[avtur3]

Colin Furze's style isn't for me but what he's doing looks like really good innovative engineering to me.
I'm sure that the people who have "beards covering their po face" also produce good, innovative engineering.

Good point ... it takes all sorts to make a world.

I think where Colin Furze is concerned his 'style', which is perhaps not to everyones' liking ( I'm sure that is an age/generational thing) is actually appealing to a lot of, dare I say it ... younger folks and because of that he is getting their engagement which to me has to be a good thing.

His style may be questionable to some, but the content is just what we need to see youngsters enthused about.

There's a good chance that some youngsters with a bit of imagination might just to try and emulate him rather than spending every spare minute buried in a games console.

[Paul_Sengupta]

One particular thing he did fairly recently in the spirit of "things you *could* do at home", was to build a go-kart without any welding involved.

[cockney steve]

But MIG welders are so cheap (and plentiful used ones! ) and so easy to use, why would you bother drilling loads of holes and buying sackfuls of nuts and bolts? We've moved on a bit since Brunel's time. Anyone who can't afford a MIG, wouldn,t be building an expensive toy like this, anyway...........tip.- plenty of independent "pub gas" suppliers out there. mine are about £6 for a CO2 refill....if you need Argon, you'll be lumbered with the majors and have to rent a cylinder.bear in mind the gas diffuses through the metal-pores and pure argon becomes "diluted" by air (so i'm told) ...might be just the very light gases that pass through....not sure, never followed that one through.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Because not everyone's happy with using a welder. I know there are YouTube videos you can watch to teach yourself but I suspect it takes a bit of practice.

The only welding I've done is arc welding, and way back before the days of auto darkening masks. The first hit was always a bit of guesswork! I wouldn't know where to start with welding anything. Drilling holes, well, I've done a bit of that. I was drilling holes in the sky just a few hours ago!

[KingJames]

Got to be the best advertisement for the YouTube generation to study engineering in either academic or apprenticeship form for those that are inclined but hadn't considered it. Chuck in Brian Cox and Guy Martin and you have a best of British doing cool and fun stuff IMHO. B. marvellous levels of enthusiasm for their topics.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Someone on one of Colin's videos suggested he'd love to see a collaboration between Colin Furze and Guy Martin.

I commented that it would probably reach some sort of critical mass where all the country's health and safety people would start bursting into flames.

[seanjd]

Now that would make entertaining watching

[cockney steve]

Stick welding is a bu66er! I had great difficulty distinguishing weld-bead from slag...result, snots of bird Carp. Mig-wire is much, much thinner than "stick" therefore, a low, controllable deposition rate is easier to achieve, even on thin "lacework" body-panels...also, the gas shields the molten pool, so, no slag...WYSIWYG Only the very cheapest sets have "scratch-start" - anything else has a trigger and you canrest the gun-nozzle on the work.. If you can use one of those mastic-guns, you can make a goof MIG-weld, after 5 minutes' practice.

Love what Mr. Furse turns out, loathe his shouty style.

Also found an amazing bloke, built a furnace, smelts aluminium, makes and machines engine parts!.....then there's the French Postman who scratch-built a Ferrari,about a metre (well, it is Europe) long....even made his own moulds for tyres! fantastic engineering,he now does it full time.
who needs a telly when you've got the whole world on you-tube.....a truly revolutionary communication-medium.

[Paultheparaglider]

If you can use one of those mastic-guns, you can make a goof MIG-weld, after 5 minutes' practice.

You've certainly got my number.

[JoeC]

Who says the choice between styles has to be so binary? Hysterical show-offs are not the only alternative to dull academics.

I guess that those who think engineering can only be made interesting by promoting it through flamethrowers and explosions are simply going to be help yoofs make a serious career choice mistake and are probably doing engineers/engineering a massive injustice too.

[Charliesixtysix]

Someone on one of Colin's videos suggested he'd love to see a collaboration between Colin Furze and Guy Martin.

I commented that it would probably reach some sort of critical mass where all the country's health and safety people would start bursting into flames.

That is the very best idea I have heard of in months. Both parts.

[eltonioni]

Martin + Furze!

Who says the choice between styles has to be so binary? Hysterical show-offs are not the only alternative to dull academics.

Nobody said it is / are although it would be equally funny to see a po faced presentation of a rocket powered bicycle. Furze does rocket powered bicycles (etc) and his style suits it well. Other YouTube channels are available with more serious engineering that don't feature Colin Furze. Personally, I think it's quite nice to lighten up every once in a while.

Then there's this.

[Paul_Sengupta]

I used to like those Egg Race programmes. Likewise in later years, Scrapheap Challenge was quite good to watch.

[JoeC]

Personally, I think it's quite nice to lighten up every once in a while.

I agree, your posts are much more enjoyable when you chill out a bit.

[cockney steve]

cockney steve wrote:
If you can use one of those mastic-guns, you can make a goof MIG-weld, after 5 minutes' practice.


You've certainly got my number. 

Blimey! fat fingers or Freudian slip? ....goof spot !