/Welding/ Welding General #2

Anonymous

A place for anything to do with Welding.

Post your welds, ask questions and discuss sticking metals together.

IDK I just want a place to talk about welding.

>>2763067
>hey will you come weld some gussets
>we have everything, just head over
>it'll be cake
grab little inverter and a handful of rod because i know they're lying
drive over
>oh yah there on that beam 15 ft up
>already cut plates, but guessed on the length and used old scrap shit
>manlift controls are acting up, i'll run it from the ground for you
>here's the supples
>box of 6011 that looks like it came over on the mayflower
>let's do this.jpg
>about 9pm packed up and went home
nobody wants to take pictures of the welds they lay while hanging out of a manlift, welding over a ragged torch cut 1/2" gap. not my prettiest, but i can sleep at night and the check cleared

>>2763166
At least they put them in. Looks structural even though I’m not exactly sure what they’re for.

>>2763067
Can't get job as CDL driver, making a hot switch to welding. Hitting a school for the certs 'cause Canada is a red tape country. 7 weeks for CWBs+AWS certs. I want to focus on autobody and frame welding - I want to end up working repairing semi trailers, car frames, and assorted welding repair and fabrication on motorcycles/cars. I have experience with fab, but not with laying proper, professional quality welding. Am I a fucking idiot?

>>2763166
When you say 'little inverter' you mean runs on 120vAC and about the size of a suitcase?

I saw one from the same vendor, that was really small. 1/4 of what I just described.

The only welding I did was stick, years ago. Before inverters were a thing. The football one seems like it'd be ok for tiny jobs but not much else.

I want to get into it, but like anything else, it's a funds and budget vs utility thing. Not to the general utility of welding, but the specific utility of it right now, in the scheme of what is going on.

>>2763660
>Am I a fucking idiot?
No, everything you wrote seems reasonable and straightforward. How old are you?

>>2763175
Nta but structural engineer, looks like the bolted down piece goes right somewhere off camera, basically there's no good shear using the w beam like that since it's super short and not attached to anything on the other end, the gusset adds shear so it can't easily be torn off

>>2763175
i'm not sure exactly what the guy was thinking. it's the hanger for the beams that his bridge crane runs on, so i think he wanted to counter horizontal axial loading
>>2763702
it's an esab 180 that will run on either 120 or 240v. it'll do about 80a on 120v/15a for most of a rod before it pops the breaker

>>2763844
I could probably tear it off I'm pretty strong

>>2763067
I've got a piece of cast iron that I need to build up with weld material. Would prefer to just weld on some extra material normally but there isn't access to do it that way (small part). I've got some nickel rod but I don't think there's enough to do what I need, and some "regular" welding rod, can't remember the grade.
if building up cast iron with weld bead is it a bad idea to lay down a layer of nickel rod, then build on top of that with regular rod, or could that make it more likely to crack? Naturally I'd preheat the piece, but not got much experience mixing metals like this. The weld material I'm adding will have holes drilled into it and tapped, so will need to be able to hold a moderate load without peeling off.

Is there a way to assess a welder like this aside from plugging it in? Iirc they are basically a giant transformer, so can you just test continuity across the inputs and outputs?

Anon here.
2G 6010 root pass, very tough to do.
It’s hard to keep a consistent puddle and to burn the keyhole properly (I have to use elbow movements instead of wrist movements) and I keep getting slag trapped either between the weld or on the backside.
Sometimes the electrode flux also “fingernails” to one side and ends up burning lopsided.

Running 6010 at 75 amperes on about 1/4th inch mild steel with a 1/8th gap and 1/8th land

>>2764100
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZPRCN2TfJU<wbr>
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3J3193PQio<wbr>
your gap looks brutal. close it up and i bet it gets a lot easier

Sieg

>>2763660
I had the d1.1 structural steel cert , very very very boring same thing everyday

Attention to detail having to focus the whole time

I would just pick up gas tungsten that was much much more fun exotic allows like inconel and titanium for race cars and shit

The most boring stick welding I’ve ever had to do was pipes, you do a 6010 root then filler rods like 7018 and it’s so so so fucking boring

I’d rather work fast food than go back to that

What’s new today oh cool another section of pipe, what are we doing tomorrow more pipe oh cool! What are we doing 6 months from now same shit

Anonymous

>>2764100
What rod are you running? The welding school where I ran the toolroom got all sorts of donated rod from local contractors plus nicer-running stuff for bend testing. Sampling a variety was fun.

I like Lincoln 5P+ version of 6010 for its smooth arc and a bit less dig, but after you get your technique down weld with crap/old rod for practice on scrap to get comfy since you'll be running what's provided at the jobsite.

