Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:14:20 -0600
Reply-To: "Gary Lee www.vwrack.com" <gary2a@TELUS.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "Gary Lee www.vwrack.com" <gary2a@TELUS.NET>
Subject: Re: WAS: building carrier bar..... NOW: Test Weld PIC
In-Reply-To: <c4e7c5f90803152244l28a13d0evfe0a5b6a67ff2957@mail.gmail.com>
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Well gas will be cleaner than flux, but not necessarily stronger. If you
only weld occasionally, I would not bother with renting or buying a gas
bottle.
Good you got lots of amps available. That makes a big difference.
120 volt welders can't produce enough heat to weld 1/4" 'properly'.
To maximize the amount of heat a small welder will produce:
- Heavy gauge extension cord
- Hold tip as close to work as possible
- Push the bead, as opposed to pull. Push = like driving forward. Pull =
like driving in reverse
- Preheat the piece with a propane or acetylene torch
- Move torch slow, steady and smoothly. In a controlled motion.
fwiw, I wouldn't be welding any trailer hitches with a 120 volt welder.
If anybody in Calgary needs simple welding jobs like that done, I do it for
free for local vanagon owners.
Gary Lee
www.vwrack.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "neil N" <musomuso@gmail.com>
To: "Gary Lee www.vwrack.com" <gary2a@telus.net>
Cc: <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 15, 2008 11:44 PM
Subject: Re: WAS: building carrier bar..... NOW: Test Weld PIC
> Thanks for the pointers Gary.
>
> Yup. 120, MIG with flux but am running 12 gauge from a 20 amp breaker.
> I found I could go quite slow on the 1/4" plate and will slow it down
> more. Quite a contrast to the practice welds I tried on the scrap
> exhaust tube.
>
> I may end up using 1/8" plate and angle instead of the 1/4". Those
> were free scrap pieces so I gave it a whirl.
>
> I'm learning pretty fast, but there's lots to learn even with just
> setting up correctly. Proper lighting, material and work position etc.
>
> It'll be nice to get set up with gas. The flux puts out too much smoke
> and spatter.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Neil.
>
> On Sat, Mar 15, 2008 at 10:30 PM, Gary Lee www.vwrack.com
> <gary2a@telus.net> wrote:
>> >Now I KNOW I'll get this load bar done. Too bad I can't get material
>> >til Tuesday!
>>
>> > http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/1stlargeweld
>>
>> >Thanks guys,
>> >Neil.
>>
>> Neil,
>> Looking at your picture, I'd say you are using a 120 volt MIG.
>> Fluxcore?
>> That would give you marginal penetration on material as thick as in
>> your picture. Go slowly and weave back and forth. I hold the torch
>> with two hands, one on the trigger and the other near the tip. Hold
>> the torch close in to the material, as little 'stick out' and
>> possible. Plug your welder in as close to the breaker box as
>> possible. Avoid using extension cords.
>>
>> Gary Lee
>> www.vwrack.com
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Neil Nicholson. 1981 Air Cooled Westfalia - "Jaco"
>
> http://web.mac.com/tubaneil
> http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/
>
>
> --
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