The Welding Thread

[supazuk]

All good advice. Will have to grab another liner. Can anyone confirm the gas situation? Can I use one type of gas successfully for both steel and ally or am I grabbing 2 separate bottles? Am I wasting my time trying to weld with the argoshield I have left?

also use tips for alloy wire or for one size up eg. 0.9 wire use a 1.0 tip. i cant weld at all but i have been getting
ok results welding boats up using 1.2 wire and alloy 1.2 tips. also using 100% argon.

[awill4x4]

All good advice. Will have to grab another liner. Can anyone confirm the gas situation? Can I use one type of gas successfully for both steel and ally or am I grabbing 2 separate bottles? Am I wasting my time trying to weld with the argoshield I have left?

Teflon liners are recommended for Aluminium Mig welding, the sole reason being they don't shave the wire as it passes through compared to a steel liner. A "U" shaped drive roller on the wire feeder is also recommended, again for the same reason.
Wire feed is always a problem on wire less than 1.2mm diameter, shorter rather than longer mig gun leads are preferable and getting a straight as possible feed from the wire feed to the gun.
Welding grade Argon is what you need, Argoshield is a no no.
Regards Andrew.

[mickyd555]

Can anyone tell me what went wrong with this weld. It is the rear bracing on a highmount winch (gearbox end). It looks like it is going to be sufficient to do the job its intended to but is very ordinary looking. If i hit it with a grinder to tidy it up will it be ok?

[STIKA]

Did you clean both surfaces?

rather than grinding the weld out, why dont you fill it with bog and sand it flat.

[awill4x4]

Can anyone tell me what went wrong with this weld. It is the rear bracing on a highmount winch (gearbox end). It looks like it is going to be sufficient to do the job its intended to but is very ordinary looking. If i hit it with a grinder to tidy it up will it be ok?

Ok, 1st up. You've picked a pretty difficult casting to weld.
The high mount castings aren't the easiest of things to weld being a poor quality pressure casting. They usually have a fairly high Zinc content which is fine for its flow properties in casting but cr@p when it comes to welding.
Zinc has a lower melting point than Aluminium and will "outgas" during welding. You'll see it while welding with giant porosity holes forming as you are welding (TIG). These holes generally close over as it cools but you know for sure the weld is like an Aero chocolate bar underneath.
4043 or 4047 filler wire is the filler of choice.
The technique I use is for fairly high amps and using a start/stop style of welding.
Get a puddle started fast then add the filler and then stop and allow the weld pool to freeze, then move and repeat and keep on repeating till finished. All this is done pretty quickly, doing it this way allows you to add filler but being so quick to add filler and stop it helps prevent the Zinc from getting a chance to outgas.
It's still not going to be pretty but now you have a base metal that is prodominently filler wire and that will now allow you to put a capping run over the top of it being careful not to go too close to the margins of the weld and casting.
Regards Andrew.

[mickyd555]

I didnt weld this, it was done by an engineering shop. He did ask me if it was Die cast and i said i have no idea. Is that different to pressure casting and would it be reasonable to expect him to tell the difference by look or not? He seemed confident of being able to do it.

Obviously i wont be going back there again.

Thanks for the tip Brett, that actualy sounds like a good idea, i might bog it up to make it look like a factory option!

[awill4x4]

I didnt weld this, it was done by an engineering shop. He did ask me if it was Die cast and i said i have no idea. Is that different to pressure casting and would it be reasonable to expect him to tell the difference by look or not? He seemed confident of being able to do it.
obviously i wont be going back there again.

Mickyd, I wouldn't necessarily blame the engineering shop. Castings can be the most infuriating things to weld and often what looks like a p1ss easy job turns into a nightmare.
Personally I wouldn't have given it to the customer looking like that I certainly would have taken some more time to make it look like a professional welding job. Whenever I get a casting to weld I always tell the customer straight up that it may be a problem and I won't know till I actually do the welding.
Aftermarket and even genuine cast alloy V8 rocker covers are a classic case and I'll tell the customer that they will weld like crap and that any welding I do will be from the inside so that I can seal it but not be put off by the weld appearance as the customer can't see it when the rocker cover is in place.
Regards Andrew.