For 7018 I like Lincoln of course but ESAB Atom Arc is expensive and worth it. We bought Hobart 7018 for most of the pipe class training because it was cheap but tended to stick.

>>2764149
What was the best money? If you love TIG do you like/have you done much casting repair?

That can support local automotive machine shops and be very useful to barter if you like to wrench. I bartered fixing their PCs to my machinistbro for choice drops which was magnificent for me and free to him since they were leftovers from customer jobs.

>>2763816
Cheers. I'm 26. I've worked in the auto industry for my whole career. Wanted to be a driver, but the market is downright terrible atm where I am, and I want a trade I can work on both sides of the border. I want to work on repairing cars and trucks to dodge the problem >>2764149 brings up: I hate having the same thing to work on every single time in the same place. Would love to work up to mobile welding, but as a start, auto/trailer repair seems to be a good bet to me.

Weldanon back aka >>2764100
I managed to get most of the penetration on my 6010 root done, so I just have to run 7010 filler beads and cap it off.

I might do another practice plate later, I think I’m getting the hang of it. I’ll post more photos of me finishing the filler welds.

>>2764983
Forgot to post image fuck me.

Here’s the root pass without any filler beads

>>2764985
And here’s a filler pass, though I went too slow and overfilled it.

>>2764985
too cold and too long of an arc. turn it up to 80-85 and jam the rod in the vee like you're truing to snuff it out. use a fairly steep drag angle in the direction of travel.

>>2764985
>>2765019
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bZPRC<wbr>N2TfJU reposting bad link because you obviously didn't watch it

>>2764985
please recognise that you've made garbage here and that it's still garbage under the filler pass.

root was fixable with grinding but then you kept going and made it into an arc gouging job.

>>2765033
Arc gouging is a great skill to learn too so op just keeps the good times rolling on this welding journey. Or he cut his coupon and bent it already and is standing there with the ???? face looking at the enormous crack.

Either lesson is good.

>>2764046
Usually the real old outside too long turds end up with the transformer steel laminate rusting under the enamel coating and if it's real bad it will short somewhere.

Sieg

>>2764174
Most money I ever made was working in an office real estate and my dad was the registered broker I worked under

60k for a months work and just fucked around rest of the year

Anonymous

>>2765029
Gave it a watch and it’s the same exact technique I’m trying to replicate with the keyhole burn technique and the 1/8th 6010 electrode at 75 amperes.
I was only running about 72 amperes with a 1/8th gap, and I wasn’t welding in the 3G position as shown in the video so it isn’t as easy to stack the bead using gravity.

2G means HORIZONTAL, which is the groove V facing towards you as shown in picrel.

But I’ll try jamming the rod as much as I can, and trying to not get too long of an arc.

>>2765180
go back to padding beads on flat plate for awhile. i doubt your 1G roots are even close. you haven't figured out how to read the puddle.
tighten the gap to 3/32 or less. 1/8 gap is a disaster if your green. no different than the 3rd coupon in the video. vertical do not make it easier as you have to control the heat to keep the puddle from falling out the front

I'm in the final stretch of a 4 week welding class, thoughts on this weld? I had like zero knowledge of the metalworking environment or tools prior to starting.

>>2765192
And the instructor cut it to show the inside

>4 wk class
that's a pretty short time. don't expect to have it all figured out by the end
>>2765191
too slow of travel. you want a flat bead profile, not humped up
>>2765192
again slow, but better consistency. the heat built up because you were going too slow and caused the bead profile to change. you might have changed gun angle as you moved across the joint. it's all about consistency. you want to be rigid but smooth in your movements. always do a dry run before you strike an arc to make sure you can comfortably run the entire joint without an awkward shift
>>2765193
looks fine. you welded. it helded

>>2765197
Yeah the positioning is the thing I struggle with the most. I had a problem early on where I would get tired as I progressed through the weld and start to slump on the second half, but I've been correcting that in the more recent classes. But I still haven't found a sweet spot for how to position myself, so I often have to shift slightly while moving.

Right handed training for TIG, having trouble with 6G pipe, I nail one side without an issue from top to bottom but the opposite side is like I've never held a torch. <br>Anyone got any tricks for walking/wiggling/whatever the cup in weird positions on root and other passes?

>>2763067
How do I acquire one of these Finnish welding machines in the US?

>>2763067
Is there any way to buy from Lawson products without setting up a company account? I just want some xtractalloy rods for fucks sake.

