Welding Tips and Tricks

Hi all, I'm new here and thought I'd say hello.

After years of racing and breaking motorcycles, always prompting me to say "Now if I could weld alloy, I could fix this..." I finally bit the bullet, called up TokenTools and bought a Metalmaster 215 ACDC Pulse TIG with plasma cutter.

I have to say I'm having a great time learning. Using more Argon than I can believe. Messing around with alloy and mild steel, with stainless coming soon. Focus will be on fabricating brackets and subframes in thin wall alloy tube, as well as creating exhausts in mild and stainless, plus battery boxes, brackets... You name it.

Reasonably happy with progress thus far. Hoping to learn a lot from the wise ones here.

Cheers,

Moz

Moz
welcome the the forum.
there are several here who dabble with motorcycles
and race cars.
dont afraid to ask any questions here the members
are all respectful and range from hobbyist to
professional and everything in between.
craig

Welcome Moz, good to have you on board

Thanks guys.

I've had another great weekend of filling the atmosphere with Argon and swear words. In the next few weeks will be taking on a little task welding a rear frame loop to a friend's motorcycle. Thank goodness that it's an old bike with a steel frame...reasonably confident I can do a 'functional, strong, but possibly not pretty' job.


Moz

Moz welcome to the forum.

Hey mate. I'm an Aussie as well.

weldin mike 27 wrote:Hey mate. I'm an Aussie as well.

Hey Mike, good to see another Aussie on here.

I see from your profile that you're a pro...just the kind of person a newbie like me needs to know! I'm still just really starting out, but having fun. Have an IGBT inverter stick welder plus an ACDC TIG and need to get good enough at TIG welding alloy to fabricate brackets and repair race bikes. Most of my welding will be thin alloy and stainless.

Cheers,


Moz

Haha, pro as in I get paid for it. I can bang down a pretty mean 8mm fillet with the mig, but nothing instagram worthy. Lol. Where abouts are you?

weldin mike 27 wrote:Haha, pro as in I get paid for it. I can bang down a pretty mean 8mm fillet with the mig, but nothing instagram worthy. Lol. Where abouts are you?

South Oz. happy with my progress on steel, alloy will take a little while and a few tanks of argon. Main focus right now is to find a precise way to angle cut stainless tube to help create 'lobster back' exhaust bends. Chop saw? More shed toys to come, I guess...

Moz

Cool as. There is a guy up in qld called 316 engineering, on instagram I think, he makes pie cut exhausts and turbo pipes. The tct dry cut saw is the way to go with work like that.

weldin mike 27 wrote:Cool as. There is a guy up in qld called 316 engineering, on instagram I think, he makes pie cut exhausts and turbo pipes. The tct dry cut saw is the way to go with work like that.

TCT dry cut...noted. Thanks!

Moz

Lots of hard work in those pipes though

weldin mike 27 wrote:Lots of hard work in those pipes though

Oh yes indeedy. And my first one will look like shite for sure. But that's okay...I'm going to fabricate the very first one in mild steel for my kids pit bike. Then after that one, I'll do one in stainless for a basket case road bike I'm rebuilding. After that who knows?

Received a stubby gas lens kit for my TIG today. Very interested to see if it makes much of a difference in argon coverage when I'm doing inside corner welds.

Moz

Good stuff. When in doubt, tig it out.

Hi Moz

Just sending another quick welcome, I'm in Oz too. There's a few of us here. Welcome aboard!

Trev

MosquitoMoto wrote:
TCT dry cut...noted. Thanks!

Moz

Hi and welcome

Make sure to get tct blades rated for SS, the regular steel or multi-purpose blades wear down in just a few cuts.

Know from own experience...

AndersK wrote:

MosquitoMoto wrote:
TCT dry cut...noted. Thanks!

Moz

Hi and welcome

Make sure to get tct blades rated for SS, the regular steel or multi-purpose blades wear down in just a few cuts.

Know from own experience...

Good tip Anders...thanks you.