[jigga]

ive got a lincoln 170 mig that needs a new handle... im a novice and wanting to learn. the actual trigger is broken. Do i needs to replace the whole handle and lead back into the machine? where is the cheapest place to source what i need? i assume the states?

[scuba steve 22]

ive got a lincoln 170 mig that needs a new handle... im a novice and wanting to learn. the actual trigger is broken. Do i needs to replace the whole handle and lead back into the machine? where is the cheapest place to source what i need? i assume the states?

eBay. look for "bob the welder"
i bought the whole lead for $140 + del, but he also does parts as well

cheers steve

[Madmac]

I have a couple of questions for some of the welding gurus out there, ive trawled the whole thread and cant find anything about welding stainless steel, I have a cheap mig, one that uses the disposable gas cylinders, so far i have only used it to make sliders etc with gasless wire and had fairly good results. Being a boat owner i would like to fab some new rod holders and a couple of other things. My questions are as follows
1: Is there such a thing as Gasless wire for stainless or do i have to use gas?
2: What is the best gas for stainless welding?
3: will i get away with disposable cylinders or should i buy a decent regulator and hire a cylinder from BOC or elsewhere?
I dont have heaps of jobs to do so i would prefer not to go to the expense of buying regulator and cylinder hire if i can get away with disposables.
Also any tips on welding stainless will be handy, the welds obviously wont be subject to the same punishment that things like sliders cop, but they do need to be strong enough to hold a rod with fish like marlin and mackerel pulling up to 50kgs of drag off the reel.
Any advice appreciated.

[mick87]

What sort of stainless is it??

[Narrowscopeofreality]

I have a couple of questions for some of the welding gurus out there, ive trawled the whole thread and cant find anything about welding stainless steel, I have a cheap mig, one that uses the disposable gas cylinders, so far i have only used it to make sliders etc with gasless wire and had fairly good results. Being a boat owner i would like to fab some new rod holders and a couple of other things. My questions are as follows
1: Is there such a thing as Gasless wire for stainless or do i have to use gas?
2: What is the best gas for stainless welding?
3: will i get away with disposable cylinders or should i buy a decent regulator and hire a cylinder from BOC or elsewhere?
I dont have heaps of jobs to do so i would prefer not to go to the expense of buying regulator and cylinder hire if i can get away with disposables.
Also any tips on welding stainless will be handy, the welds obviously wont be subject to the same punishment that things like sliders cop, but they do need to be strong enough to hold a rod with fish like marlin and mackerel pulling up to 50kgs of drag off the reel.
Any advice appreciated.

1. You can get a flux core wire for stainless steel. That's as much as I know.
2. Depends on the application, grade of stainless, wire ect. Just a regular mix of Argon/CO2 should be fine for home applications. Keep in mind, some mixes containing more CO2 ect can cause oxide in the welds, IE it will rust. Speak to BOC, they'll be able to tell you what sort of mix suits you.
3. Personal choice as far as i'm concerned. I'd always hire and use a good quality regulator.

Only tips i've got are weld it cooler then you would mild steel, and spray a light layer of cooking oil over the area before you weld. Stainless spatter is a bastard to get off.

[rowenb]

Stainless spatter is a bastard to get off.[/quote] Been putting up with it for months now at work, real prick when a chisel wont work and can't get a grinder in there. Costomer won't take splatter...

[Narrowscopeofreality]

Been putting up with it for months now at work, real prick when a chisel wont work and can't get a grinder in there. Costomer won't take splatter...

Try spray on cooking oil. Makes a pretty good anti-spatter for stainless. Regular stuff does fark all.

[hiluxpunisher]

Been putting up with it for months now at work, real prick when a chisel wont work and can't get a grinder in there. Costomer won't take splatter...

Try spray on cooking oil. Makes a pretty good anti-spatter for stainless. Regular stuff does fark all.

lmao cooking oil

[-Scott-]

Been putting up with it for months now at work, real prick when a chisel wont work and can't get a grinder in there. Costomer won't take splatter...

Try spray on cooking oil. Makes a pretty good anti-spatter for stainless. Regular stuff does fark all.

lmao cooking oil

So what do you use?

