wall. Coke and charcoal may be burned in the identical forges that use coal, but since there is no need to alter the raw fuel at the heart of the blaze (as with coal), the blaze is coordinated differently. Individual smiths and focused submissions have fostered development of a kind of forges of this kind, from the coal forge explained overhead, to easier buildings amounting to a aperture in the ground with a pipe premier into it.

Cadillac Michigan is home to one of the premiere welder/fabrication firms in the Midwest.  The structural steel fabrication team at Cadillac Fabrication has over 27 years experience taking care of customers and meeting their most stringent needs.  A powerhouse in the fabrication of all types of heavy equipment including structural steel, custom trailers, power plant equipment and processing tanks, you can count on Cadillac Fabrication to deliver the beam, column, stairway, deck, platform, mezzanine, or other ornamental or visual project required.

The Cadillac Fabrication team is highly skilled from top to bottom. Any difficult design and engineering challenges are well met by their top design and engineering team. Fabrication and assembly is done by the AWS qualified welders and fabricators. They can complete structural steel fabrications in several different metals including aluminum as well as stainless steel. Cadillac Fabrication is ISO9001 certified for top quality process control and delivery of a quality product to their customers.

Abrasive blasting and coatings like red oxide primers, enamels, urethanes, epoxies, and even galvanizing are also available from Cadillac Fabrication.  They can easily accommodate finishing for any project with lengths up to 60 feet with no additional special requirements.
Difficult transportation challenges are not a problem for Cadillac Fabrication. Your structural steel fabrication project can be shipped anywhere it is needed as Cadillac Fabrication specializes in tough shipping challenges. They were awarded the U.S. Department of Commerce award in March 2008 for Achievements in International Exporting. If their international shipping experience can win awards, you can imagine what they can do in the domestic U.S.

Anyone with structural steel fabrication project requirements for architectural or ornamental fabrication needs that include custom coatings or finishing, and shipments to any location should call Cadillac Fabrication. Their entire team, from the design engineers to the experienced  fabricators, welders, assemblers, and the Quality Control staff, work together to ensure the completion of every structural steel fabrication order to precisely match customer’s requirements on time and on budget.  

Adequate work of supervising in the field of welding can result in serious improvement of work efficiency through less rework. The productivity soars high as the supervisors directly communicate with the welders. The welding supervisors are trained professionals who have complete knowledge about the significant variables of welding works and they impose adequate discipline in the working procedure to maintain the appropriate standards. Proper supervision enhances the systematic improvements in the manufacturing procedures by improving the efficiency of the workers, which in turn results in lowering down the scope of reworking by a significant level.

The main objective of implementing supervision in the welding work is to ensure high quality, proper productivity, and adequate safety. Apart from reducing rework and scrap, good supervision can lower the overall work effort, delay time and weld metal volume. Therefore, designing of the product, production and quality assurance are all covered with immaculate work of supervision.

To get high productivity, high quality, cost effectiveness and exact follow-through, motivation and proper technical guidance are the prime aspects that need to be addressed. Welding supervisors can complete this task with appropriate efficiency and proper responsibility.

The possibilities of reworking on a welding project can only be reduced if the planning is done in the right manner. The supervisors get thoroughly associated with the process of planning and implementation to determine the success of the project. In certain types of projects, it is important to adopt a new approach rather than a conventional one to achieve better results. In spite of acknowledging the benefits of a certain ‘change,’ very few people are reluctant to adopt a new approach. An efficient supervisor will show you how implement that change in the working process and why such a change is important for the betterment of the project. Unless the associated parties understand why the change is necessary, they will not get that motivation to implement the ‘change.’

The welding supervisor should enforce immaculate procedures that reduce the cost of rework in documented as well as undocumented aspects. The supervisor will also ensure proper weld sequence and placement with appropriate processes of welding and high quality workmanship performance that lower down the defects of weld outputs.

It is the responsibility of the supervisors to provide training regarding the necessary welding variables, implement correct input parts, maintain a good communications and effectual feedback program and acknowledgment of the fact that welding is a type of engineered science.

