Welding Tips and Tricks

subwayrocket wrote:

TamJeff wrote:Alternately, I use a photo hosting site. The one with the least amount of advertising wins for the moment. I used to use photobucket, until it got so laden with advertisement that it would freeze my somewhat antiquated desktop pc. So, now I use imgur.com, which also has some relatively simple editing and linking features, along with a generous amount of free storage space.

I thought it was just my computer . Photobucket was great, while it lasted ...it slows up my computer too

Don't you guys use AdBlock???? I've been using it for years and haven't seen an ad in years, every once in awhile I'll be on someone else's computer, and they won't have it, and it's horrifying to see how many ads there are on so many sites... I'm amazed not everyone uses AdBlock, it's been around forever.... Just do a google search for it and pick the one for your browser (Firefox is the best browser but they have AdBlock for all of them)... It's free, installs super quick (it's just an Add-On to your browser), set it, forget about it... You'll never see a single ad again ever. The only time you ever have to disable it (it'll put a little red stop-sign icon on your browser menu bar for you to access their simple settings easily), is every once in awhile some pop-up functions of websites won't work if you're using AdBlock, so you just disable it for that site for that one function...

PS I use PhotoBucket and it works fine... I'm assuming it's because I'm not inundated by ads, I've never seen any ads on Photobucket, because, well... AdBlock.

raticus, your gauge mount looks pretty good to me.

Hope the fairing stay/ gauge mount I have planned for my race bike looks half as good.


Kym

MosquitoMoto wrote:raticus, your gauge mount looks pretty good to me.

Hope the fairing stay/ gauge mount I have planned for my race bike looks half as good.


Kym

thanks MosquitoMoto, I can fabricate stuff pretty good, it's just my welding isn't very good yet... I like to build stuff, I hate buying anything that I can build myself, even if it costs me more to build it... The wife gets mad at me sometimes cause whenever she thinks of something she needs or wants to buy, I'm like, "I can build that!", which of course takes longer and costs more, but it's always better IMO.

So you race bikes eh? Road racing of some sort from your icon, small bore bikes maybe looking at your username?

Raticus, we'll have to meet up some time. Whereabouts are you located?

raticus wrote:

MosquitoMoto wrote:raticus, your gauge mount looks pretty good to me.

Hope the fairing stay/ gauge mount I have planned for my race bike looks half as good.


Kym

thanks MosquitoMoto, I can fabricate stuff pretty good, it's just my welding isn't very good yet... I like to build stuff, I hate buying anything that I can build myself, even if it costs me more to build it... The wife gets mad at me sometimes cause whenever she thinks of something she needs or wants to buy, I'm like, "I can build that!", which of course takes longer and costs more, but it's always better IMO.

So you race bikes eh? Road racing of some sort from your icon, small bore bikes maybe looking at your username?

Hey raticus.

Sounds like we are kindred spirits; make rather than buy, fix rather than throw away. I get the feeling there are many people like that on this forum.

I have a lot of bikes but my race bike is a very modified Suzuki SV650/GSX-R hybrid. It's a 'ride a slow bike to learn to go fast' bike, slow as hell in a straight line but capable of big corner speed. So much fun. I live for corners.

I do all my own engines, all my own tuning and mods. The TIG was purchased so I could make more lightweight parts for the bike and repair broken parts, but it is fast becoming a passion in itself.

Sorry for the thread jack, folks...


Kym

Just to let all know,

Our webmaster says the photo upload thingy is fixed for now, and he's looking for some better code for it to simplify the process.

Steve S

raticus wrote:Don't you guys use AdBlock???? I've been using it for years and haven't seen an ad in years, every once in awhile I'll be on someone else's computer, and they won't have it, and it's horrifying to see how many ads there are on so many sites... I'm amazed not everyone uses AdBlock, it's been around forever.... Just do a google search for it and pick the one for your browser (Firefox is the best browser but they have AdBlock for all of them)... It's free, installs super quick (it's just an Add-On to your browser), set it, forget about it... You'll never see a single ad again ever. The only time you ever have to disable it (it'll put a little red stop-sign icon on your browser menu bar for you to access their simple settings easily), is every once in awhile some pop-up functions of websites won't work if you're using AdBlock, so you just disable it for that site for that one function...

PS I use PhotoBucket and it works fine... I'm assuming it's because I'm not inundated by ads, I've never seen any ads on Photobucket, because, well... AdBlock.

