Welding Tips and Tricks

Rick_H wrote:Made a new platform section for a piece of equipment, 304 frame, alum diamond plate.

Looks good (for real) and amazing how you were able to weld the Aluminum to the PVC.

shipj0 wrote:

Rick_H wrote:Made a new platform section for a piece of equipment, 304 frame, alum diamond plate.

Looks good (for real) and amazing how you were able to weld the Aluminum to the PVC.

It's a special torch and filler designed, I can sell you one of you'd like..

In all seriousness I used those as spacers so it would hold dimension if it pulled in, I have to weld that end to an existing structure. Cheap and effective.

It's a special torch and filler designed, I can sell you one of you'd like..
In all seriousness I used those as spacers so it would hold dimension if it pulled in, I have to weld that end to an existing structure. Cheap and effective.

[/quote]

I would imagine a torch like that would be quite rare and expensive. I'll have to keep the PVC trick in mind, good idea.

shipj0 wrote:

It's a special torch and filler designed, I can sell you one of you'd like..
In all seriousness I used those as spacers so it would hold dimension if it pulled in, I have to weld that end to an existing structure. Cheap and effective.

I would imagine a torch like that would be quite rare and expensive. I'll have to keep the PVC trick in mind, good idea.[/quote]

Fill rod home depot
Torch Harbour Freight

This isn't a welded today but welded before Christmas. My wife is impossible to shop far. So instead of buying her anything I made her something that she has been looking for and cant find. For years she was looking for a stocking holder that holds more than one stocking. The stuff in stores is pretty lacking and not what she is looking for. So I designed her a holder for her Christmas present. Unfortunately I didn't get production pics of the sleigh, I was pressed for time to give it to her on Christmas Eve so she could use it. The runners are copper on the sleigh and the sleigh is 16 gauge stainless.

Figure this is a good way to collect more exotic part stuff for TIGGY by making her happy with it. time to expand the TIG collection
Reindeer ready for assembly These where a pain in butt to do Production line building bodies and legs the prototype looks on Welded bodies Attaching necks to head fancy neck jig lol heads waiting to be attached head jig

And the stockings were filled.

Very cool.

Bent my first hoop today! Came out great. I need some advice please on some 1 5/8" .134 mild steel tubing. Welded both at 130 starting amps the first with 1/16th filler and the second with 3/32 filler. Do you need to shove the rod into the metal pretty hard, as I have just been dippin. As always, I appreciate the advice. Thanks John.

Sorry the 3/32 is the top weld.

Hollywood1 wrote:Sorry the 3/32 is the top weld.

Sorry Hollywood, a question rather than an answer...are you starting out on 130 amps and then backing off to lower 'main welding amps' as you go? 130 seems high to me, but as a noob that's just a gut feel thing.

Can't argue with the results - your bends and welds are looking great!



Kym

Hollywood1 wrote:Bent my first hoop today! Came out great. I need some advice please on some 1 5/8" .134 mild steel tubing. Welded both at 130 starting amps the first with 1/16th filler and the second with 3/32 filler. Do you need to shove the rod into the metal pretty hard, as I have just been dippin. As always, I appreciate the advice. Thanks John.

If you use the 1/16" then dip quicker, your (1/16" weld) bead isn't "full" enough. The 3/32" looks good (not cold) and full to me.

Kym-just starting at 130 amps and then backing off slightly on the foot pedal. Thanks John.

@dirtmidget33:

Nice work! I bet your lady was impressed!

@Hollywood1:

Looks good to me

Thanks man.

So I have been trying to build my skills by running beads on practice coupons, but today I had need to actually use my machine to make something useful.

This is a bracket that will be used to mount a light to a metal framed bed in a doctors surgery. I was fairly happy with the first side weld but the second side is not all that good. The saving grace is that there is not a whole lot of loading that will be applied and the welds will be sufficiently strong and the back side weld is hidden from view.

The plate is 1/8" mild steel and the curved part was sectioned from galvanised pipe. I learned an important lesson that ALL the galvanising needs to removed prior to welding! I had partially removed the galvanising but it still contaminated the second weld and produced a lovely white powder underneath the part.

As for settings I had the machine set to 150amps but was using a foot pedal, about 8 lpm gas flow, 1.5% 3/32" Lanthanted tungsten, 3/32" ER70S-6 filler.
Flo

The first weld probably caused oxidation on the other side, which made your second weld not as good as the first.

big gear head wrote:The first weld probably caused oxidation on the other side, which made your second weld not as good as the first.

That makes sense. So I either need to shield the back side with argon whilst welding the first side or remove the oxides mechanically prior to welding the second side..

Cheers,

Flo

This is my first cage welded with my new Dynasty. I used to use a torch mounted switch and no amperage control. I must say I have fallen in love with th Miller pedals. They stay put and don't slide around so out of position welds are achievable.

Looks good man! I'm jealous of your new machine. john

Nice work. I don't think I've ever seen a cage built like that before. What will this car be used for? Looks like it might be Ralley or drift judging by the long lever in the center.

I'm curios too I just started welding for a customer who is heading your direction. And he's a friend.

Not a bunch. Added some 3/4 pipe braces, made a 1 1/2 x 1/8 angle frame and tossed some 3/4/9 expanded on it for a drop shelf. Coat of roof paint.Wire wheeled and Ospho'd the top. 3 coats of floor wax.Good to go until next year.
I think I'll make some extensions to slide into that 1x2 tube for longer material.
Its 40 tall, 40 wide and 60 long. 1/8 wall tube and 1/4 lid. Flat as glass.

The car will be used mainly for drifting however the cage is build to be FIA compliant. It will be legal for any type of racing he wants to do. The windshield braces are a required member in any FIA cage as of 2005. In the event of a rollover the windshield is the weakest area

I'd have to take my leg off to get in and out of that thing

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Haha you get used to it! The key is to get in feet first and sit on the door bar. Road race/ drift/ rally cars don't have the luxury of swing outs like drag cars. Drag cage regulations are very lax.