Four state and local agencies of North Carolina government have documented hazards of faulty gas chambers and supply cylinders at public animal shelters since 2004. Leaks and malfunctions were recorded by the North Carolina Department of Labor, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina Department of Agriculture, and local fire marshals in Reidsville and Stokes County. The findings of these agencies were obtained through public record requests.

Most gas chambers in our state had reportedly never been formally inspected prior to 2004. Since that time, complaints from thousands of residents to government officials and the media have brought the controversial euthanasia method to the forefront.

One of the most compelling documents is a North Carolina Department of Labor inspection for Sampson County Animal Control in 2004 (1). The inspector’s worksheet reads,

“The animal begins to struggle because it cannot breathe…They wait approximately 10 minutes until the animal stops making sounds and then turn on a fan that is supposed to evacuate the CO from the chamber.”

Gas monitor readings showed employee overexposure to carbon monoxide, which the officer believed “is occurring when the chamber door is opened to remove the animal.” No respiratory protection was provided for employees.

Reidsville Fire Marshal John Harris inspected a gas chamber at Rockingham County Animal Control in 2004, on the property of Reidsville Veterinary Hospital, after repeated attempts to repair gas leaks (2). An inspection from August 2004 recounts:

“Harris checked the chamber finding that the door seals to the chamber were in disrepair and damaged in several locations. Harris also observed where attempts to repair the seals were made with what appeared to be caulking. Also noted that the integral safety systems for monitoring carbon monoxide levels has been DISABLED. Vent pipe from the top portion of the chamber is poorly fitted and sealed with what appears to be adhesive tape. During operation of the euthanasia chamber carbon monoxide monitors were used to test levels present adjacent to the chamber….carbon monoxide levels exceeded 984 ppm in the area of the chamber….After the purge cycle during removal of animals a reading of 460 ppm still remaining in the chamber as officers removed dead animals.”

Not only can gas chambers leak and malfunction, but gas cylinders provided by carbon monoxide suppliers have also been documented as a potential hazard. North Carolina Department of Labor inspections revealed faulty gas cylinders at Columbus County Animal Control (3) and Davidson County Animal Control in 2006 (4). The Davidson County inspection notes that National Welders Supply does not formally test the cylinders for leaks. The Columbus County inspection says, “It was determined the overexposure occurred whenever the valve on the CO cylinder was initially opened, so the feasible engineering control would be to have the cylinder and valves checked for leaks.” Animal control supervisor Rossie Hayes replied to the NCDOL, asking “for any suggestion on how to check the unit for leaks.” He asked if employees should wear some type of respirator.

Stokes County Fire Marshal inspected a rusty dump-truck gas chamber at Stokes County Animal Control in January 2007 (5). A letter from the Marshal to shelter supervisor Sarah Shumate documented high levels of gas at the supply tank as well as the gas chamber door. Marshal Bradley Cheek warned:

“During the euthanasia process, levels of carbon monoxide in excess of 1000 ppm were detected on the exterior of the chamber loading door. It is not known what the exact readings were; this is due to the monitor having a maximum reading of 1000 ppm….Carbon monoxide is immediately dangerous to life and health at 1200 ppm.”

Yet another jaw-dropping inspection was performed for Montgomery County Animal Control by North Carolina Department of Agriculture inspector Shelly Swaim in 2007 (6). Swaim writes,

“It was reported to me by Mr. Beane that the chamber is leaking and that there were visible cracks as well as an insufficient gasket around door. There is also no mechanism to facilitate venting of this unit. Inmates were on property and addressing chamber issues at 12:17. It appears that this CO chamber even with corrections employed at this time will pose a significant risk to the safety and life of the operator.”