Yes, I use adblock and it works fine but they have done something to photobucket that is not friendly with my older desktop that is by now, 9 years old. It could likely use more RAM, but I don't really want to sink any money into this machine. I have no issues with imgur. I only use the internet from my desktop pc at home. Also, I only use Linux OS. Maybe I have not optimized that but I just don't have the interest in the internet so much anymore in which to fiddle with it.

ritzblitz wrote:Cool thread.

I don't have any pictures of the finished product, but here's one my friend secretly took when I was fixing an exhaust manifold for him.
The previous owner ran it with a busted engine mount. It had an annular crack which I tried fixing up. It was tough access but it will do... I can edit this when he glass beads and paints the part for a finished product picture.
This is the first 'job' I got to do with my new welder

I've been about your new welder. How is it working for you? Preformance wise, and what type of machine is it.

Had to repair a small cast Aluminum part recently ...it was pretty difficult going but I got it done.
This week I went over the scrapyard, I figured i'd grab some scrap cast Alum parts, break them, then practice welding
them back together. It's not pretty but I had fun practicing on it...also took a quick video trying to break the weld.
---------------------- Video of sledge hammering it v
https://youtu.be/-DSUUoJY59c

There is something satisfying about a bit of 'percussive maintenance', or getting to beat the ever loving snot out of something in the name of testing!

Congrats on your welds holding up better than the base material, during your destructive tests, as well.

By George I think he got it.

Discovered a badly cracked weld in one of my under tray boxes, I found it when all my tie down gear for my ute(tray back mini truck) got soaked.
They've been under my ute tray for about 3yrs, Chinese ebay specials supposed to be 1.6mm(1/16th) aluminum... more like 1mm
This is my first real bit of aluminum welding other than running practice beads on 3mm flat bar so yeah real noob at this!
My set up is Everlast 210EXT with a matching colour water cooler,
1.6mm lathenated, set to 100amps max on the panel, 150Hz feq with A/C balance @ 40, .8/3 seconds pre/post flow @7lt a minute, 18wp torch gas lens and a #5 cup (hope that sounds right)

Here's the offending crack


Factory weld... no wonder it cracked


Clamped up after cleaning up, ready to spot every 2"


A few close ups of my newbness




Yes dip dip dip that electrode


The finished job


Although its not real good welding it should hold better than the factory welds, i blew it out in a few places so had to go back over it to fill the holes
One thing I have learned from this is aluminum bead peaks are much higher than steel hence dipping the electrode trying to fix the holes and I had to put a lot more heat to remelt the bead which leaves them very flat looking.

Hints are more than welcome!

Started fabricating a new sanitation cart for one of our product fillers. 1/16" wall 304L tube

Update-9/11 added finished photo

Nice work, Looks great !

Rick_H wrote:Started fabricating a new sanitation cart for one of our product fillers. 1/16" wall 304L tube

Update-9/11 added finished photo

Nice work Rick, is that two cups that seem to be levitating?

Emergency patch

Nice work. What is that part? Some kind of filler cap?


Kym

Top lid for a sausage stuffing pot. It gets a rubber ring under the lugs and cams on to the pot. Then they use water pressure to push meat out of the pot into little smokies. 75 # at a time.

75# is a BIG little smokie...

Steve S

LtBadd wrote:

Rick_H wrote:Started fabricating a new sanitation cart for one of our product fillers. 1/16" wall 304L tube

Update-9/11 added finished photo

Nice work Rick, is that two cups that seem to be levitating?

Yes they are welded to the frame, 2 fill tubes fit down inside them so they can be washed, sanitatized and dry.

Poland308 wrote:Top lid for a sausage stuffing pot. It gets a rubber ring under the lugs and cams on to the pot. Then they use water pressure to push meat out of the pot into little smokies. 75 # at a time.

I love little smokies, especially when they are pigs in a blanket. Nice job...

That was my first patch on cast alum. The crack went all the way through. About 1/4 in thick. I ground out the crack all the way through and then drilled out the end of the crack. Seemed like forever till the bead kinda sank in and I got full penetration. Is that normal on castings?

Nice work, everyone. It's nice to look into other people's welding windows sometimes. Appreciate seeing all of the contributions here.

TamJeff wrote:Nice work, everyone. It's nice to look into other people's welding windows sometimes. Appreciate seeing all of the contributions here.

Agree that it is great to see everyone's work. For me, often inspiring too - shows me what's possible if the skills are there.

I had to Google 'little smokies' but I feel I am a culturally richer person for having done it...


Kym

Here's a picture from my first day of tig welding. It's a 3" v-band on a stainless exhaust pipe:



These next ones are 4" 304L stainless v-bands after lots of practice and trying different things, as well as a few tanks of argon:





A few pictures of the finished product: