Welding Tips and Tricks

Just discovered that the crack I saw along the outside edge of the ramp of my utility trailer was the tip of the iceberg. Apparently the top edge lay on the ground for years, and rust ate it from the inside out. I thought I'd lay a bead along the crack, but since I had a 7014 rod out (and have recently fallen in love with them), I wanted to grind it smooth and bright first.
So I had a couple of thoughts but they seemed a) overkill, or b) incredibly ugly, even for an old utility trailer. Then it occurred to me to ask you for suggestions.

It's 1" tubing, so about 1-1/4 outside. I'm not constrained to using material that I have on hand -- I don't have any bar or angle that width, and nothing that long, so however I do it, I'll have to get the material.

Thanks for looking! All suggestions welcome.

"If it ain't broke, fix it till it is."

Just cut out the tubing and replace with a new bit. Bit of fiddley work cutting off the mesh but its the easiest way

To replace, take a cutting wheel and cut each weld to remove - weld in a new piece - this is what I likely would do.

To repair - lay a 1/4" rod in the large crack as a filler, then welding will be much easier.

It isn't easy to repair rust, and much grinding and blending is needed to make it invisible - but it can be done.

Also, because of the length of the weld, and it's location, the square tube will likely warp and need to be straightened to look good.

I would use 3/32" 6013, but whatever you chose, don't use 1/8" rods - and make sure to grind the rust out completely back to good material.

Good luck and post pics

Edit: btw, square tube is measured by it's outside dimension, not inside.

Shaun,
Not sure if it get below freezing where you're at but if I was to guess I would say that the tubing froze and split. When you make your repair make sure there's an avenue for the water to drain, weep holes or something similar. Plus they let moisture escape and will cut down on rust out from within.

I'm in the replace it in kind camp, lot's of grinding but it will make you a better fitter and welder in the long run, free education.

Len

AKweldshop wrote:"If it ain't broke, fix it till it is."

I apologize; I don't mean any disrespect <smirk> but I just can't help (or stop) chuckling.

On a serious note, would your advice be the same if I pointed out that if I left it in the horrible condition it is, that thieves would shun it, and all the money I spend on insurance would be wasted?

MinnesotaDave wrote:To replace, take a cutting wheel and cut each weld to remove - weld in a new piece - this is what I likely would do.

Iz what I likely will do as well.


To repair - lay a 1/4" rod in the large crack as a filler, then welding will be much easier. It isn't easy to repair rust, and much grinding and blending is needed to make it invisible - but it can be done.

I can't bring myself to do that kind of repair -- it clearly has considerable rust inside, causing the surface to buckle up. I've ground some of that, and discovered it was only a bit thicker than foil. If I were to try a short-cut, I'd be inclined to weld a bar of 1-1/4x1/8 across it -- but that would be so ugly that it begs to be left as is.


Also, because of the length of the weld, and it's location, the square tube will likely warp and need to be straightened to look good.

Hmm... Even with careful tacking, and alternating weld spots? I don't have the means to take out twists; I do have a little 3# hammer and a maul, and have gotten pretty good at taking out bends in bars and expanded metal. Tubing, I just don't think I could straighten.


I would use 3/32" 6013, but whatever you chose, don't use 1/8" rods - and make sure to grind the rust out completely back to good material.

Umm... What's the problem with 1/8" -- is 1/32 that significant? Maybe 30A hotter? Oh. You're looking at my welds, and see that I'd have blowouts all over the place. <blush>

Yep, 3/32" is my most favoritest rod -- but I'm liking 7014s a lot, and haven't experimented with different sizes yet.


Good luck and post pics

Edit: btw, square tube is measured by it's outside dimension, not inside.

<grimace> Yeah, I had trouble with that -- the inner was exactly 1", but the outside was 1/32 or so larger than 1-1/4 (and I neglected to see if sq tube was available in 1/4" increments. <sigh>

Thanks for your suggestions and advice!

Braehill wrote:Shaun,
Not sure if it get below freezing where you're at but if I was to guess I would say that the tubing froze and split. When you make your repair make sure there's an avenue for the water to drain, weep holes or something similar. Plus they let moisture escape and will cut down on rust out from within.

I'm in the replace it in kind camp, lot's of grinding but it will make you a better fitter and welder in the long run, free education.

Len

It seldom gets that cold down here; and I didn't show the ends -- they weren't capped. Thinking about your guess, it does appear that there has been some hydraulic pressure in it. I'm guessing that the ramp was left down, and that edge was on (in) the ground a long time. It prolly rusted nearly through along the lowest part, then got a good freeze and split.

To my OCD mind, it's pointless to even do an exploratory grind to see how bad the rust is -- the damage is too great to try to patch. Besides, I'm a sucker for free!

Thanks!

Oh, about drainage -- I was struck by a comment ChuckE made in a vid about a ramp repair he did for a neighbor: the original had some square tubing, and had been left open. ChuckE didn't like that, and made little caps for the ends of his. If I were to cap the ends of my repair, I'd want some weep holes so the moisture that "no way, no how" could get in there would have a way to get out.

Put a piece of angle iron on the top of it and stitch weld it on - done.

Buy a 12-pack of cold beer, put it in a cooler, sit next to the cooler and drink the beer. Look at the project and think about it until a great solution comes to you. If that doesn't work, keep trying every day until you think of something. Sooner or later you will think of something great, or you will scrap the trailer to buy more cold beer, which also solves the problem.

Gary

Boomer63 wrote:Buy a 12-pack of cold beer, put it in a cooler, sit next to the cooler and drink the beer. Look at the project and think about it until a great solution comes to you. If that doesn't work, keep trying every day until you think of something. Sooner or later you will think of something great, or you will scrap the trailer to buy more cold beer, which also solves the problem.

Gary

Sorry, took me a while to get my chuckles under control. Okay, I'm going to give that a shot. Unfortunately, I don't drink beer, I only buy Guinness, and don't care for it chilled... so a half case, and I would prolly have a solution to the national debt, Osamacare, and the answer to whether global warming was a hoax or not.

Uh oh, wait a sec, I just noticed your profile! "Indiana, near Chicago"? Hmm... Gary? East Chicago? Whiting? Huh! Mayor Daley would come outta his grave if I listened to you!

However, I'll have a Guinness anyway.