I
Dancing around the topic of welding
I don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for that welding class. Now I wonder if I really need to learn to weld in order to build bigger, stronger armatures for my sculptures. They do need to be welded...
I light the torch and the acetylene flame bursts forth. Adjust it until the red and orange and yellow feathers dance like a bird in a wind storm. Add a touch of oxygen and I create a glowing blue fountain pen at the tip of the torch and I craft a line of puddles in the steel plate.
My thumb aches.
I tremble.
I wish this torch had an auto-off feature when I invariable drop it.
After burning holes through the steel, creating swaths of iridized blue, I keep practicing.
I will learn something in this class, if only which of my classmates will be willing to weld my joints together in the future.