i want to learn to weld...

[GHarman]

Bob, There is alot to read! You are correct in the idea of concentrating heat on the thicker part and washing over to the thin, particularly with stick welding. 3/32" dia 6013 or 3/32" dia 7014 would be the rods of choice for that job with your AC power supply.

The wire feed should work quite well if you have your heat(wire feed speed) set right. This is a little more particular but quite effective as well as quick! Make sure you have a tight fitup and aim at the center of the joint with a slight favor to the thicker piece. This process does not wash well. The fusion zone is very narrow, which is good from a distortion control stand point. Multiple passes are better than a wash pass with wire feed (MIG, or technically GMAW). If you can, setup some practice pieces, that will help you get your bearings. The . 035" gasless flux cored (must have the capacity on your machine) wire works well also. A piece of copper buss bar works great as a heat sink, if you need one. Use just enough gas to cover the weld zone, no more. The excess is wasted (expensive). Place shields around the area to be welded to eliminate breeze's, if you are in a drafty area. Hope this helps. GregH

 

[Bob Cochran]

Bob, There is alot to read! You are correct in the idea of concentrating heat on the thicker part and washing over to the thin, particularly with stick welding. 3/32" dia 6013 or 3/32" dia 7014 would be the rods of choice for that job with your AC power supply.

The wire feed should work quite well if you have your heat(wire feed speed) set right. This is a little more particular but quite effective as well as quick! Make sure you have a tight fitup and aim at the center of the joint with a slight favor to the thicker piece. This process does not wash well. The fusion zone is very narrow, which is good from a distortion control stand point. Multiple passes are better than a wash pass with wire feed (MIG, or technically GMAW). If you can, setup some practice pieces, that will help you get your bearings. The . 035" gasless flux cored (must have the capacity on your machine) wire works well also. A piece of copper buss bar works great as a heat sink, if you need one. Use just enough gas to cover the weld zone, no more. The excess is wasted (expensive). Place shields around the area to be welded to eliminate breeze's, if you are in a drafty area. Hope this helps. GregH

Sorry MIG always sticks in my mind not GMAW my age I guess hard to break old habits. I do and will set up some test pieces to practice on tell I get comfortable. I will buy more material if i need to. Copper buss bar for a heat sink. Spent 30+ years working for an electric utility and it never crossed my mind to use buss bar for a heat sink. That is why you guys with so much experience are such a help to us newbies. Yes this machine will will run FCAW as well but with my limited talent and 22 gauge figure using FCAW would be harder for me anyway.



Thanks for your help.

 

[Coalsmoke]

Bob, allow me to expand a little on what Greg wrote.



You are correct in that flux core will be more difficult to get clean consistent welds with on sheet metal. I have done a fair amount of 16ga sheet metal with fluxcore, and it was ok, got the job done fine, but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice for something as thin as 22ga. Your approach of using the 75/25 gas with the . 025 solid wire is dead on. You will need to find a happy medium in terms of your heat setting. You will find that with any form of manual arc welding, you can control the heat input into a piece by directing how you point the heat at it. If you have two pieces being welded together, one thicker than the other, you can direct the welding arc more at the thicker piece to put more heat into it so you still get good fusion on the thick piece without melting away the thinner piece.



For a 180 amp mig most of your shielding gas settings will be in the 15-20CFH range. Don't go upwards of 40CFH, because you will be just as likely to create turbulence and pull in unshielded air, which will give you porosity and other fun things

 

[Bob Cochran]

Bob, allow me to expand a little on what Greg wrote.



You are correct in that flux core will be more difficult to get clean consistent welds with on sheet metal. I have done a fair amount of 16ga sheet metal with fluxcore, and it was ok, got the job done fine, but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice for something as thin as 22ga. Your approach of using the 75/25 gas with the . 025 solid wire is dead on. You will need to find a happy medium in terms of your heat setting. You will find that with any form of manual arc welding, you can control the heat input into a piece by directing how you point the heat at it. If you have two pieces being welded together, one thicker than the other, you can direct the welding arc more at the thicker piece to put more heat into it so you still get good fusion on the thick piece without melting away the thinner piece.



For a 180 amp mig most of your shielding gas settings will be in the 15-20CFH range. Don't go upwards of 40CFH, because you will be just as likely to create turbulence and pull in unshielded air, which will give you porosity and other fun things

Thanks I found it worked just as you Greg wrote. I have one more thing to do yet. about an inch from the end of the blades are slot which will thread 1/8" rod around through all the blades and spot welded to the blades. This failed the last time so will use 2 rods both spot welded to the blades and I think between each blade I will spot weld the 2 rods together. This should be a lot stronger than before. If the wind destroys it this time I am going to throw it away. These 50-60 MPH gusting winds up here really tear things up.



