|
Slung Blade posted:Jovial, cool stuff man. Still using O/A for welding? Actually, I made that using mig and stick. No O/A involved in that one.
|
#
?
Oct 10, 2010 06:46
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 24, 2024 05:47 |
|
|
Tindjin posted:Quick metal cutting question. I need to cut a bunch of 1x1 square tube for an upcoming project. I will need to make angled cuts along with straight ones. I have a pretty heavy duty miter saw, can I put circular metal cutting blade on it or do I have to get a saw designed for cutting metal? It's a Dewalt but a few years old (like 15) and I can't find the manual. The tubing is basic steel, not aluminium. Your list of options are as follows:
Also, you will note I did not add sawz-all to that list. That is because you will have zero hope of getting a good, straight, accurate cut. If you were to use a sawz-all, you'd have to cut the pieces long and grind it down to proper size to account for the floppy blade. The only woodworking tool that I can think of that I'd be willing to use to cut metal is a jig-saw aka saber-saw. However, you run into the same type of issues as with the sawz-all where there is no support the tip of the blade and it flops around on you while cutting metal. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 15:08 on Oct 10, 2010 |
|
#
?
Oct 10, 2010 15:02
|
|
|
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I9WFAG/ref=wms_ohs_product No guarantees on how long it will work, but it is massively cheap. Mine still works. Be warned though- the replacement cutting discs amazon recommends have a different size arbor hole than the arbor provided with the saw. If you want to use them you'll have to go get a different arbor.
|
|
#
?
Oct 10, 2010 19:00
|
|
|
The only kind of brazing I've ever done is silver-brazing. Why? Because 20 years ago my Pop-Pop bought some silver brazing alloy and flux and I inherited it. It's done everything I needed it to, and haven't had a need to do "normal" brazing. For those of you who don't know, silver brazing is almost exactly like soldering because it requires close tolerances because of capillary action, difference being silver brazing alloy melts at very high temps. This is in contrast to "normal" brazing which works more like laying down a weld bead of brass. So I did some silver-brazing work today. That little square piece of copper with the holes is silver-brazed to the pipe. The reason I'm even making this post is because I've discussed heat sources and brazing operations before. I have said in the past that you can use air-acetylene for small jobs. While I was doing this job today, I realized this is the FIRST time, I braze copper to copper. In the past I've always silver-brazed copper to steel. Well let me tell you... air-acetylene would not produce enough heat to do the job. I believe the copper pipe I was working on was acting like a huge loving heat sink. I think the reason I've been able to braze copper to steel in the past with air-acetylene, instead of O/A is because the steel retains the heat, where as pure copper acts like a heat sink. So, being the lazy rear end in a top hat I am, I decided instead of hooking up my O/A welding torch, I'll just use the cutting torch as a heat source. Well that did the job... the copper was at the melting point of silver brazing alloy in NO time. Unfortunately it was so hot, I melted a hole in the copper pipe and had to solder on a patch to cover up the hole. Next time, I'll use a little less heat. BTW, if you are wondering what the gently caress this thing is, it's an antenna for ham radio. A SO-239 connector bolts to the copper, allowing you to hook up coax cable. 
|
|
#
?
Oct 13, 2010 01:35
|
|
|
Hey neat, I used to program a copper to copper brazing robot for HVAC refrigerant headers. We were propylene/oxygen, and it was a beast to get the timing right to get it hot enough to braze but not burn a hole through. We had to scrap anything with a hole in it, as a braze-over would blow out in the 600 psi pressure test. We burst tested some of my assemblies to 2000 psi. Those were the days.
|
|
#
?
Oct 14, 2010 16:06
|
|
|
Gettin more poo poo setup in the shed. Like this wet slow grinder. I have to be careful to make sure I never leave water in it now, since it's starting to freeze after dark again. I also took a lovely, lovely "1/2 horsepower" chinese bench grinder and turned it into a buffer. I'm pretty dubious about the "1/2 horsepower" part because I can stop it with my fingers easily, or by pushing with about 3 pounds of pressure with whatever I'm buffing. I think it helped these letter openers, at least.          I still have a long way to go, but I'm getting better at this grinding, sanding, and buffing thing. I was using tripoli brown, but I think I need some that's more aggressive, and some that's less aggressive. Smooth out the striations, and then mirror shine. I'm not really used to buffers, can I use multiple polishing compounds on the same wheel?
|
|
#
?
