Through fatigue, overloading or impact – metal can break. And sadly it often does on the goat tracks on which we like to drive. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to do some emergency welding out in the scrub without access to 240-volt mains power. Fortunately, you can and it is easier to do than you might think.
Here’s a handy little welding technique that you can use to stitch two bits of metal back together. When you return to civilization, onlookers may snidely remark at your ‘duck shit’ welds, but you’ll be safe in the knowledge that your Daffy Duck poo got you safely back to town.
Now before you pulling your batteries out and showering the area in sparks, there are a few safety tips you must observe before you start welding. These include but are not limited to:
- Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment or PPE. You’ll need good welding gloves and a face screen at the bare minimum
- Make sure there are no flamable materials nearby the welding area such as grass, spiled fuel or fumes
- Never look at the weld arc without a face screen or eye protection and ensure no bystanders do either.
- Be careful not to electricute yourself. Two car batteries wired in parallel can pack quite a whallop.
- Have a fire extinguisher closeby just in case the sparks start a fire.
One final tip is to practice this at home before you head off into the bush to make sure you know what you’re doing and that the gear you use works.
For more information about welding safety, click here.