Industrial hygienist Marilyn Parker of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has performed gas monitor readings for two animal shelters, Granville County Animal Control in 2006 (7) and Randolph County Animal Control in 2007 (8). Both inspections revealed high level leaks of carbon monoxide around the edges of the gas chamber doors. Chambers at both facilities are modern, commercially manufactured units. Concerning the Randolph County inspection, Parker wrote, “While the chambers were in operation the monitor was placed in various locations around the door seals. Levels of CO were detected in excess of 500 ppm around the door seal….It was determined that the seals did not prevent carbon monoxide (CO) from escaping while the chambers were in operation.” Ms. Parker requested in both letters that she be called for follow up inspections after corrections were made. As of October 2008, Parker said that she was not aware of any correspondence with county officials since the inspections.

CO levels above 10% are explosive, as affirmed by the gas chamber explosion at Iredell County Animal Control of Statesville in 2008. No inspection record for the machine was available, but an invoice shows that the unit had been purchased only months prior from Cutting Edge Fabrication, after originally being sold to Union County Animal Control in Monroe. In a Statesville News and Record article (9), Cutting Edge owner Stephen Whitesell is quoted: “Whitesell believes the fan somehow sparked the carbon monoxide before the gas could be purged from the chamber….Whitesell said the fan is not explosion proof.” To the contrary, the AVMA 2007 Guidelines on Euthanasia include this warning about carbon monoxide chambers, “Any electrical equipment exposed to CO (eg., lights and fans) must be explosion proof.”(10) Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey told the Enquirer Journal in August 2008, (11) “the chamber that was eventually sold to Iredell was returned to Cutting Edge three years ago because it had a warped door.” These are among the most expensive and hi-tech gas chambers on the market. Gas chambers from this manufacturer are reportedly still in use at Gaston, Cabarrus, and Union county animal control facilities.

Dangers to Humans

Carbon monoxide oozing from gas chambers can put shelter workers at risk of health problems, some of which can be delayed for weeks after exposure.

*The AVMA 2007 Guidelines on Euthanasia warns humans operating CO chambers: “In humans, exposure to 0.32% CO and 0.45% CO for one hour will induce loss of consciousness and death, respectively. Carbon monoxide is extremely hazardous for personnel because it is highly toxic and difficult to detect. Chronic exposure to low concentrations of carbon monoxide may be a health hazard, especially with regard to cardiovascular disease and teratogenic effects.” (10)

* The National Institute for Environmental Safety and Health published an International Chemical Safety Card for Carbon Monoxide, which states,

“The gas mixes well with air, explosive mixtures are easily formed. The gas penetrates easily through walls and ceilings…Fatal if inhaled. May damage fertility or the unborn child if inhaled. Causes damage to blood if inhaled. Causes damage to blood and central nervous system through prolonged or repeated exposure if inhaled…Inhalation Risk: A harmful concentration of this gas in the air will be reached very quickly on loss of containment. Effects of Short-term Exposure: The substance may cause effects on the blood, resulting in carboxyhaemoglobinemia and cardiac disorders. Exposure at high levels may result in death. Effects of Long-term or Repeated Exposure: The substance may have effects on the cardiovascular system and central nervous system. May cause toxicity to human reproduction or development. ” (12)

* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says, “Perhaps the most insidious effect of CP poisoning is the development of delayed neuropsychiatric impairment within 2 – 28 days after poisoning and the slow resolution of neurobehavioral consequences.”(15)

* According to an article from the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2006, “Researchers discover a link between severe carbon monoxide poisoning and death years later from heart disease.”(14)

* A materials safety data sheet from National Welders Supply, a leading supplier of bottled carbon monoxide to animal shelters, says that carbon monoxide is “Harmful if inhaled. Causes damage to the following organs: Blood, Lungs, Cardiovascular System, Central Nervous System. Vapor may cause flash fire…Extremely flammable. Gas may accumulate in confined areas, travel considerable distance to source of ignition and flash back causing fire or explosion.” (18)

* A study by Ramona Hopkins and Fu Lye M. Woon states, “It is estimated that as high as 50% of individuals with carbon monoxide poisoning will develop neurologic, neurobehavioral, or cognitive sequelae.” (17)

