Who welds here?

[deputydawg]

Re: Who welds here?

Buy a how to book. I am sure there is a good one out there somewhere.<br />I taught myself to weld by trial and error, it didn't take long and was pretty easy, but there are a lot of variables and tips.<br />Make sure you are hot enough to penetrate but not too hot to burn too deep. Make a good smooth clean pattern. Use very very clean metal (an angle grinder is a much for welding). Don't move the rod too fast. Don't move the rod too slow. Don't hold the rod too close to your work, or too far away. Start off with E 6013 rod, it is a good all around rod and easy to use. <br />My old shop teacher in high school used to test our welds with the "9 pound test". He would start by dropping the 9 pound sledge hammer on the weld, then repeatedly hit it harder each time. The more hits it held up to, the better the grade for the day.<br />Buy a book, you'll not regret it. <br />And by the way, great find on the welder!

 

[tommays]

Re: Who welds here?

if you really want to look you have to cut it in hafe and look at the Penatration and any Slag inclusions and air pockets<br /><br /><br />a weld can look PRETTY and be worthless <br /><br />tommays

 

[brother chris]

Re: Who welds here?

Thanks for all the advice fellas. <br />I am gonna look at a local high school. I looked at the local colleges and the introductory class is $550 and runs for a month. I do not have time to do that. I work too much, boat too much, etc...<br />I just got a book on basic welding, so I will start there. I don't think this is going to be too hard to figure out.

 

[KRS]

Re: Who welds here?

That's a crummy welder and you paid too much.. I'll be up on Saturday to take it off yer hands, give ya $160 for your pain and suffering.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: Who welds here?

You'll figure it out with some practice and some reading. Did it come with an owner's manual? If yes, read it cover to cover and just practice. Or go to the library and check out a book about "how to weld." There's a ton of them out there, and since you got a basic Arc welder, you can read a book with a 1960 copyright and it will be just as current and true as anything prited today. After practicing on scraps, the classic shop-class first project is to buy a bunch of angle iron and a few caster wheels, then weld yourself up a nice welding cart for your welder and all the tools.<br /><br />Just be aware that an Arc welder does not really create perfectly strong welds like a good MIG welder would, or even better would be a TIG welder. So I wouldn't use it for anything truly critical or for any safety related things. But for hobbies, crafts, and general non-safety related repairs you will have some fun with it and fix some things you formerly couldn't.

 

[brother chris]

Re: Who welds here?

Yeah, it came with an owners manual. I've already started in on it. I just finished filling out the registration online. Good idea about welding a cart for the welder and tools.

 

[wilkin250r]

Re: Who welds here?

Don't take a class, you'll regret it.<br /><br />I bought a small stick welder, then took a class at the local community college, got exposure to a MIG welder, and hate myself for buying the stick. <br /><br />Sold the stick to a buddy, and am now searching for a good MIG welder. I figure that $100 on that little stick has cost me at least $500 by the time I paid for the class and my new MIG, not to mention the other tools to previously mentioned earlier in this thread...

 

[ndemge]

Re: Who welds here?

My brother showed me how to weld on my dad's old lincoln.... Tried to weld a new bbq grate onto our trailer grill, and with the rods we had, all I was doing was burning holes. So went to a friends house and used his dad's mig. Went out the next weekend and drop a G on a millermatic 175 .... and havn't regreted it since.<br /><br />Now what we want is the plasma cutter!

 

[NathanY]

Re: Who welds here?

Learn how to push the rod when you are welding,instead of pulling it, it makes for a better and prettier weld. When welding a thin piece of metal to a thick piece of metal, heat the thicker metal with a rosebud for a better weld. If you need more help, just email me.

 

[brother chris]

Re: Who welds here?

Wow, lots of people weld here. <br />Thanks Nate, if I have any questions, I will definetely email you. <br />I've just started practicing my welds and just getting used to it. Gonna get some metal this weekend and make the cart for the welder. Lets see how that turns out; that will be the first project.<br />Then I want to make a boat rack for my Chevy S-10, so I can put my little 10'er on top. <br />If I manage to do both this weekend, I will post a couple pics. <br />Thanks for all the replies guys. There is nothing like the iboats community.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: Who welds here?

Now you've got a welder maybe you need to change your screenname to...........<br /><br />Arc Angel

 

[brother chris]

Re: Who welds here?

Good one Dunaruna. I like it!

 

[one more cast]

Re: Who welds here?

I was thinking back to problems I had when learning to weld. One was I would listen more then watch and would always move the rod to fast. Make sure you watch the puddle and its like your moving the puddle with the end of the rod plus make sure you keep feeding the rod into the puddle. The Miller welding instructor says its proper either to push or drag , what ever way works best for you.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Who welds here?

Originally posted by brother chris:<br /><br />Then I want to make a boat rack for my Chevy S-10, so I can put my little 10'er on top. <br />

If you weld anywhere near the glass on your truck make sure and cover it with a heavy tarp or some kind of protection. I have seen glass with welding burns many times, woops .

 

[magster65]

Re: Who welds here?

Got my C ticket in '83 and my B in '84 (B.C. certification). After that much welding and schooling I realized that I was only going to be a hobbyist. I wasn't cut out to do that full time. I crewed on an IMCA modified (open wheeled car) for a few years to get some fabrication skills. I've used that 'hobby' so much... it's a great thing to learn and I highly recommend it! Here's a little project I did for my son. Think it's popular at the car shows? <br /><br />

<br /><br />

 

[Ron G]

Re: Who welds here?

Ive got a real old stick welder to start learnig on it i made trellaces for the old ladys roses,out of 1/2 tubing what a learning exp blowing out and filling but it was fun and i learned alot and was a little productive.nice project magster

 

[Trent]

Re: Who welds here?

Nothing like a good TIG welder. Man I love mine! You have so much more control and the welds look so much better IMO.

 

[wilkin250r]

Re: Who welds here?

^^^ True, but TIG is awful hard to learn by trial-and-error...

 

[Wotknot]

Re: Who welds here?

Originally posted by wilkin250r:<br /> ^^^ True, but TIG is awful hard to learn by trial-and-error...

I'm afraid I don't follow your comment. As in anything, practice, practice, practice is how one learns just about anything. Granted, I guess you have to know the basics: types of tungstens, filler metals, sizes, gas settings, etc.....but there are manuals and books and websites to get one started off correctly.<br /><br />For example, you can start here >>>> http://www.millerwelds.com/education/tech_tips/TIG_tips/