Welding Tips and Tricks

Hey guys, I’ve got a slight warp in my table, I’ve been trying to lineheat it out but she isn’t moving, I’ve been using a small propane torch, I’m going to get the oxy from work and give that a try.

Do you think I need to cut the top free so it can move? Or should it be able to push itself? It’s oh tacked down but in a fair few spots, only reason I haven’t cut it free is it’s going to be a pain in the neck to get to the tacks because of my strong backs.

Thanks in advance for the advice
James


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Propane won’t do crap on thick steel if you’re trying to “move it”. But after cooking, it’s going to move right back. Best to cut it loose, shim, then maybe re-tack.

Awesome thanks, I used to work for ship builders and they always line heated the decks, never was involved so just feeling my way.

I’ll get the oxy from work and report back once it’s like corrugated iron


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Hey guys, I’m after some guidance, I’ve made a stencil of my hole pattern to make base plates for vice, grinder, mag bender etc and want to get an opinion of how to transfer it to the material.

Is it best to clamp it to the piece and just drill it out as a jig

drill it out to the size of my punch so I can centre punch thru it

Or drill it out to actual size so I can use it as a spray paint stencil?


Or does anyone else have any better ideas?



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Transfer punch once holes are correct size.

Thanks cj I’ll give it a crack


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Ok, finally got around to line heating my top, my oxy hoses had a leak so couldn’t use that, ended up using the tig torch, put it up to 100amps and did really quick passes and it worked so well.

Now I just have to run the adjacent way a couple of times and it should be Mickey Mouse


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So I’ve got a small update, I’ve decided to cut those rails out that I need to telescope and replace them, getting them out isn’t going to be easy but I’ve blown a small hole Thru when I welded the top down, didn’t think anything of it and filled it, now it defiantly won’t telescope so it’s coming out, I’ve got replacement steel, it’s 4mm thick and telescopes really nicely.

Hopefully Thursday night I cut out all the old stuff and tack in the new


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consider using round tube, DOM or seamless sch 80 pipe. No welded seam to drag and thick enough to weld on.

Thanks mate will look into it


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I just realised I never did an update, I ended up chopping the two long lengths of telescoping tube out of the frame and changing them out, and it works reasonably well, it can be a bit difficult to slide (requires two hands) but might require some grease or something. The one thing I regret is a tacked the outside of the top, which means the sliding top can’t butt up flush which I’ll now have to grind back but that’s small fish.

I went against the grain here and threaded holes instead of pins, the threads fill up with swarf and the bolts don’t go in well enough. I’m going to drill them out bigger so I can use pins, how do you hold your vice down? Do pins do the job or do you put nuts under the table?

Thanks guys


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I use mine by pinning it with 16mm pins that get nuts below the surface.

Awesome thanks for the reply, I’ve seen these and they look great. I’ll have to get some update photos soon


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