Fabricating simple yet effective 4x4 "mud truck" frame

[Blmpkn]

You don’t have to.
Chromoly gets brittle from the heat of welding and should be normalized afterwards (think 1100° oven). The claim is that TIG welding will put less heat into it (or a more focused heat, or something like that) and eliminate the need to normalize it. (I don’t fully agree with this theory, but we don’t have the time or bandwidth for that rant.)
So... you can MIG weld chromoly and bake it in a big oven afterward.

Right on. Good info, thanks. I'll have to keep that in mind.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Input?

Do this.

 

[Snoranger]

Do this.

View attachment 68845

You want him to use the tail section of a plane?

I’d drive it.

 

[Blmpkn]

Looks like a different kind of wiener mobile to me lol

 

[scotts90ranger]

Are you talking about the Titanium 125 amp unit? It's pretty nice but would take several passes on heavy metal... I lucked out and found an open box MIG 170 for like $125 back before the rona, it's nicer with dual voltage inputs and the ability to use the bigger spools and gas once I get set up for it...

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

You want him to use the tail section of a plane?

I’d drive it.

Looks like a different kind of wiener mobile to me lol

Precisely.

 

[Blmpkn]

Are you talking about the Titanium 125 amp unit? It's pretty nice but would take several passes on heavy metal... I lucked out and found an open box MIG 170 for like $125 back before the rona, it's nicer with dual voltage inputs and the ability to use the bigger spools and gas once I get set up for it...

The Chicago 170amp 240v unit is what I was looking at.

The Titanium units seem pretty nice, but with as much as they cost I think if I was going to spend that much I'd shell out the bit extra for a Hobart or something.

 

[ITSA 7]

I bought a Titanium MIG 170 when they first came out.With all the discounts, I got a great deal.A couple of years later ,it still a better welder than I am

 

[Roert42]

If you look around, and aren’t in a huge hurry, you could probably get a good deal on a nicer used one.

I bought a really nice airco mig welder for $300 on Craigslist.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I have friends with the chicago electric versions and they weld respectably but there's compromises with the 4 voltage settings and wire speed knob apparently... they've done some impressive things with them... The Titanium welders are very adjustable and weld nice though, I've put my 170 through some serious abuse trying to break it and it won't stop...

I did pay full retail (just shy of $800 if memory serves) for the Unlimited 200 version* of it and use it here and there, they're almost identical, but if I'm doing anything questionable I pull out the 170, gone through at least 15lb of flux core, blown breakers with it, killed a GFI outlet, ran it off of several generators even to the point of stalling out my 4kw generator until I found the sweet spot...

Wander the open box section after christmas, you might find a heavily discounted Titanium, there was a 170A version for $350 at one of my local stores not long ago, but yeah, the used market is good to look through, Everlast is apparently really good for import stuff too...

*Yes, I might have a welder problem... 3 stick welders and 3 wire feed welders as well as a plasma cutter and an O/A torch setup... the 90A flux welder is at my brothers though...

 

[Eddo Rogue]

What's the deal with chromo needing to be tigged?

The plan would be to mig the frame together since it's what I'm most proficient with. Planning on getting the "horrible farts" 200$ mig after Christmas at some point. I've always used my buddys mig for projects like this but it's time I get my own lol.

Mig welding chromo messes with the alloy mix, makes it brittle where the weld meets or something like that. I think pre heating before and/or after helps.

There was a thread about Welding starter kits.
Do yourself a favor and buy a decent machine from welding shop. Dont get the starter kit. The stuff they throw in is useless. And the 3' of wire they provide is barely enough for a test weld. Maybe even get a good one used. I would steer clear of the all in one machines too. They are like dual sport motorcycles, they can do everything, but none of it very well. Like wheeled machines, try to test drive if possible. DO you have any buddies with welding machines? Try some out.

I MIG the most, followed by TIG, and rarely break out the arc stick welder. Having said that, I still must adapt and get used to the machine and its settings even just switching to different MIG welders.

Lastly, I would get a good mask and gloves, maybe a welding shirt or jacket. Those corner angle clamp jigs also come in handy, I have a set of four to make perfect squares. Oh and you will need clamps. Lots of various clamps. I have a big dedicated clamp drawer.

 

[Blmpkn]

A member who recently got the boot was pretty adamant about pretty much never buying a used welder. Reasoning was If the schmuck who owned the thing before you beat on it like a red headed step child with no regard to duty cycle and stuff it'll never ever give you a good weld.

Made sense to me, I never would of thought of that honestly.

 

[Roert42]

Just like buying a used car, it can be a crap shoot. Most people will let you test it out before your buy, unless they are selling for really cheap or something and just want it gone.

 

[Snoranger]

Mig welding chromo messes with the alloy mix,

The type of welding doesn’t affect the alloy mix. The only thing that could change the alloy mix would be the filler material used.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

The type of welding doesn’t affect the alloy mix. The only thing that could change the alloy mix would be the filler material used.

Yes right thats what I meant to say lol