I've decided to buy a Tig machine made by Jasic, it's the most quality I can get for my money and probably the most I need since I don't run a factory. The choice comes down to either buying the analog or digital version;
https://www.jasic.co.uk/tig202a-ana<wbr>log-inverter
https://www.jasic.co.uk/tig-202d-di<wbr>gital-pulse-inverter
I personally like the analog just because it's cheaper and looks cooler than the dig, otherwise from what I see, the only things missing are the upslope, DC pulse duty cycle (fixed at 50-50) and arc force setting which I hope turns off automatically when you switch from SMAW to GTAW.
Any other things I should look for? Those I've listed don't seem like an issue for me except the arc force, I like it on stick but won't need in in tig

>>2766457
Potentiometers are easier to replace than trying to find and fix the microprocessor and upslope is generally useless, just hang out at the start of your weld for a second longer and you have the preheat, or use a pedal if you really need it.
It appears the analog machine doesn't even have the arc force function which isn't an issue because of the high enough open circuit voltage needed for 7018, 6013s can be run on anything but realistically you're buying a full tig machine so stick welding shouldn't be the main concern

Hello /welding/

I have no experience in welding but I've been encountered several projects where it would be handy if I could weld something myself instead of hiring someone. How much of a time/money investment is it to learn how to weld? I always hear welders complaining about shitty welds so I assume that welding isn't retard-proof - is welding something that I can pick up as an auxiliary side thing or is it something that requires a lot of dedicated hours in order to reach a usable level?

If it makes a difference, my prospective use cases are for aluminum and stainless steel.

>>2768083
4000 dollars and about 100 hours.
i've pulled this number directly out of my ass. i took reasonable numbers and multiplied them by ten, to account for how retarded you probably are.
you asked 4chan for help so i'm assuming that you don't own any tools, not even a screwdriver, you don't have a car, you want to do welding inside your rented fourth floor apartment. you probably think you can get metal for free.

>>2768083
Watch the fabrication series, weld com, Tim welds and Jody on YouTube, their content will cut your costs and frustration down. I'm self taught on a small inverter and learned quickly because I knew a lot of theory and mistakes to avoid.
Welding isn't retard proof but isn't a hard skill to aquire these days when you have a ton of free information online. It used to be hard for your dad or grandpa because all they had back then was the school or a local welder who might have told them something if he felt like it, plus the machines were shit back then and costed a fortune

I've realized that walking the cup is useless unless you're dead flat on the pipe. No idea why everyone forces it as if it were the only way to weld, too sharp of an angle, oxidation right in front of your puddle and you weld over it, too much chance of contaminating the tungsten or work, pretty much impossible to do on the bottom
> inb4 practice
Yeah, when you start getting paid for it.
I also get undercut on the cap pass lately, but didn't get a straight explanation of why it happens and how to prevent it, I tried all ranges of amperage

>>2768362
>undercut straight explanation
there isn't enough metal.
put more.

>>2768369
It just creates a hill with undercut on the sides. I could try cooling the pipe to as low as room temperature if that's a possible issue but I'm out of ideas. The instructors don't give useful info on walking the cup or freehanding, they basically expect your brain and muscles to work like software

>>2768372
Also, the only setup they have is fixed neck 17 torch with handle trigger, I saw the pros on the interwebs use flex heads and whatnot which make positioning easier, our torches are good for flat welds only I guess

>>2768372
look at the puddle.
>>2768376
don't be that guy.

>>2768438
They told me the test is gonna be with a 2 inch pipe, I'll keep things simple and freehand the entire thing, 2 cover passes. It's gonna look like a gas weld but idc, that's how grandpa used to do it, tig basically is oxy acetylene welding but with electricity

These are my shitty 6010 uphill roots. I have a rape fetish.

>>2765374
Man its just tough, just stand there and try any twister combo you can think, torch held like a hammer, a pen, or by a back cap, ive looked like a retard but i make sure im comfortable moving along joints in weird spots, get most comfortable where your hands would be half way through the weld then contort to your start and stop, one simple way to get a good off hand side is to just lean your upper body 45 degrees and use your hands like you would welding it 5g, youll be sore after doing this

Just finished making this welding stand to practice welding on different positions, wanted to laser cut the pipe and the 4 inch plates to make it more accurate but no one near me with a laser machine cut round tube.

tomorrow I will start doing some 3F and 4F, we are all going to make it bros.

>>2769507
mechanism is just a notched tube with a hole and a pin that secures it in place. each movable arm, has different angles so i can practice not only verticals and 45°, but a bunch of more angles.

