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All right, I know this might get laughed at a bit, but anyone try the aluminum conversion packages for the cheaper MIG welders - specifically in my case, the Lincoln Weld Pak 140 dealie? I know that 140 amps is not enough for serious aluminum work, but all I'm wanting to do is race car water plumbing and stepping up to a good AC TIG box isn't in the cards.
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Jul 7, 2016 13:59
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You can add a spoolgun to almost any machine and make aluminium wire come out the nozzle, but I highly doubt 140 amps is going to work well for aluminium piping... and that rating of 140 amp is best case scenario with low duty cycle. Aluminium requires considerably more amps then steel for a given size due to it's ability to act as heat sink. If buying the right machine isn't in the cards, then you are best to hire someone to do the job for you.
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Jul 7, 2016 16:25
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Oh well. Lincoln claims up to 10 gauge is doable and I was only looking at around 16 gauge stuff, but ... well yeah, using a cheap MIG box to weld aluminum was always going to be an optimistic proposition. May have to see if I can con my boss into getting a spool gun for the Miller box at work. I have a ... thing... about farming out fab work, especially stuff that really shouldn't be that hard. 
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Jul 7, 2016 17:13
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MIG on aluminium is really only good for thicker stuff. If you are dealing with 16 gauge that is clearly a job for TIG. This job is not what I would call an easy one... you should not feel bad about hiring someone for it who posses the correct equipment, and the experience to use it to produce high quality work.
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Jul 7, 2016 17:45
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got accepted into a two-year CNC diploma program 
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Jul 7, 2016 18:06
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Admiral Bosch posted:Whee, got employed at a local machine shop today, they seem to do mostly aerospace, medical and other precision contracts. gently caress an oil contract. Now I just have to make it through the 2 week evaluation period and make them realize how great I am. Awesome dude. The one thing I really like in a new guy is cleanliness. If you keep your machine and work area just as clean as the cleanest dude in the shop you'll be well liked. Do this even when they move you onto a dirtball Morey from 1954 that no one has cleaned since then. Maintenance will like you. The engineers will like you. Management will like you. edit : Strive to get onto the most precision equipment they have too. Come layoff time you'll look more attractive if you're the only dude that can run the Jones and Shipman ID grinder.
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Jul 7, 2016 21:59
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mekilljoydammit posted:All right, I know this might get laughed at a bit, but anyone try the aluminum conversion packages for the cheaper MIG welders - specifically in my case, the Lincoln Weld Pak 140 dealie? I know that 140 amps is not enough for serious aluminum work, but all I'm wanting to do is race car water plumbing and stepping up to a good AC TIG box isn't in the cards. Got oxy/acetylene? Buy a mini torch and practice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF1Srs_e1Aw
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Jul 8, 2016 03:19
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iForge posted:Got oxy/acetylene? Buy a mini torch and practice. Of course I have a torch, what kind of heathen do you take me for?  ... except I'm not nearly good enough with it and mostly use it for cutting / parts removal. Goddammit, I always forget about oxy-fuel welding. Thank you (genuinely) now I have a fun new skill to learn.
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Jul 8, 2016 14:21
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Ambrose Burnside posted:got accepted into a two-year CNC diploma program Which school? i met one of the CNC teachers at Sheridan. Nice guy, also a trumpet player. I'm sure I'll have lots of extra work for you to make some side $ on.
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Jul 8, 2016 14:32
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Finally made progress on the forge. So much progress, the shop manager asked if it would be ready in time for a class this weekend. Well, alright then! Nothing like a deadline to get you to finish on time. Well, mostly finished.. Refractory poured for the interior and the back lid. That's 2" of 3000C Kaowool you're looking at right there, boys. I'm hoping to be able to teach people how to make these easily and affordably.  I had really good luck with mounting the burner. Every step went well, from cutting the hole with a handheld drill and holesaw bit, to finding a convenient pipe, to grabbing the right drill bit and the right taps for the screws I just happened to have lying around, all on the first time. It never goes like that.  I admit, my cast refractory isn't perfect. Cardboard mold couldn't handle the moisture. Version 2 will fix that. That flame looks good, too.  This comes to a low forging heat in about 10 minutes at 10 psi  Pretty big area of heat. This has some downsides but is overall nice to have.  This is the other half of the equation. I have nothing but great things to say about this burner. I got it here : https://www.abana.org/ronreil/Forge1.shtml This is the part I can't replicate, but we did just get a small mill in...  Held up pretty well after two days of 8 hour constant use. Now, what else can I accomplish whilst keeping newbie blacksmiths busy?  We need hold downs for all 8 anvils, so I'm experimenting to see what works. Here's some random junk I found laying around.  I think a smaller chain might work better? That thin stock isn't easy for such a big chain, either. Now let's make some nails to hold it in! What, we don't have the tools to make nails? Let's make a nail header.  This is the only part that you really need to make a nail, aside from a hammer. To make this one, I took a giant bolt, heated it in my new forge, placed it in the hardy hole, and drove a square punch in until it went past the head of the bolt. Then I cut the head off, in a horizontal bandsaw. After that, flipped it over, a moment in a drill press, and voila!  Welded a handle on, let's give it a shot!  FIRST NAIL EVER! Eh, not that great  But still, not a bad weekend!