Oct 18, 2010 03:06
|
|
|
I'm looking around for a mig welder to play around with but I am wondering about shielding gas for it. Does anyone have any experience with carbon dioxide shielding gas? Does it have a good shelf life or does it need to be used quickly? Is it expensive to refill a cylinder?
|
|
#
?
Oct 18, 2010 04:28
|
|
|
Cephalopod Attack posted:I'm looking around for a mig welder to play around with but I am wondering about shielding gas for it. Does anyone have any experience with carbon dioxide shielding gas? Does it have a good shelf life or does it need to be used quickly? Is it expensive to refill a cylinder? I picked up a MIG a few months back that came w/ a filled bottle of CO2, and everything I've read about it says that you'll get deeper penetration with it, but there's more spatter. It's not as clean. As for shelf life, I've never heard anything about it. Pricewise, CO2 is cheaper than 75/25 or any other mix. CO2 is probably one of the cheaper gases, on account of the abundance of it.
|
|
#
?
Oct 18, 2010 04:43
|
|
|
Almost all my wire fed steel, both solid wire mig and outersheild flux core, work has been with C75/25. It is the gas you want to have around. It does absolutely provide more penetration vs argon. If you are welding any thing heavier then say 3/16" - 1/4" steel, you must be using it. It does produce a little more spatter, but this usually isn't a problem in structural steel situations. Like JC pointed out, it is also CHEAP, which is another very important reason it's used alot on the job. Keeping some argon around is useful for thin steel, or doing work on aluminum and stainless steel. Long story short... you really want to keep both C75/25 and argon around to have the most effective setup. The shelf life depends on whether or not you remember to shut off the cylinder valve! Assuming it stays in the cylinder, it'll last indefinitely. Except for cryogenic liquid cylinders, this is basically true with all oxygen/fuel/shielding gas cylinders welders use. BTW, my favorite wire feed welding is Lincoln Outershield FCAW with C75/25 on 3/8" steel. God drat, you can lay down puurrttyyy, almost seamless beads that have absolutely awesome penetration. It does, however, put out more radiant heat then any other wire feed, stick, or TIG process I've done.
|
|
#
?
Oct 18, 2010 07:03
|
|
|
Slung Blade posted:
When I buff my steel tools at work, I use Tripoli to get any scars/burrs off of the tool and then use Yellow Rouge to give it a nice mirror shine (or as close as I can be bothered) We are phasing Tripoli out of out industry due to cancer causing agents or something though.
|
|
#
?
Oct 19, 2010 02:59
|
|
|
Just posting to say that I am REALLY enjoying my welding class. We finished up oxy-acetylene cutting and welding last week and started on stick welding today. And the teacher was right: 6018 welding rod produces a lot of slag and sparks, but it is a very easy rod to work with.
|
|
#
?
Oct 19, 2010 03:57
|
|
|
When using multiple polishing compounds you need separate wheels, and it is good practice to have all the compound + wheels in their own bag or whatever to prevent contamination. For more aggressive cutting than tripoli, use bobbing compound with stiff felt wheels (bobs) and for a brighter finish, you can use white diamond (for harder steel) or ZAM (which is great for all metals, gold etc.)
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2010 01:30
|
|
|
laylow posted:When using multiple polishing compounds you need separate wheels, and it is good practice to have all the compound + wheels in their own bag or whatever to prevent contamination. For more aggressive cutting than tripoli, use bobbing compound with stiff felt wheels (bobs) and for a brighter finish, you can use white diamond (for harder steel) or ZAM (which is great for all metals, gold etc.) ProTip: Color code your buffing wheels with colored sharpie (not near the working end) to avoid confusion incase you accidentally put two down on the bench and forget which is which. Did that once and only once! Color code the ziplock bag the same way. Also, I am dv6speed's blacksmithing friend. I finally registered an account here. Hello World!!!
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2010 06:02
|
|
|
iForge posted:ProTip: Color code your buffing wheels with colored sharpie (not near the working end) to avoid confusion incase you accidentally put two down on the bench and forget which is which. Did that once and only once! Color code the ziplock bag the same way. Just turn on the wheel and rub a bit of buffing compound on the wheel near the spindle to get a nice compound coloured circle on it.
|
|
#
?
