The deadline to nominate your welding hero is May 31! Maybe he’s a neighbor, friend, your boss or the shop guy with the extra touch, just like our May welding heroes—by nominating him or her today you and your hero could be big winners!

Three grand prizewinners and the person who nominated the hero will travel to Appleton for a factory tour and could be awarded thousands of dollars in welding equipment! Click here and nominate today!

Many people ask…why or when should I use a gas lens? The main reason is to allow you to flood the area you are welding with the best possible gas coverage to ensure you are reducing the possibility of oxygen contamination. Another great use of the gas lens is reaching difficult areas that need to be welded. A good example of this is a tight cluster of tubing that you may encounter on many of today’s sport utility and race vehicles. By this, I mean that it allows you to stick out the tungsten much farther while still maintaining gas coverage to access these hard-to-reach areas (see photos).

Portable, lightweight at 29 pounds and packing power, the Multimatic 200 is the versatile choice for MIG/TIG/Stick use in light fabrication, maintenance and repair, HVAC, construction and farm/ranch applications. The Auto-Set Elite function takes the basic details of the weld and automatically sets the machine to the optimum parameters for the weld.

The Multimatic 200 connects to common 120- and 230-volt power receptacles with the Miller-exclusive MVP plug making the Multimatic 200 the first multiprocess machine outfitted with tool-less multi-voltage capabilities. Read more here.

Nominated by Annie Offenbacher

My Hero

Carl has sacrificed a lot for his family. It’s not easy being away from home, especially in a war zone. He is my personal hero and an inspiration to all. If there’s anyone worthy of recognition, it’s my Dad.

Making a Difference

Carl has an AS degree in Industrial Welding Technology from Rogue Community College. He worked for the State of Oregon Fish and Wildlife as a welder fabricator building and installing fish screening systems and passage. Next he went overseas with VSE Corporation in Kuwait for 6 months repairing and modernizing Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles including the Force Protection Buffalo and Cougar blast resistant vehicles. He is now at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The base regularly comes under rocket and mortar fire.

Welding Application

His job in Afghanistan is to install an upgraded suspension system on the Cougar vehicles and modernize the interior and gunner turrets. He does battle damage repair, works very closely with the troops and does what he can to keep them safe and ready for battle.

Miller on the Job

Force Protection is proud to use Miller Big 40 diesel welders; Miller suitcase wire feeders and Miller fume extractors in Afghanistan. Carl started out as a production welder for Force Protection in April of 2011, but in October passed the Certified Weld Inspector test and now holds that position in Bagram. His job now requires a certain amount of travel from base to base. He flies with the military on C17s and C140s. He is a true welding hero!

Submitted by his co-worker Anthony Rix

My Hero

I nominate Ned Blair because he has taught me how to weld, and weld right!

Making a Difference

I met Ned after returning from overseas completing a combat tour of duty in Iraq back in 2005. I was offered a job as a mechanic apprentice at Empire Southwest because of the diesel repair work I had done for the military. I had not worked on heavy equipment like the Cats we have. Ned Blair quickly took me under his wing with no questions asked, and trained me from the ground up in the heavy equipment civilian world.

Welding Application

Ned can proficiently weld Stick, TIG, and MIG, and can weld all metals including old-fashioned brazing. We are required in our industry of heavy equipment to do field repairs on site at a mining site or repairs at the shop. When the customer wants to send in the equipment for repairs, Ned is always the first to want to look at it to quickly assess what needs to be done.

Miller on the Job

Ned’s first lesson was that starting off with the right equipment was essential — Miller equipment — the best welders in the business to help an operator make a proper weld. Ned has introduced me to his passion for welding. In short he is one of those go-to guys that we can rely on from everyday life to on-the-job questions. I would not be where I am today without my welding hero, Ned Blair!