Where have I been???

[88_Eddie]

i think you need to take a grinder to the metal before you weld it up, get the rust and paint and shit off before trying to burn it together.

if you practice with your machine, you'll learn how it likes to work and what heat settings work best on different thicknesses of metal.

 

[Snoranger]

I agree, looks like the welds need some work. Mine are better some days, worse other days.
Get a steady and comfortable position, make an air pass before you strike to make sure you can cover what you need to, and practice.
Grinders and flapper wheels for the finish.
Stay enthusiastic and enjoy your fabrication!

Grinders are used before you weld, not after.

 

[Ranger Kip]

actually its a neighbors cat that followed my gal friend and myself home when the atv broke down in the woods. We returned the car 2 days later lol, it was living in my shop lol

She likes the movie Brink, so she named it Brinkers (ironic to Brinker right?)

 

[Ranger Kip]

Grinders are used before you weld, not after.

I grind the excess off my welds usually, makes them look nicer as a finished product

 

[AngryLepercon]

Duly noted, my problem is I have 4 heat settings, and my generator can only handle up to heat 3, which is what I use, and my wirefeed is pretty slow (2 out of 8). Its a cheaper $250 starter Flux-core MIG welder.

In that case turn your feed down and go slower. Really burn it in. What is happening is your not getting penetration. You welds are sitting on the metal.

Auto darkening shield if your not using one, it really helped me out.

As one already stated. Bevel your joints like this \/ and fill it like a ice cream cone. If you have too leave a little dome. I takes time to figure what works best.

Also already stated find a comfy position. Your not gonna weaver stance a BMG50, you are gonna lay down and shoot. If your not comfy standing and welding. Try sitting, kneeling, or standing on your head. (Yes I have done that before and its not fun. Sometimes you just cant manipulate a 90ton machine to your preference.)

 

[Ranger Kip]

In that case turn your feed down and go slower. Really burn it in. What is happening is your not getting penetration. You welds are sitting on the metal.

Auto darkening shield if your not using one, it really helped me out.

As one already stated. Bevel your joints like this \/ and fill it like a ice cream cone. If you have too leave a little dome. I takes time to figure what works best.

Also already stated find a comfy position. Your not gonna weaver stance a BMG50, you are gonna lay down and shoot. If your not comfy standing and welding. Try sitting, kneeling, or standing on your head. (Yes I have done that before and its not fun. Sometimes you just cant manipulate a 90ton machine to your preference.)

Tell me about that

 

[AngryLepercon]

Caterpillar 992C busted the hydraulic cylinder mount ( tucked all the way under the cab and in the articulation area). Bucket was full of material and with the loss of the cylinder it was dead in the water.

Hydraulic guys showed up and said we need that mount welded first. I tried everything I could to get in there. Finally I said I need someone to hold my feet and someone to hand and take stuff from me.

So I was held upside down in grease and mud and oil. Heating up the mount. Carbon arcing the mount and putting pass after pass after pass, keeping heat on it at all times as to not destroy the cast irons integrity.

Cast is touchy stuff. That was easily a 2 day job. Pain in the butt but I got a nice pay raise for it.

10 mins upside down. 15 mins rightside up. All day for 2 days

 

[Ranger Kip]

Caterpillar 992C busted the hydraulic cylinder mount ( tucked all the way under the cab and in the articulation area). Bucket was full of material and with the loss of the cylinder it was dead in the water.

Hydraulic guys showed up and said we need that mount welded first. I tried everything I could to get in there. Finally I said I need someone to hold my feet and someone to hand and take stuff from me.

So I was held upside down in grease and mud and oil. Heating up the mount. Carbon arcing the mount and putting pass after pass after pass, keeping heat on it at all times as to not destroy the cast irons integrity.

Cast is touchy stuff. That was easily a 2 day job. Pain in the butt but I got a nice pay raise for it.

10 mins upside down. 15 mins rightside up. All day for 2 days

Sounds like an awsome experience (at least to do once lol), I like the creative stuff on how you have to do things at times, which is why Im going for my welding certification.

 

[AngryLepercon]

Get yourself a decent machine. Something self powered. Like a Miller bobcat 225 or 250. Or a lincoln 250, or a thermal dynamics machine. Diesel motors are best choice as well. something that generates enough juice to run a suitcase wire feeder. That way you will have stick and MIG that you will not be limited to how much electricity you have around.

I prefer Millers but they have a lot of technology in them with chips, circuit boards and such. Lincolns are heavy duty machines that will last forever. cant really go wrong either way.

 

[jhammel85]

Yeah, You need to grind those down or at least clean up the slag / splatter.

Good looking weld usually means its' a good weld. I had the same throughts AngryLepercon had. Slow it down and let it really go..Keep it steady and keep that torch close.

You'll get it!


PS - For what it's worth, I use a Tractor Supply Flux Core welder and I'd reccomend it to someone who only welds from time to time and are cheap (like me). I've done a few projects with it and it works pretty nicely. Not the easiest with sheet metal BUT it's doable.........Here's my roll pan:

Bit of grinding, More welding to do (sorry it's blurry):

And done:

.......Oh and Thanks for not using a weight bench this time

 

[Ranger Kip]

I use a 225Amp Campbell Housel Flux-core MIG and have an auto-shielded mask.

And my welds were all ground down after finished, most (all except the tabs for the lights) have had a bevel in them for a fillet weld. (V shape).

 

[doorgunner]

(Edited)

Kip in my opinion turn your heat up and move a hair slower.

Angry_....if he uses smaller diameter wire--will that help him have more "control" when it comes to the heat-settings??

 

[AngryLepercon]

Angry_....if he uses smaller diameter wire--will that help him have more "control" when it comes to the heat-settings??

Flux core no not really.

Gas yes to an extent but barely noticeable.

 

[PanamaExpat]

Not to add a few more pokes to your ribs but... I thought I was the king of ugly beads..... Sir I must now pass that crown on to you. LOL

But I 'll fathom to bet I am still the master of the farm boy glob job weld. ;-)

Also no wirefeed for me All I have is this 250 amp AC/DC Hobart (Brazilian) stick welder and some $150 Chinese buzz box AC unit.

 

[getrdone52]

Even if they look like "ass", they are very strong welds,

The bigger the blob the better the job! Haha. I'm not giving you shit by the way.