Oct 29, 2010 17:15
|
|
|
Fire Storm posted:Just posting to say that I am REALLY enjoying my welding class. We finished up oxy-acetylene cutting and welding last week and started on stick welding today. XX18 is pretty much an industry standard for mild steel, get to know it well in all positions.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2010 06:02
|
|
|
There's alot of rods out there. Mastery of (6010/6011) and (7018) in all positions will allow you to do any steel job given to you. If you need to burn an unfamiliar rod, your mastery of the previous mentioned ones will allow you to figure it out drat quickly. At your home shop, if you don't have a rod oven, buy small quantities of 7018. It's a great rod, but it will change for the worse if you don't keep it in an oven. A rod oven is still on my list. If I have a job where I needed to have good fresh 7018, I would go to the welding shop and buy a small sealed canister. I do pretty much everything I need at home with 3/32" and 1/8" 6011. 6011 is much more forgiving with regards to age, but you shouldn't buy more then you'll burn in a year's time. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 14:33 on Oct 30, 2010 |
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2010 14:29
|
|
|
Sorry, what? I'm... flabbergasted. Are you saying there's some kind of steel rod that goes bad at room temperature? I mean I'm not saying you're wrong or anything, but that flies against everything I've learned about iron metallurgy, so now my interest is more than piqued.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2010 19:05
|
|
|
Leperflesh posted:Sorry, what? I'm... flabbergasted. Are you saying there's some kind of steel rod that goes bad at room temperature? Welding rods are not pure iron. The base metal is covered in a flux, and moisture can degrade the flux over time.
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2010 19:47
|
|
|
Leperflesh posted:Sorry, what? I'm... flabbergasted. Are you saying there's some kind of steel rod that goes bad at room temperature? Not exactly. The metal doesnt go bad but the flux on the rod can absorb moisture at low temperatures and introduces hydrogen into the weld atmosphere which can cause Hydrogen cracking or embrittlement. This is prevented by storing 7018 in "rod drying ovens" usually set around 250 degrees farenheit. This might also be a good time to post a picture of me on the job, Welding in 40 below temperature on Alaska's North Slope. 
radbeard fucked around with this message at 22:51 on Oct 30, 2010 |
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2010 20:01
|
|
|
You can build a quite acceptable rod oven with a 60w incandescent light bulb, some fibreglass insulation and some thick particle board. If you want to be really fancy you could tie the bulb switch to a relay on a temperature control circuit to make sure it never gets above 400f. Or you can buy an EZ-bake oven at a thrift store and put rods in there (they actually hold a pretty consistent 350f with nothing more then a 60w bulb).
|
|
#
?
Oct 31, 2010 22:32
|
|
|
Oh OK, I didn't realize those welding rods had flux, that makes a lot more sense then.
|
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2010 01:29
|
|
|
What about an air-tight canister with a few bags of desiccant, or does nothing beat heat?
|
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2010 01:45
|
|
|
It's better to heat them. Though like dv6 said, they do sell 7018 in small sealed containers, but once you expose them they will go bad after a while. The factory can do that by having controlled atmosphere when packaging, I think.
|
|
#
?
Nov 1, 2010 03:00
|
|
|
Random blacksmithing picture. I made this candle holder out of about 12 inches of 1/4in square with a sheet metal candle cup held on by a copper rivet. Takes about 20 minutes to make. I haven't finished the metal other than wire wheeling, so its not 100% complete.
|
|
#
?
Nov 2, 2010 03:34
|
|
|
Can you guys recommend some cheap welding equipment? My friend and I are going to be fabbing an exhaust header out of mild steel. My friend had a summer job arc and mig welding so we're not completely inexperienced. I've inherited an old 'tombstone' arc welder but I don't think that it's appropriate for the job. The budget is pretty low (<$300), so TIG welders are pretty much out and I think I'm going to have to go with a cheap flux core MIG welder from harbor freight or something (I don't care how the welds look as long as they function). There aren't any inepensive used welders anywhere around me on craigslist. I also plan on getting one harbor freight's auto darkening helmets and gloves, and I've read that I should buy lincoln brand wire. What else will I need? Also, with a cheap flux core MIG welder is there any avenue to upgrade it to use gas in the future?
