New prospect from Phoenix, AZ

[therrera]

Hello moderators and members,

My name is Tony Herrera, I live in Phoenix, Arizona. I am originally from San Francisco. I have been a welder for the past 40 years on and off. I left the trade and for about 15 years to try my hand at being a computer consultant, started a family computer repair/consulting business and became a network installer. I burned out with it and returned to the welding. During those years I did it as a hobby. I moved to Arizona from San Francisco and settled in.

The recession put me on the unemployment line so I dug out my tools, set up a field rig and with the help of Craigslist I am able to eek out a living with it.

I am interested in joining the Metal Shaping forum in order to advance my skill sets. I have worked on the heavier end of the metal trades, steel mills, oil refinery, power plants as a maintenance welder and fabricator. I have always wanted to learn two aspects of the metal trades, 1. Blacksmithing and 2. metal forming.

As a free lance welder I get called on to do many things from repairing and modifying boat hulls and pontoons, engine blocks, transmission cases, manifolds, cast iron antique parts all the way to building fences and gates.

My weak side is in the metal shaping side of things as not having those skills my vision of how to perform a repair or making a part is very limited. I tend to think of cuts and welds, boxy things with sharp edges.

So to try and wrap it up, I enjoy all aspects of metal working trade on the welding side of things. I have most of the basic tools needed and I would like to learn more. I don't have a shear or a brake so any metal forming that I have done is with a steel table, hammer, torch heat and jigs (and anvil too).

Thanks for the consideration,

Tony