I can share the building blueprints if you want, just give me a good tutorial to learn how to make blueprints in autocad

>>2769507
That looks like it will be whippy, as in striking an arc will start it swaying like a extended scissor lift, made a stand like that trying to be cheap, had to triangulate to stop the sway,
>>2769509
On 3f watch out for getting too steep a upward rod angle that usually ends in a nasty saggy underfilled crater
On the 4f use the same amps youd use for 2f and dont let the flux run ahead of the puddle with 7018, thats how you get some sweet burn scars in your forearm crease

>>2768864
Just freehand everything, walking is bad practice, takes too long to master and can't be used in tight spots which are more common in field than you'd think.
But do practice on various diameters of pipe, not just the one they told you the test is gonna be on, if you don't have a thick pipe at home, use thin walled tubing and run a single bead around it until you get consistency.
Here where we train, we only do 3 passes; root, fill to flush and cap, so I can't tell you anything intelligent regarding the hot pass but I will advise you to use 2 wires during fill pass, the less times you have to burn around a pipe, the less you'll overheat it.
Cap passes can be hard for freehanders but what I do is use a big torch angle, almost like I'm walking and do 2 beads side to side with a smaller diameter wire, circular motion. It does kind of look like a gas weld, takes a few minutes longer but no way to get undercut.
And don't be scared of stopping every few inches to reposition, just restart properly

>>2769628
Yeah that will work for one bead, sure
Has anyone had ideas of micro Tig welding with lab bench power supply? The ones that go up to 10 amps, I bet you'd need to grind tungsten down to surgically thin needle point

>>2769674
What are you planning to do mold repair? Filling pitting on old guns? Miniature building with extreme accuracy?, a laser welder would be better

>>2769783
I already have a tig and do small (not micro) things with it, it was just a thought.
But I saw some jewelers have miniature tigs they use for fixing porosity in rings and other stuff, I think they're lift arc only and are programmed for short pulse

I just figured I can make a custom or oversized tig finger from exhaust wrap. It can be cut to length and hand sewn in multiple layers

>>2769867
Oh i think ive seen those used by a guy welding chain mail links for shark armor
Oh an idea, fancy engraving but in reverse, tiny weld beads in scroll work

>>2769877
2 axis CNC controlled micro tig welder

Is there something that will give me a visual confirmation that I turned my argon bottle off? Something like a pressure switch with a red light would be good

Instead of welding I went into cyber security. Sometimes I feel like I fucked up.

>>2769963
Watch the pressure needle drop if it's empty or just try to close the cylinder, why do you need to complicate things? >>2769965
Nobody says you're not allowed to learn welding, I worked as a mechanical engineer for 3 years and got sick of it

Time to try and make a heat shield out of this shit, wish me luck boyos. <br>Header wrap is cheap and seems thick enough to insulate anything

>>2769967
I want a visual confirmation that I remembered to close the cylinder, so I can just look into the shop if I get called away on short notice.

>>2769963
there are no detectable changes for a pressure sensor to work on.
paint a stripe on your valve.

>>2770360
fix the leaks. i have a half dozen shop welders, and have gotten them all to hold at least over night without leaking off the pressure in the regulator and jump hose. it's no big deal then if you leave a bottle on

>>2769515
>That looks like it will be whippy, as in striking an arc will start it swaying like a extended scissor lift,
I used it yesterday to practice 1F fillet and lap joints, i use the rest of the arm to support myself and it didn't move, it doesn't really swings at all that way, maybe when i start doing 4F i might encounter that problem, but it is pretty solid

>>2769957
That would need 4 axis, one for arc length, and a axial encoded swivel for filler wire in the direction of travel
Programmed and ran a orbital tig robot so i got an idea of the vairiables required for sound welds
Some youtube guy has tried a 3d printer with a mig gun to make a recognizeble benchy

For filling in a blind hole 3/32" in size, MIG with 75/25 would work fine right?<br>Doing a pin and weld for a muzzle device on my upper

Hey fellas, any tips on getting started with a welding career from scratch? I finished a 48 hour MIG welding class and i'm planning on taking a stick welding course in April, but in the meantime I wanna try to get my foot in the door somewhere. Thing is, i'm not very good at job searching so I haven't turned anything up yet. <br>I live near the San Bernardino area of SoCal if that helps.

>>2771062
It should work, but TIG would probably produce a more aesthetically pleasing weld.

I want to set up a booth at home, any recommendations on small welding table? Do they make them foldable?

>>2771587
go pick an ironing board from the trash.
>folds flat
>height adjustable
>fireproof
>free

>>2771592
I'm too new to welding to know if this is a joke or not.

>>2771594
i've seen torch gouges taken out of anvils, grinders run deep into vice jaws, arc strikes on lathe ways, a plasma cutter go through a forklift tine.
apprentices should start on garbage!