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2010 20:41
|
|
|
Anything you can buy for that much money really isn't worth it. Either hire someone you know who has the equipment and can do / is willing to do the work, or find a rental place and just rent a decent welder for a day or two. Or just try to save up for a couple months. Is that a possibility?
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2010 21:23
|
|
|
Waiting around a couple months isn't really a possibility, as I'll need the header done in the next couple weeks. What inexpensive welder would you recommend?
|
|
#
?
Nov 10, 2010 23:59
|
|
|
With your budget, a used stick welder or flux core only machine is all you are getting, and that isn't a suitable for what you are doing. There literally is not a single machine in that price range you will find that will do a good job on automotive headers. You will be WAY better off hiring a shop to do the welding for you, as Slung Blade suggested. You have to believe us, if you go out and try to spend less then $300 (new OR used) on a welding machine to fix your headers with, you are only going to be sorely disappointed, and end up buying new headers or hiring someone to fix it for you. Renting a TIG welder from a LWS (Local Welding Shop) is your best bet if you don't hire anyone. It'll probably cost you about $100. If I were in your situation, I'd hire someone instead of renting a machine, even tho I know how to weld. That way, if they gently caress it up, it's on them. Edit: Let me put it another way. If you get a nice MIG or TIG machine that isn't made in China for $300, somebody is doing you one hell of a favor, and you should take them out for a really nice expensive steak dinner. Edit2: You aren't even going to find a good used Chinese MIG or TIG machine for $300, unless it has something wrong with it. Edit3: I'm assuming your headers are stainless steel, which is why I insist you aren't going to use stick or flux core. Yes, they do make stainless steel electrodes for stick , however your pipes are thin metal, and a stainless stick electrode will melt the gently caress out of that. I don't think they make self shielded FCAW wire for stainless, but if they do, I garuntee you it'll be hotter then a stick stainless electrode which means meltage beyond repair on the pipes. You can run MIG stainless and do this job, but in my mind TIG is the only real choice here. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 00:51 on Nov 11, 2010 |
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 00:22
|
|
|
OK, you've twisted my arm and it hurts too drat much. If you are loving hard pressed, and insist on doing it yourself, here's what you need to do. Find a used DC stick welder, cheap as can be. We are talking about something like a Hobart Stickmate. If you get something nice like a Dialarc or Idealarc you will blow your budget. Something like a DC tombstone that has only a handful of current settings is not acceptable. If you haven't already blown your budget, find a used air cooled TIG torch and argon regulator on Ebay. Rent an argon gas cylinder from the LWS, and buy some stainless TIG wire. Proceed with scratch start TIG, and deal with the fact you don't have a foot pedal to control your current. If you were lucky enough to get a Lincoln Idealarc, and have a helper, you can always have him adjust the machine via voice command. (You will gently caress up most stick welding machines (such as a tombstone) if you adjust the current while welding. An Idealarc is an adjustable transformer, essentially, and can tolerate this behavior, not that I recommend it.) To do this, you've probably already spent a good $400-500, if not more, and you still don't have anything that resembles a good TIG setup. Another option is to spend $500-600 on a half decent used MIG setup, and not do as good of a job as a TIG machine. Go hire someone to weld your headers.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 01:02
|
|
|
dyne posted:Waiting around a couple months isn't really a possibility, as I'll need the header done in the next couple weeks. What inexpensive welder would you recommend? I am going to n'th the 'just pay someone else to do it' That said if you live in Canada princess auto can be really hit/miss (and that is a good thing because at those prices the fact that they can be anything BUT miss is amazing) with some amazingly cheap weld gear and have a virtually unlimited return policy. They do have MIG welders that sell for 150-200 when on sale (and then spend $100 on an argon tank), so if you are absolutely gung-ho on likely screwing this up yourself (but learning from it) you can buy one of there welders, try it out, and if it's an absolute disaster that behaves nothing like what your buddy is used to take it back and say it does not behave like a proper welder- you'll only be out the cost of the argon, consumables, and gas to drive around that you used. MIG would be the wrong technology to use, but it is at least feasible to do it with MIG; wire feed and stick are essentially out of the question.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 02:18
|
|
|
Whew, glad I asked. I had planned on making the headers out of mild steel (mentioned earlier) as I thought stainless would be a bit too difficult as a first attempt.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 05:00
|
|
|
I missed the mild steel thing, but do the best you can with your tombstone, and save your dimes for a TIG machine.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 05:26
|
|
|
Is it impossible to do what he wants to do with oxy/acetylene?