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Jul 11, 2016 03:34
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Yooper posted:Awesome dude. Good advice.
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Jul 11, 2016 05:36
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Pagan posted:
Still better than some of the nails I've pulled out of floorboards over the years.
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Jul 11, 2016 10:42
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Every time I see someone doing forging stuff, I need to remind myself that I do not need a forge. Because holy hell does that look fun.
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Jul 11, 2016 14:13
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Engaging in non-alienated labour, skill building and personal improvement can be a major contributor to mental and physical wellbeing. There you go, justified. Now go out and find the raw materials for a backyard forge and some kind of anvil surface and get cracking 
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Jul 11, 2016 16:05
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ReelBigLizard posted:Engaging in non-alienated labour, skill building and personal improvement can be a major contributor to mental and physical wellbeing. I can elaborate on this. I consider my hobbies to be a big part of my mental well being. I went through some serious losses last fall, and they happened right when daylight savings time ended, so suddenly it was dark by 4:15, and I was Depressed. Physical activity and creative pursuits have been found to be just as effective in treating depression as medication, so I decided to start with those first. It worked! The amazing change in mood I got from going outside and forging for even half an hour was dramatic. More often than not, I would work for a few hours and feel great by the end. The hardest part was getting started, but it was always worth it. My first forge was a turkey roasting pan and my first anvil was a tiny piece of 20 lb junk from ebay. It was enough. Now I'm about to offer a class on forge making, and I've got professional smiths telling me they're impressed with the things I'm making. Gotta start somewhere!
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Jul 11, 2016 16:14
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ReelBigLizard posted:Engaging in non-alienated labour, skill building and personal improvement can be a major contributor to mental and physical wellbeing. No, I mean, I have a homebrew foundry, a couple car projects, some home improvement projects, work to do on a 3d printer, more homebrewing, a burning need (pun not intended) to learn to oxyfuel weld, and a bunch of other stuff in the queue. I don't need to forge steel too I'm about at the limit for hobbies I can take on and do anything productive on them. ... although I do already have an anvil.
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Jul 12, 2016 02:15
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Was having a discussion with my boss the other day; we were playing around with one of the proven programs trying to get a countersinking op to stop building up chips on the tool. I suggested using a fluteless countersink, as I always had good results with that when I was in school, but he says the way they're designed, they essentially cut out a radius, instead of a flat angle countersink. But if that's the case, how do they market them as being 82 deg, 90 deg, etc? Like these: http://www.kaufmanco.com/itemdetail/WLD%20CS-8S
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Jul 15, 2016 15:30
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mekilljoydammit posted:car projects So you've probably got a brake drum laying around? Brake drum plus hair dryer equals forge I feel you though. I joke that my hobby is collecting hobbies...
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Jul 15, 2016 15:46
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They will cut a flat angle. He's probably looking at the profile and thinking about it like an endmill. The cutting surface is concave so it cuts outside in at one or two points instead of cutting with the full profile all the time. By the time the tool rotates to the end of the cutting edge, there is a full cone wall behind the last point of the cut.
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Jul 15, 2016 15:49
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Admiral Bosch posted:Was having a discussion with my boss the other day; we were playing around with one of the proven programs trying to get a countersinking op to stop building up chips on the tool. I suggested using a fluteless countersink, as I always had good results with that when I was in school, but he says the way they're designed, they essentially cut out a radius, instead of a flat angle countersink. But if that's the case, how do they market them as being 82 deg, 90 deg, etc? Like these: http://www.kaufmanco.com/itemdetail/WLD%20CS-8S We almost exclusively use the style you linked to. The multi-fluted cutters always seem to do a shittier job.