Kym

Welcome! Lots of Aussies out here! So many, in fact, that I had to get off my ass and learn what 'mm' means. At first I thought it was Australian beer or something. I have to tell, you Australia seems like a wonderful place to visit. What would you recommend as a good place to visit in Australia? Keep in mind that I am a 55 year old, brain damaged, decrepit old iron worker.

Good day, Mate!

Breakfast Creek Hotel in Brisbane for geat beer and steaks.

Blue Heeler Hotel in Kynuna out back Queensland, in the middle of nowhere but famous history. The place where " Waltzing Matilda" was written. Very friendly place. Be prepared for some driving because "Texas is mitey big country" ain't got nothin on Queensland.

Coldman wrote:Breakfast Creek Hotel in Brisbane for geat beer and steaks.

Blue Heeler Hotel in Kynuna out back Queensland, in the middle of nowhere but famous history. The place where " Waltzing Matilda" was written. Very friendly place. Be prepared for some driving because "Texas is mitey big country" ain't got nothin on Queensland.

Thank you Coldman! I really appreciate this! The thing is, I would like to take this trip in the next two years or so; maybe I will look you up and we can share a cold beer! Sort of an international meeting of welders??!!

It would be my pleasure to see you out this way. Australia is a huge country with the full spectrum of climates each with its own unique beauty. You can't see it all in one trip. I spent many years working all over so have been luckier than most in seeing alot. There are many retirees called grey nomads that sold up and spend their days touring the country in winibagos and trailers. I'd be happy to help you work up an itinerary if you like.

Coldman wrote:It would be my pleasure to see you out this way. Australia is a huge country with the full spectrum of climates each with its own unique beauty. You can't see it all in one trip. I spent many years working all over so have been luckier than most in seeing alot. There are many retirees called grey nomads that sold up and spend their days touring the country in winibagos and trailers. I'd be happy to help you work up an itinerary if you like.

I am giving this serious consideration! But, as I look at my budget, the trip looks like it will be four or five years out. But I really, really want to go! I figure that having a destination, like visiting other welders from the Forum, would be a great idea. It would be a good chance to meet the locals, get involved in some local-level activities, and spend time with other guys who share the same interests.

Anyway, thank you for the suggestions! And who knows? Maybe some day we will share the cold beer!
Gary

Boomer63 wrote:...I figure that having a destination, like visiting other welders from the Forum, would be a great idea. It would be a good chance to meet the locals, get involved in some local-level activities, and spend time with other guys who share the same interests...
Gary

An excellent way to see the "real" destination and culture. The other option is to see the "tourist ready" areas, that represent where you're from more than where you are.

That was my favorite thing about road work here in the U.S. I was NOT going to the fancy clubs; I was going to the local hole-in-the-wall watering hole and getting to know the locals, the customs, the fishing holes, where to avoid when the cops were out, all the stuff that is distinct to each town, township, county, and region.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:

Boomer63 wrote:...I figure that having a destination, like visiting other welders from the Forum, would be a great idea. It would be a good chance to meet the locals, get involved in some local-level activities, and spend time with other guys who share the same interests...
Gary

An excellent way to see the "real" destination and culture. The other option is to see the "tourist ready" areas, that represent where you're from more than where you are.

That was my favorite thing about road work here in the U.S. I was NOT going to the fancy clubs; I was going to the local hole-in-the-wall watering hole and getting to know the locals, the customs, the fishing holes, where to avoid when the cops were out, all the stuff that is distinct to each town, township, county, and region.

Steve S

Right on Steve! I traveled a lot in the 1990's for work, and loved meeting and hanging around with the locals. I love getting into peoples homes from all races and cultures, eating the food, listening to the stories, etc. I am really going to plan this trip to Aussie land. Unfortunately, it won't be for about four or five years. But I think as I watch the forum, I will start to identify cats that I would like to have a beer with. I think it would be a blast to do a trip like that and post it on the forum! Need a new category! I am already planning on meeting another member from Illinois, when his season slows down a bit. What the heck, you know? Why not?
Gary

Gary, I assume you're referring to Beerpounder? I mean Exnailpounder? (He made a career change, you see...)

Just poking fun... That's too big and well-armed a guy to risk pissing off...



Steve S