ACETYLENE TORCH PHOTOGRAPHY

Unexpected problems are just chances to think creatively and possibly pick up some new skills.

When the backhoe made a strange noise and the back of it moved expectantly, I had no idea of what the extent of the damage would be. With heavy equipment it could be as simple as a bolt or nut, or an expensive as costing thousands of dollars or more.

Since my friend was nice enough to let me borrow his backhoe, I certainly did not want to ruin it on him. When I let him know what happened and he came over to remove the protective plate, I had no idea what I was looking at, or looking for, but it didn't look good. Thankfully, the problem was not that huge of a deal.

As it turns out, some U-bolts that my friend had "created" to solve a previous issue had finally given way. As we brainstormed how to remedy the issue, he said, "I know!" At that point I suggested, "Just make some metal plates and use two bolts on each?" Interestingly enough, I was correct.

Soon we were cutting some angle iron to length and cutting holes in it with an acetylene torch. I had never used one of these before, and neither did my friend's teenage son. Soon, my friend was instructing his son and walking him through the process after he had demonstrated it. It was good to see, and reminds me of how a father should be.

Then, unexpectedly, he asked me if I wanted to try. I sincerely appreciated the offer and soon I too was learning how to use an acetylene torch to cut metal. It was honestly unlike anything that I had ever done, but I rather enjoyed it. While my actual experience using it was minimal, at least I was exposed to this skill and got some practice in.

PHOTOS OF THE WORK

These are some more shots from the work that we were doing. Again, as I mentioned last time, they all seem so interesting to me. Despite the similarities, they are all different, and the raw look of sparks and hot metal has always intrigued me.

Obviously every day can't be some fantastic adventure where you pick up a new skill or are exposed to something different, but it seems that a lot of them have been lately. Enjoy!