* A study of patients poisoned by carbon monoxide, from LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1999 concluded, “Ninety-three per cent of the patients exhibited a variety of cognitive impairments, including impaired attention, memory, executive function, and mental processing speed. Ninety-five per cent of the patients experienced affective changes including depression and anxiety.” (18)

* Yona Amatai studied the effects of low-level CO exposure on higher cognitive function. The study concluded, “The lower scores on neuropsychological tests indicate dysfunctions in memory, new learning ability, attention and concentration, tracking skills, visuomotor skills, abstract thinking, and visuospatial planing and processing. These dysfunctions correspond with previous reports of carbon monoxide neurotoxic effects in patients with moderate carbon monoxide poisoning. Low-level exposure to carbon monoxide results in impairment of higher cognitive functions.” (19)

* A 1925 study by William C. Stadie and Kirby Martin of Yale University School of Medicine says, “Occasionally the blood becomes free of carbon monoxide and the coma terminates, but the patient subsequently sinks into a coma again and dies, probably as a result of central nervous system damage.” (20)

* A 2006 study by Christopher Henry and Daniel Satran, M.D. states, “Myocardial injury is a frequent consequence of moderate to severe CO poisoning.” (21)

* The Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention says, “Red blood cells pick up CO quicker than they pick up oxygen. If there is a lot of CO in the air, the body may replace oxygen in blood with CO. This blocks oxygen from getting into the body, which can damage tissues and result in death.” (22)

* Science Daily reported in 2004, “Brain damage occurs – days to weeks later – in half of the patients with a serious case of CO poisoning.” (23)

* A 1983 article from Archives of Neurology detailed delayed neurologic effects of CO: “The most frequent symptoms were mental deterioration, urinary or fecal incontinence, gait disturbance, and mutism.” (24)

* Dr. David G. Penney, author of several books on the subject of carbon monoxide, lists nervous system damage caused by CO exposure: causes seizure disorders, multiple-sclerosis-type disorders, speech impairments, forms of aphasia; effects on learning, decrements in intellectual capacity, judgment, ability to concentrate, memory, executive functioning, multi-tasking, emotion; effects on short- to long-term memory and limbic system, ataxia, and slurring of speech. (25)

Ineffectiveness of Gas Chambers

Several mishaps have been reported by North Carolina media, showing that gas chambers are not always effective. Leaking carbon monoxide can keep the machines from reaching or maintaining a lethal level of 6%-10% for animals inside the chamber. The result can be a slower death, or mere unconsciousness and assumed death before the animal is placed in a freezer, dumpster, landfill, or incinerator. Some animals do not die the first time, whether due to inadequate gas levels, age of animal, or health issues.

Kerry Prichard of the Charlotte Observer reported a leaking gas chamber at Cabarrus County Animal Control in March 1998. “The gas chamber used to euthanize the animals was in clear view of visitors and, some critics say, it didn’t always work well. Critics say it killed the animals too slowly or not at all, because of leaks or overcrowding….The gas chamber has been reconditioned and moved to the new shelter.” The same chamber is still in use, complete with patching compound. (26)

A September 2003 article from Charlotte Observer reporter Hannah Mitchell uncovered problems with a gas chamber used at Alexander County Animal Control. “League volunteers heard a dog barking in a freezer after it went through the shelter’s gas chamber and was assumed to be dead. The county’s gas chamber used for euthanizing animals is sealed with duct tape. Campbell worried that the makeshift sealer lengthened the time it takes for animals to die.” (27)

The Charlotte Observer’s “Death at the Pound” series in June 2003 reported the same problem in other county shelters : “In Union, as many as 10 dogs are gassed together in a 4-by-4-foot steel container. It replaced a cinder-block chamber that leaked, causing some animals to survive the gassing.” In the same article, Stanly County Animal Control Officer Randy Palmer described a situation with a newer commercially manufactured gas chamber: “After you bring them out, some of them aren’t all down. Sometimes we have to put them back in.” (28)

Heather Howard of the Charlotte Observer interviewed Catawba County officials in 2004. County Manager Tom Lundy said that the existing gas chamber at the animal shelter “is inefficient and outdated.” Emergency Services Director David Weldon felt that a new model “would ensure that animals in the device are euthanized.” (29) Instead, the county made the change to euthanasia by injection in 2008.

