Angles, tubes & plate

[Denisefwd93]

Y'all have used for frame repairs/reinforcement?

My old friend Hank is going to re- teach me how to weld, it won't be pretty lol.

My thoughts are leaning towards square tubing, channel, and flat stock.

Yes I am aware there are frame parts available by Dorman which I may also get but for now I want to start collecting pieces of iron. Where I used to keep my boat they have lots of scrap iron laying around.

 

[bobbywalter]

crating works good...scrap crating from a local motorcycle jet ski/snowmobile shop.

 

[bobbywalter]

i let this section get out of hand a bit.

 

[bobbywalter]

its workable

 

[Denisefwd93]

its workable

Very cool Bobby, what kind of welder are you using I picked up 125 amp flux wire welder. I think that's all I need for now, friend Hank has the larger welding equipment. He's even talking about getting a plasma cutter but I don't know at this point.

 

[bobbywalter]

for what you need to do i think that critter will get the job done just fine.





i have a ramsond cut d50 for tig, stick, and plasma. its 110 or 220 depending on what i have to do..


i dont know where the fawk my buzz box went ....probably with my portoband...


the hackery done in the pictures was my lincoln hd 3500 mig....all of that welding was done with flux core 035 wire...110 volt wall plug.

so its gonna be nasty. but my truck will never be a looker.

i would have a 180 miller but my kids all gave up a gift to get the lincoln as a gift .... at the same time i went and finally bought me a 180 miller as a gift to myself... so i took my miller back ...that was not easy. glad i did not have time to open it up when i got home with it....that was 12-15 years ago i guess...


but i will use two or 3 car batteries or modify an alternator if i have to get something welded...

 

[scotts90ranger]

did you fix the nail in your tire since then Bobby? . Pretty decent looking welds for flux core, there's a lot of hate on flux core, but there's a lot of that on stick welding anymore as well... I have 20 pounds of 1/8" 7018 so that's what I use most of the time when I need more than the flux core...

I'm assuming you got the Harbor Freight flux core welder? I have the older blue version, works surprisingly well, if you do prep work and try it will make decent looking welds that hold up, my mud flap bracket held up the rear suspension once... and currently there's a 7/8" wrench welded to the top of my frame holding the rear shackle mount on the drivers side together, was done in camp with a 24V flux core spool gun...

Before jumping into frame repair I would do some practice on some other 1/8" steel, definitely use .035" wire, the .030" wire doesn't work on high on mine no matter what I tried...

 

[Denisefwd93]

Over 10 years ago now, when my son was here and we had the sailboat we built a heavy iron cradle for the sailboat which was 10,000 pounds we used Ford i-beams inside 3 inch pipe and with the help of the gentleman at the Yacht Club I belonged to, I came up with this really nice design that steered from either end!

I really really tried to learn how to stick weld. But I failed miserably, I had a friend go over to welds, but I did try!

Yes, got the Harbor Freight 125 amp welder I'm impressed, it actually works!

I've been reading about 035 wire. I'll probably get a spool of it.

I've only tried it a couple times because a welder In the Woodshop is not exactly the safest place for it. I have some a 1/8" x 1" steel I've been experimenting with.

 

[bobbywalter]

i suggest to use lincoln wire.


home depot carries 10 pound spools for 60-70 bux.

 

[Denisefwd93]

Whoa!! back the truck up!
Gotta be hundreds of things that can be done with perforated tube on the truck!

I got a small spool of Harbor Freight and Lincoln .035 wire, want to see if a novice can tell a difference.

Not that I'm ready to try but what happens when you use solid wire without flux? Or is that only for gas nozzles

 

[scotts90ranger]

The solid wire needs a shield gas, on the flux core wire the flux provides the shield to prevent oxidation. To weld with solid wire you need a welder with the gas solenoid (I'm sure something could be rigged up to the circuit, but still), bottle of Argon/CO2 and a regulator to control the flow. For general welding on DIY stuff I think what you have should suit you fine.

As far as Lincoln and Harbor Freight wire, lincoln is nice and probably does better but the last spool of wire I bought was the Vulcan stuff from HFT and it welds pretty good. My version of the welder only accepts the small spools so I don't get the option of the big ones.

On the metal you put the picture up of, if it is galvanized or zinc plated BE VERY CAREFUL, do not weld that indoors or with your face directly over it, do not breathe the vapors, from what I've heard it is extremely unpleasant and can be very bad...

 

[Denisefwd93]

It was just a picture not something I have it this time I'm sure it comes in Black Iron I just thought it would be pretty handy on these trucks that need so much reinforcement,. Yes I do understand about the gas injection and all that and I don't need to get into any of it, was just asking the question

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Flux core wire is easier to weld with on dirty metal ie; exhaust. It is also easier to use outside in slightly windy conditions compared to gas which gets blown away. Downside is that it needs more cleaning after as there is much more splatter and fused flux compared to gas which has very little splatter and next to no flux [there still seems to be some, I don't know why as gas shouldn't have any]. Flux core seems to burn hotter too, probably because there is less actual metal, the flux takes some space inside.

As far as metal, visit some local welding and fab shops and ask if you can scrounge some pieces from their garbage/dumpster. I've been able to get some very usable pieces that way. Some will let you, some won't.

 

[Denisefwd93]

I'm not worried about getting metal I actually have some around the backyard.

I'm just wondering at this point if 1/8" strapping clamped welded on the bottom of the frame.

Are the upper shock absorber mounts on the rear easier to access with the bed off the truck? They are extremely Rusty but not broken. "Yet"

 

[Ranger850]

Not that I'm ready to try but what happens when you use solid wire without flux? Or is that only for gas nozzles

Nasty black welds that do not penetrate and ugly burn holes in the thin stuff That's the point of flux core, the "gas" is in the wire. Solid wire does not have the "gas", that's why a tank is needed.