Yes, that is the case with the incoming power. Main campus has more than the rating and the high school was less and that caused the problem. I just used that to show that true amperage and what the machine shows can be different enough to make a comparison on here difficult. We have 12 new inverter...

Actual amperage and the reading on the machine and readings from one machine to the next can vary wildly. It makes it hard to discuss on a forum such as this. But if you notice that for a 1/8" 7018 the range is from 90-160. That will cover almost if not all variations. For example: at school we...

It really depends on what you plan to do in the future. You should consider that sometimes plans do change and the AAS degree could possibly open career avenues that would not be open otherwise. My school offers a certificate program and a diploma program and next fall we are adding an associate deg...

Well, I learned something today. I did not know that stand-alone spool guns existed. I bought my first one way back when I got my first 250 series Millermatic it was still going strong when I retired. If they will work with the CC-DCEP you have available then you are in business for .25 aluminum.

Thank you for a response. So there really wouldn't be away put a spool-gun setup on the stick welder and not have it be a scratch start like I weld with the sticks? That is a bummer. I guess I will start pricing out what it will cost to pay someone. No, the stick welder uses current in a different ...

I don't think you have enough power with your GMAW set-up. .25 aluminum takes more amperage than what you have available. With your stick welder you would have to set up scratch start GTAW and, while it works ok on steel, you would have all sorts of problems with aluminum. So, to answer your questio...

The tools you have listed are fine if you have tolerances in the 1/16" or 1/32" range but these items are measured in "milli-tishes" and that will make it very challenging with everyday tools.

You should not have to pre-heat on metal as thin as what you are working on. The real problem will be blowing through it when you have your heat high enough. Thin is usually harder than thick.

One more thing. Whoever told you to weld on the coldest possible setting misinformed you. You need to weld with the correct amperage for adequate penetration and bead profile. The proper amperage will also make the rods easier to start. I prefer to weld on the edge of being too hot rather than the o...

You should be on DCEP for aluminum GMAW. You will weld most everything on DCEP with wire feed welders except when FCAW wire calls for DCEN. You have to adjust aluminum wire for spray transfer to get a decent weld. Jody has some videos to show you what this looks like. Your .030 wire should work fine...

We usually wipe it off with acetone and wire brush the weld area and then weld it with 4043 filler wire. It usually welds fine with both inverter and solid state machines. Use just enough EP to get a small (1/16" or less) etching around the puddle and it should weld fine. If not then something ...

Hey guys, I wanted to get this back to the top because of some questions that have come up in my classes. Are you working from WPS for GMAW structural steel? I am asking because GMAW short circuit is not allowed in any of the pre-approved procedures in D1.1. If someone did go through the procedure q...

Hot start is made for stick welding and it will help if you have it on your machine. I make my students turn it off when learning to strike an arc because it can become a crutch for bad technique. Lighting up any stick electrode is a touch thing and 7018's require a little more finesse. I have notic...

I have one of those that I used for awhile and it worked ok for everything except overhead. Do not wash it unless it is absolutely necessary because the fire resistant coating will go away.

I have used a Tillman's Onyx jacket for three years and it has held up better than any jacket I have ever used. I do dozens of demonstrations everyday, in all positions, using many processes plus grinding, and the smooth leather has been much better than split cowhide that most jackets are made from...

Yes, that is an outside corner joint and if you don't have a foot pedal or other remote then it is getting too hot at the end of the weld. The best way to solve the problem is to start at one edge and weld halfway and then start at the other edge and weld to the point where you left off from the fir...

If you are running good beads then move on to lap joints in the different positions. I then have students work on inside and outside corner joints. Work on getting a good start to the joint by bringing up the puddle on both pieces of metal at the same time. My students want to weld the joints but wh...

Yes, you can feed Al mig wire through a short mig gun. Just keep the gun as straight as possible and using 5356 wire will help also as well as some U drive rolls.

Kevin

That is a big trailer for 3500 lbs. When you subtract the weight of the trailer from 3500 you may not have enough payload. I like to use 2 x 3 x 1/4" angle for the main frame on small trailers and 3 x 4 x 1/4" angle for 7000 lb trailers and 2 x 2 x1/4" angle for all the cross members....

You are usually limited to 1/8" outside of the original groove and 1/8" above the surface of the base metal. If I read correctly you are using 0" root opening and 3/16" land. That sounds like it will be tough to put your root pass in and be at least flush on the back side. It has...

Remember that if your bottom piece is flat on the table then you are welding a horizontal fillet weld and need to run a bead with little or no weave or motion (stringer). Each time you go up the vertical wall with your weave you create a crater that is hard to fill. When you have a wall, either fill...

I have been on the forum for awhile but have not really introduced myself. I am a retired agriculture mechanics teacher (32 years) and I am now teaching welding on a part-time basis at a local community college. I have some experience with equipment repair and fabrication. I also have experience wit...

Things I have used to mark metal: Soapstone- sharpened like a wedge Silver artist pencil- have to sharpen often Black sharpie- SS and Al Silver sharpie- carbon steel Silver streak- just started using it but I am liking it Scribe- scratch awl. sharpened tungsten and carbide scribe Scribe with center ...

Thank you so much, that is the same WPS that I looked at except for the DCEN on the root pass. I will change my job sheets on Monday.

I am going to update my job sheets to include some open root 7018's to cover as many bases as possible. When putting in a root pass with 7018, do you stick it in like a 6010. I plan to try a couple when I get to school Monday but I was just wondering what technique is best to use. Most of the UA and...