Thank you both for all the help.

 

[GHarman]

Tig welding project

I've been working on a Tierod for the '93 Dodge that Dave Valentine was so KIND to give to me after I lost "Old Ugly" last February. There was some machining and welding involved. If you are interested, I posted pictures in the 1st Gen Ram Forum under "'93, W250 Tierod". GregH

 

[DValentine]

Anyone invent leads that don't get tangled yet?

 

[GHarman]

:-laf, Dave, You got that problem, too??? Just invent a radio frequency relay system that will replace the leads and ya can RetireOo. . GregH

 

[DValentine]

Ha, haddn't thought about that for a while...

 

[Coalsmoke]

Anyone invent leads that don't get tangled yet?

Yeah, you need the new cordless spoolgun:-laf

 

[EdK]

Bluetooth!

I've got it! Bluetooth electrode holders!:-laf

 

[GHarman]

Head fer the Patent Office!!!

Yep, I'd get a lawyer and patent that idear, straight awayOo. . Before the ink dries, Call Lincoln and Miller. Then you can retire:-laf. Can I be your:-laf friend. ROFLMAO. GregH

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Hi,

Well I just got done reading all 40 pages - whew! Now to asks questions that came to mind when reading them.

1. What plasma cutter did you end up getting? - was that Coalsmoke? Did you like it, would you do it again, did you get new/used - why, etc.

2. I want to start teaching my sons the basics of welding. gas, stick and mig. does anyone have any good training videos, books for the beginner? That way I don't forget something important - especially about safety.

3. Mig welders - I have a Century welder - good to 105 amps and want to get a bigger one. Thoughts about buying used - what to look for, brand, etc. Is it better to get new in the long run?

Thanks to all who have give GREAT advice!!
Dan

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Hi,



Well I just got done reading all 40 pages - whew! Now to asks questions that came to mind when reading them.



1. What plasma cutter did you end up getting? - was that Coalsmoke? Did you like it, would you do it again, did you get new/used - why, etc.



2. I want to start teaching my sons the basics of welding. gas, stick and mig. does anyone have any good training videos, books for the beginner? That way I don't forget something important - especially about safety.



3. Mig welders - I have a Century welder - good to 105 amps and want to get a bigger one. Thoughts about buying used - what to look for, brand, etc. Is it better to get new in the long run?



Thanks to all who have give GREAT advice!!

Dan

 

[Dan_69GTX]

Another question for plasma cutters - how are they for autobody work - do they distort the metal much/at all?

 

[GHarman]

Lincoln and Miller have Videos available. If you have access to a community college with welding classes offered, it may save you some money?

Plasma cutters work great on thin materials as well as thick with minimal HAZ distortion. However, the travel speed, when cutting by hand must match the heat input. There are recommended settings and travel speeds for the appropriate metal thicknesses. GregH

 

[Coalsmoke]

I don't have a plasma cutter. Have used them, almost bought one a few times, but never had a real honest need to buy one. They have their applications, but when it comes to auto body I am pretty fast with an assortment of air tools.

As for buying used welders, test driving it is important. A used professional quality welder will always be preferred over a new cheaper low end model.

 

[BullyDogJason]

Im not bad at welding. . but dang do i suck at trying to weld up exhaust pipes. not a fan of welding over my head on a round pipe

 

[GHarman]

What process are you using? What progression( uphill or down )? GregH

 

[Coalsmoke]

When it comes to exhaust pipes, just remember rust won't weld Also keep in mind that stainless and aluminized pipes will weld differently.

 

[GHarman]

Hey COALSMOKE!

Good to see you are still aroundOo. .

Have ya ever seen an exhaust shop weld up a stainless steel exhaust system with CO2 and 70S solid wire. I told a fellow that he was using the wrong setup for stainless steel and he got mad#@$%! at me! Oh well! He'll get over it:-laf. I told him he would not be doing any exhaust work for me.



That thin wall tube welds best with a GMAW, progressing downhill.

Stainless steel should be purged when welding using argon(some have used solar flux inside, at the joint on a butt weld) and 2% Oxygen-Argon mix for a covergas. Thats the process that I am familiar.

With this new equipment out there. there may be better ways. I would think the gasless fluxcore would work well on aluminized steel? Do they make a Stainless Steel fluxcored wire? GregH