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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
Comments: To: neil N <musomuso@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <c4e7c5f90803152244l28a13d0evfe0a5b6a67ff2957@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=original

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/ > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.21.7/1329 - Release Date: > 14/03/2008 12:33 PM > >


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