That time a custom order for a wrought iron gate almost broke me

About six months ago, I took on a job for a wrought iron gate with a complex scroll design. The client wanted it for their historic home in Savannah, and the drawings looked amazing. I spent three full days just forging the main scrolls, getting the curves perfect. Then, during the final weld-up, my main MIG welder, a Miller 212, completely died. No warning, just a dead trigger. I had to finish the tacks with my old stick welder, which was a nightmare on the thin material. The client was coming to pick it up in two days, and I was sure I'd have to eat the cost and tell them it was delayed. I ended up driving two hours to borrow a welder from a friend's shop to finish. What's your worst equipment failure story right before a deadline?

2 comments

2 Comments

leoyoung1mo ago

Wait, you drove two hours each way to borrow a welder with only two days left? That is some serious dedication under pressure. My worst was a bandsaw blade snapping while cutting the last piece of trim for a built in. The sound alone made my heart stop.

emma721mo ago

Heard a story from a woodworker friend about his orbital sander catching fire mid-project. He was smoothing a tabletop for a delivery the next day and saw actual smoke coming out of the motor. Had to run to the big box store right before closing to grab a new one, and the replacement was a cheaper brand that left swirl marks he had to fix for hours.