I spent something like 4-5 summers as a Shooting Sports Director at a Boy Scout camp. This means I had direct interaction with kids on both Rifle and Shotgun ranges. On any given week, 15% of the kids in camp were medicated for various things, the most common being ADHD but we definitely had kids on psychotics and lithium and other such things. Indecently, this went up to 25-30% if there were troops in camp from affluent suburb areas (think Marin or most of SoCal.)

Of the hundreds and hundreds of kids I instructed, the ones that took to it the fastest and showed the best results were the "problem kids" or the ones that were medicated. I don't think it had anything to do with the medication per-se, I think it had more to do with the insane amount of focus and concentration required to make the shot, and the rigorous structure of a range environment. I think sometimes people NEED something that requires some structure and focus.

Interesting idea.

I'll have to do some looking around. Arc-Zone.com is located very nearby, but I'm honestly not sure if they have a full-service store of if they're just a mail-order shop. We've got a huge number of welders and fab shops, but very little in the way of welding suppliers that I've found so far, aside from AirGas, which I doubt is the right place.

I could be completely off base in having that red flag come up. I don't know how much a danger he would be to himself or others in the situation.

It does require a great amount of focus to become good at and could be a good inexpensive hobby.

My reply was a bit simplistic as well... if OP has been viewed as a danger himself or others, not sure I would recommend the shooting sports either. Not sure I'm qualified to make that call though. I don't plan on walking down to the local sanitarium and handing rifles to the residents at any point in the near future :rofl:

I weld / fabricate for a living.

I must say, our company has been REALLY freeking expanding just in the last few months. Good career to get into, and good money if you're certified, and fabricate stuff.


But, i must say. When i come home, welding something is the last thing i want to do.

I appreciate the tone in which you have posted. I did not consider it derogatory, or as an attack on me as a person. The following is simply a general statement about the tendencies of the "mentally ill". I don't mean it as a rebuttal, or an attack. I just wanted to add the information.



Despite the labels given to the "mentally ill", very few are violent. Those who are, are primarily violent towards themselves. The number of violent crimes attributed to those who are incoherent or mentally unfit, and have committed a crime only because of their condition, is even lower. I do understand the concern for a person harming themselves with a fire arm. However, they are usually (in my experience) just as willing to hurt themselves with anything else they can get their hands on. Additionally, just because someone has been viewed as a danger to themselves in the past, doesn't mean they will be that way for life. YMMV






Back to the topic: Are Harbor Freight welders any good? I could see myself building a few things for the mazda if I did learn the skill.

No harbor freight welders overheat and melt down. Buy a sears craftsman welder or a Lincoln welder or a miller. They work good and you can always get parts for them.
Ever thought about making stained glass windows. Can be lucrative and makes great gifts for family members. You say I made this for you.

I've seen a few "plug in" HF tools catch on fire. I haven't bought any tools from that place that require any type of power so i can't say first hand.
But a friends welder has actually melted down, melting the power wire. And his air compressor did spark at the regulator and catch dust / lint / rag / rubber air hose on fire and almost burn his garage and attached house to the ground.

^^^ That was probably the worst sentance i could of written right there.

Though i do have a HF electric drill. That hasn't melted yet.

Oh the ironing :dealwithit:

I shouldn't even try before 8am really...

For the dough they're great deal IMO. For so little you get the ability to things that would typically cost the price of the welder to just have one welding project done. I have used the highest amp HF MIG for a friend's DIY project and it's allowed us to do everything needed at this point.

What most fail to respect is the welder's duty cycle and most get burned up for that reason. The cheaper the (wire fed) welder the shorter the duty cycle.