Doug Clark of the Sampson Independent wrote a gripping story about a litter of puppies that survived the gas chamber at the local shelter in 2004 and were later adopted, only to die the next day. Attempting to dispel rumors of parvo in the facility, former employee Dianna Williford admitted, “We had tried to euthanize those puppies a half hour earlier and it just didn’t work.”(30) The only method of euthanasia used by the shelter at that time was a carbon monoxide chamber.

The most well known canine gas chamber survivor in North Carolina is Davie, a dog who was found alive in a dumpster after being dumped and assumed dead by Davie County Animal Control of Mocksville in 2005. Local residents Jeff and Susan Armsworthy were discarding trash at the dump when they heard a whining noise, which turned out to be a crying puppy in a plastic bag in the dumpster. The fearless couple jumped in and rescued the pup among piles of animal carcasses. Author Mike Gunning wrote, “Apparently, one of the puppies, while knocked unconscious by the gas, didn’t inhale enough to be fatal. It appears to have become conscious while in the dumpster.” (31)

Though many shelters have made the transition toward humane euthanasia in recent years, at least 22 county animal control facilities in North Carolina still kill unclaimed animals in gas chambers as of December 2009.

Sources

1. North Carolina Department of Labor Inspection, Sampson County Animal Control, March 2004.
2. Reidsville Fire Marshal inspections of Reidsville Veterinary Hospital/ Rockingham County Animal Control 2004-2006.
3. North Carolina Department of Labor Inspection, Columbus County Animal Control, 2006.
4. North Carolina Department of Labor Inspection, Davidson County Animal Control, May 2006.
5. Letter from Stokes County Fire Marshal to animal control supervisor Sarah Shumate, January 4, 2007.
6. North Carolina Department of Agriculture, Montgomery County Animal Control, inspection by Shelley Swaim, September 19, 2007.
7. Letter from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Epidemiology Section, Granville County Animal Control inspection, August 21, 2006.
8. Letter from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Epidemiology Section, Randolph County Animal Control inspection, April 24, 2007.
9. Statesville News and Record, July 24, 2008, author Bethany Fuller.
10. 2007 American Veterinary Medical Association Guidelines on Euthanasia
11. Enquirer Journal article, August 3, 2008, Author Billy Ball.
12. National Institute for Environmental Safety and Health, International Chemical Safety Card, Carbon Monoxide.
13. “Heart Injury Due to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Increases Long Term Risk of Death,” Journal of the American Medical Association, January 24, 2006, Timothy D. Henry, M.D.
14. “The Brain Lesion Responsible for Parkinsonism After Carbon Monoxide Poisoning,” Young H. Sohn, MD; Yong Jeong, MD; Hyun S. Kim, MD; Joo H. Im, MD; Jin-Soo Kim, MD, Archives of Neurology 2000;57:1214-1218. 
15. “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning- A Public Health Perspective,” US Environmental Protection Agency.
16. Carbon Monoxide Materials Safety Data Sheet, National Welders Supply. 
17. Neuroimaging, Cognitive, and Neurobehavioral Outcomes Following Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Ramona O. Hopkins, Fu Lye M. Woon, Brigham Young University
18. “MRI, quantitative MRI, SPECT, and neuropsychological findings following carbon monoxide poisoning,” Gale, S.D., Hopkins, R.O., Weaver, L.K., Bigler, E.D., Booth, E.J., Blatter, D.D., 1999, Brain Injury, 13 (4), pgs. 229-243.
19. “Neuropsychological Impairment From Acute Low-Level Exposure to Carbon Monoxide,” Yona Amitai, MD; Zoli Zlotogorski, PhD; Vered Golan-Katzav, MA; Anya Wexler, MD; Ditza Gross, PhD
Archives of Neurology. 1998;55:845-848.
20. “The Elimination of Carbon Monoxide from the Blood,” William Stadie and Kirby Martin, Yale University School of Medicine, 1925.
21. “Myocardial Injury and Long-term Mortality Following Moderate to Severe Carbon Monoxide Poisoning,” Journal of American Medical Association, 2006, Christopher R. Henry, BS; Daniel Satran, MD; Bruce Lindgren, MS; Cheryl Adkinson, MD; Caren I. Nicholson, RN; Timothy D. Henry, MD;295:398-402.
22. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
23. “Long-term Effects Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Are An Autoimmune Reaction,” Science Daily; Veena M. Bhopale, Donald Fisher, Jie Zhang, and Phyllis Gimotty.
24. “Delayed neurologic sequelae in carbon monoxide intoxication,” Archives of Neurology, July 1983, I. S. Choi.
25. “Major Sites of Nervous System Damage,” Dr. David G. Penney.
26. “Happy Endings Now Possible for Strays,” Charlotte Observer, March 5, 1998, Author Kerry Prichard.
27. “Animal League Told to Leave- Alexander County Resumes Control of Shelter,” Charlotte Observer, September 7, 2003, Author Hannah Mitchell.
28. “Death at the Pound: Animals in the Charlotte Region…” Charlotte Observer, June 29, 2003, Authors Michelle Crouch and Scott Dodd.
29. “Needs of Animal Shelter Outlined- Catawba Official Pitches Plan,” Charlotte Observer, April 28, 2004, Author Heather Howard.
30. “Inhumane Treatment Or a Doing Their Best?” The Sampson Independent, February 07, 2004, Author Doug Clark.
31.”Puppy Survives Euthanasia Attempt, Trip to Dump,” Davie County Enterprise Record, April 2005, Author Mike Gunning.

