Welder Series Inc.

I decided to start a new section of the blog devoted to things, as a welder, I’ve found useful. If you’re a welder too and want to contribute, let me know and I’ll get you set up.

To get things rolling, I’ll introduce you to a product that has made a huge difference in my life. I know… that sounds dramatic, but it’s mostly true.

It’s the Sony DR-BT160As. I wish we had part numbers like that. I know it says they’re discontinued on the Sony site, but you can always find them on eBay.
The deal with these in particular is the way they “mount” to your head… they’re tucked in tight behind your ears, and there is no strap to interfere with your welding helmet! I connect them to my iPhone with Bluetooth (no wires), slide the phone into an old welding glove to protect it from sparks, and I can walk around my shop listening to whatever I want! I also like the “in-ear” design because they act as ear plugs too. If I get a call on my cell phone while I’m welding, I can press a little button on the headset and talk – there’s a microphone built in too. You can adjust the volume, change tracks, pause, make phone calls… all without touching your phone.

While I’m at it, I might as well mention some good podcasts I listen to while I’m welding. It’s a good chunk of time to just sit and learn.

For listening, I use an app called Instacast. My go-to podcasts are (in alphabetical order) Freakonomics Radio, Mars Hill Church (Mark Driscoll), Six Pixels of Separation (Mitch Joel), Stuff You Should Know, TEDTalks, The Age of Persuasion (I think the show is cancelled, but there are still a whack of podcasts available), This American Life, and of course the Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McLean.

If you listen to any good podcasts, let me know!