[bru21]

KY Jelly, or anti spatter spray - its nearly the same price as cooking oil - but doesn't make you feel like chips mid bead!

[hiluxpunisher]

KY Jelly, or anti spatter spray - its nearly the same price as cooking oil - but doesn't make you feel like chips mid bead!

BAHAHHAHA

[doe]

Guys just letting you know cooking oil is castergenic (spelling ?????) thats why you cant use those old type spays in the workforce anymore.

[OUTLAW565]

1 continuous pass, turning the job with my left hand and gluing with my right. That weld gets 15,000psi put through it. I will take a pic this week of welds i have to do to handle 100,000psi.

[scuba steve 22]

OK ill put a couple of pics up for scrutiny. Its a tow bar for a 4 ton truck and takes a 40 mm ring feeder



overhead

and the welder, its 350 amp weld mac

sorry about the phone pics

[rowenb]

Been putting up with it for months now at work, real prick when a chisel wont work and can't get a grinder in there. Costomer won't take splatter...

Try spray on cooking oil. Makes a pretty good anti-spatter for stainless. Regular stuff does fark all.

lmao cooking oil

So what do you use?

Not allowed to use any anti spatter spray because the customer reckons it upsets the weld integrity, peno and all that. Bloody trains will fall apart anyway.

[Madmac]

I have a couple of questions for some of the welding gurus out there, ive trawled the whole thread and cant find anything about welding stainless steel, I have a cheap mig, one that uses the disposable gas cylinders, so far i have only used it to make sliders etc with gasless wire and had fairly good results. Being a boat owner i would like to fab some new rod holders and a couple of other things. My questions are as follows
1: Is there such a thing as Gasless wire for stainless or do i have to use gas?
2: What is the best gas for stainless welding?
3: will i get away with disposable cylinders or should i buy a decent regulator and hire a cylinder from BOC or elsewhere?
I dont have heaps of jobs to do so i would prefer not to go to the expense of buying regulator and cylinder hire if i can get away with disposables.
Also any tips on welding stainless will be handy, the welds obviously wont be subject to the same punishment that things like sliders cop, but they do need to be strong enough to hold a rod with fish like marlin and mackerel pulling up to 50kgs of drag off the reel.
Any advice appreciated.

1. You can get a flux core wire for stainless steel. That's as much as I know.
2. Depends on the application, grade of stainless, wire ect. Just a regular mix of Argon/CO2 should be fine for home applications. Keep in mind, some mixes containing more CO2 ect can cause oxide in the welds, IE it will rust. Speak to BOC, they'll be able to tell you what sort of mix suits you.
3. Personal choice as far as i'm concerned. I'd always hire and use a good quality regulator.

Only tips i've got are weld it cooler then you would mild steel, and spray a light layer of cooking oil over the area before you weld. Stainless spatter is a bastard to get off.

Thanks for info, ill get some supplies and have a crack at it, i will post some pics of results for comments

[Narrowscopeofreality]

After breathing in welding fumes all day, burning cooking oil isn't of a huge concern to me

[codyprince]

Not allowed to use any anti spatter spray because the customer reckons it upsets the weld integrity, peno and all that. Bloody trains will fall apart anyway.

tell the customer to do it himself if he knows all

[rowenb]

Not allowed to use any anti spatter spray because the customer reckons it upsets the weld integrity, peno and all that. Bloody trains will fall apart anyway.

tell the customer to do it himself if he knows all

Anti spatter spray doesn't do anything for stainless as seen on the jobs and mentioned before. Does anyone know of anything good to use on stainless or a chisel and grinder will have to still be used.

[Narrowscopeofreality]

Cooking spray. I wasn't making a joke.

[rowenb]

Cooking spray. I wasn't making a joke.

I know cooking spray works on mild steel but does it still work on stainless?

[Narrowscopeofreality]

Definately beats using nothing. Never tried it on mild.

[nayto]

For those in the know, would this welder

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mig-Machine- ... 35b3bf2297" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

have enough grunt to do everything a home welder would want to do? (ie make racks, barwork, cages etc)