Electronic copies of public records referenced above are available from the author at no charge.

Welding sheet metal is a complicated job that necessitates precision, accuracy and safety procedures. One of the common problems often encountered by welders working with sheet metal is that they can easily make huge holes instead of welds. Without the proper skills and techniques, the heat can immediately melt the metal and the liquid metal will fall out of the part that is being fabricated.

When welding thin sheet of metal, the primary goal is to prevent distortion, burn-through and extreme heat-affected zones while making sure the weld has enough strength for the application. Contrary to popular belief, welding is not as simple and easy as heating the metal then fabricating it to the desired shape or size.

Specific types of sheet metal need specific control over heat. There are numerous welding processes that can be done to weld sheet metal such as short circuit transfer gas metal arc welding (GMAW), pulsed GMAW, gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and pulsed GTAW. Dissimilar components cannot be welded due to their varying melt properties and thermal conductivities. Nickel and chrome plated metals, for example, are easy to spot weld. On the other hand, sheet metals such as aluminum and tin need special preparation inherent to the coating metals.

The task of welding sheet metal starts from preparation and cleaning. Clean the metals, particularly aluminum, prior to welding. Use a solvent or degreaser to eradicate oil and dirt. Aluminum accumulates oxide layers when it is exposed to air. Before even welding it, remove the oxide using a stainless steel wire brush or chemical oxide removal solutions. Make sure the degreaser does not have any hydrocarbons.

Take note that aluminum oxide on the exterior of the material melts at 3,700 fahrenheit while the base-material aluminum will melt at 1,200 fahrenheit. Leaving any tinge of oxide on the surface of the base will hamper diffusion of the filler metal into the workpiece. Inefficiency in preparation degrades the quality of output, so be meticulous when cleaning it.

To ensure safety while welding sheet metal, you should work in a ventilated area to prevent build-up of harmful gas emission. Proper welding clothes, eyewear and leather gloves are also necessary. Sheet metal has sharp edges. Aluminum, in particular, is very springy and it can accidentally jump at you. Wearing the proper welding gloves can save you from a painful cut.

Many organizations do extensive pre-study comparing prices while buying welding equipment and consumables. Although this practice is worthy of commendation, the fact remains these buyers may more often be obsessed with initial savings of money but lose sight of long-term productivity savings, which alone can be more beneficial to the organization.