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 18:48
|
|
|
Possible to weld? in mild steel? Yeah, certainly.* Possible to buy the kit and rent the tanks for less than 300? I doubt it. *if you're any good at it
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 19:16
|
|
|
Leperflesh posted:Is it impossible to do what he wants to do with oxy/acetylene? Headers are just not something, mild steel or stainless, that are easy to put together with cheap equipment. For that matter, they aren't "easy" to do with good equipment as it's a complicated weldment that requires a good amount of operator skill and practice. If you just need to slap something together quickly to put on an ugly work truck, you don't care if it looks like rear end, leaks a little bit, and needs constant repairs because the welds crack... then by all means buy whatever machine you can and slap it together. You gotta start somewhere, I do realize, but from what you've posted you are trying to accomplish a goal within in a certain amount of time. If you are just out to have fun and learn, then by all means, buy whatever equipment you can, and start learning. Just don't expect to come up with a good product to bolt on your car in a timely manner, with the quality you want, and the budget you have.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 19:24
|
|
|
Slung Blade posted:Possible to weld? in mild steel? My latest harbor-freight coupon book has a kit for $109, but you have to rent tanks. When I lived in Washington, it was $8/tank/month to rent the tanks. You could weld mild steel with an oxy/acet rig, but you'll want to make sure the manifold is bolted to something (the head, a flat plate, whatever), because the slower heat is going to cause a lot of distortion on the flange portion of the header. Actually, you'll want the flange bolted down for whatever process you're using, but you do get more distortion with the oxy/acetylene setup.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 19:24
|
|
|
dv6speed posted:Too thin, you'll melt thru it very easily because O/A welding puts a large amount of heat into the work. I pretty much do nothing but 22 gauge sheet metal with my o/a setup, and I never ever melt through. You actually have a tremendous amount of heat control because you can pull the flame back whenever you want to. Exhaust manifold steel is going to be significantly thicker than 22 gauge...
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 19:26
|
|
|
Doing small tack welds on thin metal with a torch, and trying to put down a fillet weld bead on pipe is a whole separate matter, and can't be compared. In order to do a fillet weld on the pipe and plate, he is going to have to do a significant amount of preheat, and by that point, once he tries to lay the bead is when he'll have problems. Also, I will say, laying a good fillet weld on plate with a torch is hard enough, pipe is ten times more difficult. Torches do better with butt welds. (I've done delicate welds with a torch on thin metal, but it's a different type of welding that isn't applicable to welding headers.) Edit: I'm not trying to be an rear end in a top hat, I just don't want to see the poster blow his budget on poo poo that isn't going to meet his expectation. AbsentMindedWelder fucked around with this message at 19:46 on Nov 11, 2010 |
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 19:36
|
|
|
Yeah fair enough. I have an oxy rig but I've never attempted to weld stainless, nor weld a round thing to a flat thing (or really do anything besides joining two pieces of flat mild steel). My wife has much more welding experience than me (mostly with aluminum!). I didn't know you could rent tanks. I got mine by going to a welding place and paying some money which includes a large deposit on tanks, which lets you keep them as long as you want, and when they're empty you go trade them for full tanks and pay the cost of their contents only. Eventually you can just give back the tanks if you want to and get your deposit, or, just keep them forever. The hardware and dials and gauges and stuff can be bought as a kit for less than $100, for a cheapo starter kit. Ours was around $150 came with goggles, too (something similar to this e. Oh yeah, in addition to the rigging and tanks, I needed a tank cart, which was probably another $60 or something. So yeah, pushing up above $300 for the lot, I'm sure. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 20:17 on Nov 11, 2010 |
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 20:13
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 24, 2024 05:47 |
|
|
Leperflesh posted:I didn't know you could rent tanks. I got mine by going to a welding place and paying some money which includes a large deposit on tanks, which lets you keep them as long as you want, and when they're empty you go trade them for full tanks and pay the cost of their contents only. Eventually you can just give back the tanks if you want to and get your deposit, or, just keep them forever. hrm. That's even BETTER than the arrangement at my old welding supplier. You had to put down a deposit for the rentals, AND pay the $8/tank/month, but you got your deposit back when you returned everything.
|
|
#
?
Nov 11, 2010 20:16
|
|