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Jul 15, 2016 16:06
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ReelBigLizard posted:So you've probably got a brake drum laying around? Brake drum plus hair dryer equals forge I made a homebrew foundry with homemade refractory; fundamentally I would just have to make a smaller one on its side. My dad has the thing with "collecting hobbies" going - this has resulted in unfinished projects up to the scale of a partially built airplane in the upper part of his barn. I'm of a mindset where I think it would be more fun to have *finished* projects every so often.
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Jul 15, 2016 20:13
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bred posted:They will cut a flat angle. He's probably looking at the profile and thinking about it like an endmill. The cutting surface is concave so it cuts outside in at one or two points instead of cutting with the full profile all the time. By the time the tool rotates to the end of the cutting edge, there is a full cone wall behind the last point of the cut. That's what I thought. To be fair, the setup is using a single-flute countersink anyway, but... eh whatever. Question answered, thanks!
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Jul 18, 2016 03:10
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I love having in-laws that are fitters. Just picked up a torch, regs, hoses, sparker, and about 3 each of oxy and acetylene bottles (albeit the small easily portable ones) for the price of "get this out of my basement, it's been sitting for 20 years". May need to get new bottles once these are empty or at the least get them hydro tested, but hey, free is free.
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Jul 19, 2016 12:30
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Now that I have moved (nobody in an apartment complex wants you hammering on an anvil), I want to start working with metal. I think I have a good grasp on the basics and will be getting Backyard Blacksmith the book soon. My main question is anvils: Are people buying them new on the internet? It seems like something in the 75-100 pound range is plenty but I'd like to spend under 400 bucks.
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Jul 20, 2016 21:30
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cheese posted:Now that I have moved (nobody in an apartment complex wants you hammering on an anvil), I want to start working with metal. I think I have a good grasp on the basics and will be getting Backyard Blacksmith the book soon. My main question is anvils: Are people buying them new on the internet? It seems like something in the 75-100 pound range is plenty but I'd like to spend under 400 bucks. Most people are buying used. New they're outrageously expensive. Used, you can expect to pay $2 ish per lb? I imagine that varies depending on your region.
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Jul 20, 2016 22:28
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I'm just biding my time. Eventually a deal will come.
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Jul 21, 2016 06:54
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cheese posted:Now that I have moved (nobody in an apartment complex wants you hammering on an anvil), I want to start working with metal. I think I have a good grasp on the basics and will be getting Backyard Blacksmith the book soon. My main question is anvils: Are people buying them new on the internet? It seems like something in the 75-100 pound range is plenty but I'd like to spend under 400 bucks. If you're in North America, Nimba is making new anvils of high quality, the price is high, but it was reasonable when I bought mine years ago. The Edmonton blacksmith shop gets a pile made every so often too, shipping outside Alberta might be killer though, they're ~300 pounds. Europe has lots more options for new manufacture anvils. But yeah, if you can find a used one locally, definitely go that route.
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Jul 21, 2016 15:40
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Muhuhahaha. Stopped in at my closest hardware store for some fluorescent tubes... turns out they're a Praxair subdistributor and have oxygen and acetylene exchange. It's like things are aligning perfectly for me to learn gas welding. Kinda looking at lighter weight torches too; something in the Smith AW1A - Victor J28 - etc range. Anyone have any opinions? The one I have is a Victor 100 something, so I have the somewhat heavier side of things covered.
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Jul 22, 2016 01:29
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 eyyyyy
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Jul 22, 2016 03:29
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Oh yeah gas welding... completely stopped on that project. I mean it turns out to be quite costly and money is never in abundance. But I got a 2nd free torch set. Need new hoses, checkvalves, flame arrestors and gas tubes, all in all like 900 euros. Yikes... So it'll have to wait 
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Jul 22, 2016 06:31
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Yeah, gas welding has its place, and having access to oxyfuel is really useful for a swathe of odd jobs, but it's commercially-obsolete for virtually all applications for a range of good reasons including cost.
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Jul 22, 2016 15:52
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Yeah - but the way I look at it, it's a lot less sunk cost than a good aluminum-capable TIG welder that I won't be using terribly often.