If a proper plan is conceived and implemented for reducing overall welding costs, the productivity savings will be considerable and also recurring in nature. Productivity savings will allow a company to keep saving eternally even if the price paid for the original equipment is higher.

A careful analytical study will reveal that not more than 20 to 25 percent of the cost of welding pertains to materials, while the rest of the costs are for labor and other overheads. By saving on the material costs of welding, the company does not stand to gain much whereas if a company can save even 10 percent on the costs pertaining to labor and other overheads, the company would have saved an eight percent on the total welding costs. This is true for manual or semi-automatic welding process mild steel application. Here are some ways a company can meaningfully reduce welding costs and realize productivity savings.

It is a fact that at many workplaces, the operator has to visit a tool room now and then, to collect a new contact tip, coil of wire or any other accessory. This leads to a loss of valuable productivity time.

Instead, companies should stock at least a limited supply of all necessary items – like shielding gas, flux and wire – near the welding station. One more noteworthy step would be to opt for larger spools of wire such as from 60 lb. spools to even larger packages of 1,000 lb. reels.

Welding operators should also monitor shielding gas waste. A surge turbine can be fixed at the end of the gun for a digital readout of the gas surge and flow rate. If the surge rate is high, investing in a surge guard is worthwhile as it can minimize the pressure and eliminate gas surges and waste.

One of the most common causes for wastage is over-welding from which no shop is free. The reason could possibly be due to operators not having a fillet gauge. There is also the tendency to apply some extra cover to make sure there is enough weld metal in place. Over-welding leads to avoidable waste of consumables as also valuable man hours.

Do some research to explore ways to create greater efficiency in welding. This includes examining wire diameter, wire feed speed, voltage, travel speed, gas type, transfer mode, etc. Find out ways to improve product designs to eliminate superfluous welds.

Operating under proper safety conditions will save money in the long run by reducing employee accidents and resultant workmen compensation. Constantly look for ways to reduce welding costs, increase work efficiency and improve productivity. This has to be an ongoing and continuous exercise and you will be able to realize over a period of time how much you have saved.

Constantly look for ways to reduce welding costs, increase work efficiency and improve productivity. This has to be an ongoing and continuous exercise and you will be able to realize over a period of time how much you have saved. Of course, it is a fact that different welding methods have different machine costs, labor costs, material costs, and energy costs. Besides, the use of automation and robots can drastically increase these expenses – although there may be a favorable cost-benefit ratio.

Oil rig jobs may be your answer if a thirst for adventure is driving you to look for a job more exciting than your average nine-to-five; offshore oil rigs may be just the option for you. You might think that since the paychecks in this industry are so huge, then there would be many people applying for these jobs in the oil industry. Now, if you are interested in a job on an oil rig, then you should take some time now and be sure you have got what it takes to work in this line of work.

Oil and gas companies may be desperate for people to crew their oil rigs, but this does not mean they are going to relax their safety standards.

In 2009 the oil and gas companies are spending around $400 billions to look for oil, so getting a oil rig job is not at all hard if you’re prepared.

If you are willing to learn and keep yourself motivated, then you can earn lots of money in the offshore oil industry. But, offshore installations are dangerous places, safety and safe working practices is what they all live and breathe.

If you have not worked with oil before, these are some of the jobs you can expect to get:

- Maintenance Roustabout ($47,000); Doing manual duties like general maintaince, cleaning, painting and moving equipment around.

- Roustabout ($54,500); Main duties is cleaning the pipes, guiding cranes as they loads and unloads and supplying the rig floor. You should also expect to assist Roughnecks on the drilling floor when they are to busy to get a lunch break. In this case, the roustabout will go have his meal, then go to the drill floor and give one Roughneck his break. Then each Roughneck take turns in having a meal break. Ruostabout are members of rhe strechers..

- Welder ($62,000); There are two kinds of welders, the rig welders are takes care of small day to day repairs on the metal work. They are always busy. When there is a big project often a squad of welders are hired to finish the job quickly. These guys move from rig to rig wherever their company has a contract.