Shop / Tools Opportunity to learn/experience welding... Episode 1

[frieed]

The arc length determines the bulk of the circuit voltage (not much drop in the copper wires and a little in the filler wire stickout). If you bump the wfs up the arc gets shorter which is a lower voltage so the welder increases the current to burn the wire back faster which lengthens the arc and the voltage rises back up. If you lengthen the stickout, you get a larger voltage drop in the filler stickout and the arc get's smaller so less heat with the same current.

 

[Hickey]

Pick yourself up a C02 bottle and convert that sucker to legit MIG.

 

[Gravy]

Kevin, are you pushing or pulling?
I've found it's easier to control my heat pushing with flux core.
Make sure your stick out is consistent. Make sure your torch angle is good and consistent as well. If you're blowing holes either speed up travel or wire speed.

 

[Kevin B.]

The arc length determines the bulk of the circuit voltage (not much drop in the copper wires and a little in the filler wire stickout). If you bump the wfs up the arc gets shorter which is a lower voltage so the welder increases the current to burn the wire back faster which lengthens the arc and the voltage rises back up. If you lengthen the stickout, you get a larger voltage drop in the filler stickout and the arc get's smaller so less heat with the same current.

Fascinating. I guess that makes my rig a constant voltage setup? I found lots of good reading to keep me busy tonight, thanks for the tips.

Pick yourself up a C02 bottle and convert that sucker to legit MIG.

That'd be so nice to have. The Weldpak is even really easy to convert on the cheap. I'm holding off because until I get better with the stick machine I need the extra penetration when I do bigger stuff.

Kevin, are you pushing or pulling?
I've found it's easier to control my heat pushing with flux core.
Make sure your stick out is consistent. Make sure your torch angle is good and consistent as well. If you're blowing holes either speed up travel or wire speed.

I try and keep it vertical, with maybe a little bit of push?

I have a hard time going any faster without losing my puddle, and then it's boogers everywhere. I'll try and turn up the wire speed and maintain a longer stickout.

 

[frieed]

with flux core you should drag, arc pointed away from direction of travel, with about a 10-15* angle. This keeps the slag pushed to the back of the puddle and helps prevent inclusions and porosity.
Remember, if there's slag, then drag. Applies to stick welding as well.
Here's a good reference:

 

[frieed]

Weather is getting nice for a bit of welding.....

MIG, TIG, Stick, Oxy/Acet, Plasma Cutting

 

[frieed]

Padding beads with 7018 in the horizontal position

 

[frieed]

Man does aluminum take some amps
Ashton was doing some TIG practice yesterday.
1/4" aluminum T joint. With the metal cold, it took about 4 seconds to get a puddle formed with the current set to 220A (max) and the pedal floored.
Once things heated up a bit, he ran around 180A. If I wanted to do anything bigger I'd need to preheat or get a gas mix with some helium in it.
You can see by the melt out at the left end that the edges don't need as much current.. Awesome job since it was his first try at a T joint.


Next I think I need to spend some quality time with the OA cutting torch and maybe the plasma cutter.

p.s. The offer still stands to come try any of it...

 

[frieed]

Ashton liked my fab table enough to buy his own. Here he is welding it up today

 

[Greg]

I'd love to have one of those!

 

[frieed]

I'd love to have one of those!

right here
https://weldtables.com/collections/...ng-table-top-kit-certiflat-by-tab-slot-u-weld

 

[skippy]

Those tables are awesome I wish they made one bigger than 3x4 though. Having a table like would be amazing to use building chassis

 

[4x4_Welder]

It looks like you can hook multiple tables together. Interesting system. You could also do a simple permanent mount floor rail system, prefab chassis or cage bits as sub assemblies, and then assemble as a full unit in the floor rail. Although that would really be a full production level setup, hard to justify that sort of investment for a single chassis build.

 

[SoopaHick]

Those tables are awesome I wish they made one bigger than 3x4 though. Having a table like would be amazing to use building chassis

StrongHand has a bunch of options for Fab Tables like that. They can get pretty Pricey but come with all kinds of sparkly pieces for your chassis building delights. Or at the very least give you an idea on how to build one.

 

[frieed]

they make a 4x8 version with side plates
https://weldtables.com/collections/...ng-table-fb4896-certiflat-fabblock-u-weld-kit

 

[frieed]

Been practicing TIG welding coped pipe joints. I definitely won't win any beauty contest but I don't think they will fall apart easily either.

If anyone wants to play, I'm available from Dec. 30th through Jan. 6th (MIG, TIG, Stick, Oxy-Fuel, and Plasma Cutter)

Message me here or text to

 

[YROC FAB.]

After seeing your rusty nasty pipe your practicing on makes me wish you where closer just so i could donate all my drops for you to practice on. I fill a truck bed trailer full of plate steel and tubing drops pretty regularly. Keep up the good work man, it cool of you to want to learn and donate your time teaching others.

On your pipe joints it looks like you using way too much heat or are heat soaking the parts welding so many joints so close together. When i tig weld roll cages i never do more than half way around with before going on to another joint feets away and letting the first one cool down. This is especially important on multi pass joints on thin tub. The puddle becomes uncontrollable when the joint gets too hot and your shielding gas does less as evident from your gray carbon soaked welds. .

 

[frieed]

I'd be up for a road trip to collect some drops and to meet ya! I just started a new job and work four tens so I have a 3 day weekend every week.
Thanks for the tips on heat input. I'm not sure if this qualifies as "thin" tube since it's common Sch40 black pipe (.11wall or so) and I was welding it in quarters. I'd do opposite sides then dip in water to cool to control heat soak so it's probably just a case of "bigger is always better, right?" with the puddle. A big contributing factor is I suck at TIG and this was my first time ever with coped pipe but since I have no shame I threw the picture up.

I'll turn up the argon and try to reduce the heat.
Would you do these with two passes ?

 

[4x4_Welder]

Pipe has a lot of impurities, if you want to get good and save on tungstens you really need to use a good grade of steel tube. You can cheat at cheap pipe -strictly in non structural practice type uses- by using stainless filler. This'll bond to the impurities, and while the resulting weld will be a lot weaker, it can help you with developing your technique.
Are you using a variable controller or just on-off?

 

[frieed]

that was straight DC with a foot pedal. I've gone back and looked at the welds again and I don't think they are as bad as they appear in the pictures, but still not pretty. Trying to work out a time with YROC FAB to get some drops.