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Jul 22, 2016 19:43
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Having access to both- with no concern for cost, glob bless blacksmith school- I went from expecting to do most of my welding with gas to exclusively using it for weird edge purposes like doing fillerless butt welds on small rings or flange-welding the seams on sheet-metal stuff that the MIG made a mess of. Gas welding -can- tackle tasks normally performed with electric welding, technically, but the further you get from sheet steel or very small steel stock the less sense it makes, and weld operation time and cost will increase exponentially. Also, oxyfuel welding aluminium sucks a lot- the stock steals all your heat, you need difficult-to-source specialist flux that's caustic and fumes horribly, and if you're not a good gas welder you won't be getting reliable joins because the joins require a high standard of cleanliness and pre-weld prep.
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Jul 22, 2016 23:09
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Yeah I'm wondering sometimes if gas welding is the way to go or not. I have a DC stick welder, for a lot less I could pick up a TIG scratch start kit. I've also seen used TIGs (kemppi, esab) for a few hundred now and then. What I want to have is a tool to join thin sheet metal and other small stuff, which is what I was imagining using the oxy fuel torch for, i.e. a TIG alternative, perhaps a MIG alternative too. And it can also heat stuff which has a myriad of uses. Then again a TIG might do all the welding of sheet stuff and more that an oxy-fuel setup can. And nowadays there's this process called MIG brazing using silicone bronze that sounds like perhaps the ultimate sheet metal process (from what I've read). But that requires a modern expensive MIG with computerized thingamajiggery it seems, so no 2nd hand deals likely to be found there.
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Jul 23, 2016 07:33
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The single worst thing about welding in Australia is that we're pretty much under a monopoly by BOC in regards to gasses and they've set up a rental system thats absolute highway robbery. Want to have an E2 sized Argon Cylinder for your mig welder? Well that will be $200 a year CYLINDER RENTAL without taking into account the cost of the gas in it when you need it refilled. Add an Oxy/Acetylene set to that and your looking at $600 odd a year purely in rental costs for the bottles, let alone the cost of the gasses themselves. And unfortunately all the smaller players in the games (core gas, Supagas) have been forced to follow this business model to actually be competitive. Theres a few companies now that are offering a setup where you buy the cylinder outright and then just pay for gas at refill, but they're $5-600 per cylinder to buy outright, so setting yourself up with a MIG, TIG and Oxy/Aceytylene combo would be $2-2400. I've gotta stop watching things like Abom79 on youtube, because now im on gumtree and https://www.machineryhouse.com.au and thinking about how long I can go without food for...
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Jul 24, 2016 03:06
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AGA used to run a monopoly in the nordic countries too and once upon a time there was only rental from what I understood. But now purchased bottles have made a comeback. Air Liquide and other companies have moved in on the consumer segment of AGAs market share. Air Liquide has a pretty sweet deal where you first buy the cylinders and gas, then when it's empty you replace it for a new cylinder and pay for the gas (45 for oxygen, 70 for acetylene iirc). A local place had a deal on new 10 liter tanks so I could have gotten two new tanks for like 500 euros or so, but too much money for me anyway to invest in now. One great thing about their tanks is that the regulators are integrated on the bottle and so you get a new serviced regulator every time you swap a bottle. Definitely going with AL if I take the jump. Just not sure what's worth more to invest in for dealing with thin sheet metal and small stuff.... tig, gas, mig...?
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Jul 24, 2016 21:26
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TIG. MIG adds too much filler, and gas is ancient and needs more consumables than TIG.
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Jul 25, 2016 13:26
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Driving Adelaide to Melbourne and back again for a $3K bridgeport mill isnt silly is it?
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Jul 26, 2016 09:36
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Ferremit posted:The single worst thing about welding in Australia is that we're pretty much under a monopoly by BOC in regards to gasses and they've set up a rental system thats absolute highway robbery. Try a company called Speedgas. Call the supplier and they'll put you onto the retailers, you buy the cylinder and gas within, then it's like a swap and go system from then on. Be warned some gumtree sellers are not recognised speedgas resellers so you might not get to swap the bottle elsewhere. I know of a couple of WA stores, but don't know who else is supplying.
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Jul 26, 2016 11:27
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Ferremit posted:Driving Adelaide to Melbourne and back again for a $3K bridgeport mill isnt silly is it? I had to convert dollarydoos and units, but neither the distance nor the price seems unreasonable if they're in short supply nearby and you need/want one right now. If it's a clapped out POS it might not be worth it. Also depends on whether or not any goodies come with it, how big the table is, power feed options etc.
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Jul 26, 2016 13:35
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