>>2771610
>i've seen torch gouges taken out of anvils, grinders run deep into vice jaws, arc strikes on lathe ways, a plasma cutter go through a forklift tine.

>>2765374
>Anyone got any tricks for walking/wiggling/whatever the cup in weird positions
Learn to weld freehand and left-handed. At some point, try welding via inspection mirror.

>>2768376
>fixed neck 17 torch with handle trigger
Every single manual TIG welder at my workplace uses this setup. There are some alternate torches around for reaching into odd places, but the need for those is rare. Keep in mind that "fixed neck" torches use a small copper pipe in the neck for the structure (and electrical/gas connection), and copper is flexible. You can bend the neck pretty far if needed. Just don't bend it back and forth (which will break the pipe). A slight bend "back" is usually reasonable for most tasks, but if you have multiple torches around, having a selection of bend angles can be good to have.

>>2768362
>too much chance of contaminating the tungsten or work
Use a shorter stickout. Walking the cup on small pipe can be done with the sort of stickout you'd use for welding a fillet, but it goes a lot better with a short stickout. Like maybe 1/8" for the cover pass on 2" pipe.

>I also get undercut on the cap pass
Heat buildup is a factor. Turn amps down to reduce the tendency for undercut. The proximal issue is insufficient puddle control. At each side, aim the torch to the side, and dab the filler at the edge of the puddle. Maintain a tight arc. Move quickly to the other side of the puddle and repeat. Lower amperage until you can control the puddle sag and produce a good profile.

How do I drag cut with a cheap plasma cutter? All my parts look like they were chewed out by a beaver

>>2771692
That's kinda just the way the tool is; at my workplace we used to have a CNC plasma cutter, everything cut got passed through an automated sanding conveyor.

>>2771703
How does this guy get his cuts so smooth then? Is he just using an expensive cutter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMl<wbr>NYn7dpew

>>2771592
>>2771594
I used an ironing board when I started out, just burn or grind the paint off. It's still useful for small parts if you can stabilize it

Hi, can anyone help me assemble this? The torch head didn't come with any diagrams, spare parts or fittings but I did some blowing and figured out 3 is for argon while 1 and 2 are for water.
I only have a plain ground lead and separate hoses, is it possible to attach or solder a lug somewhere and clamp the hoses with wire?
Multimeter shows continuity between all 3 pipes except the circles part.
Also, I don't have the dedicated water cooler, I'll use a submersible pump and a bucket

>>2771712
The cutter is sort of midrange, but the cut quality is due to smooth, fluid movements (as he explains in the video) and using cut templates (as also explained in the video).

>>2771766
You can use hose clamps for 2/3. For 1, I'd get a female coupling and a male hose barb. A ground lug can be soldered to the coupling. If you want to use a standard handle, this will have to be very slim.

>>2771766
use a coaxial wire like god intended

>>2771776
Well they ain't working for me. The tip keeps sticking to the metal when it gets hot. His torch has a more conical tip compared to my cylindrical tip, I thought that might have something to do with it

>>2771784
It can fit inside a thin handle without issue, I tried it, I can even make a lug out of drilled and bent copper plate but the main problem is the thread, I couldn't find a barb adapter with a coupling this small anywhere I looked.
The only other way would be using a tap on a bigger one or clamping a hose to that part as well and soldering the cable directly to pipes

>>2771792
>>2771795
Another thing I don't get is why the connections and cables you're supposed to use with 20 style torches are so small, it being water cooled means it should handle up to 250 amps which would destroy thin gauge cable

>>2771804
remember that you're water cooling the cable as well as the torch.

>>2771812
I guess the heat dissipates from the entire cable since the connection is cooled rapidly and copper is a good heat conductor. Does the flow orientation matter? I think I'm supposed to pump the cold water through the shorter pipe that's got electrical contact

>>2771793
Don't think so. I have one of these. My original question was how to drag cut with a cheap plasma cutter. I thought maybe there is a standard size of torch heads and / or drag tips

i may be a welder, but at least i have alzheimers

I keep fucking up on the vertical v-groove test.<br>As soon as I restart in the middle, I loose control of the puddle and everything goes sideways.

>>2771879
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2235945530<wbr>71
You can also make it at home

>>2768362
Literally skill issue
Start with wider diameter pipe small pipe is harder to roll on

Any tips on passing AWS certification? I'm not sure what to memorize for the closed book portion.

>>2771818
>Does the flow orientation matter?
Yes. The cold water keeps the electrical path cold, which minimizes resistance, which minimizes additional heat deposited in the conductor.

>>2771879
>I thought maybe there is a standard size of torch heads and / or drag tips
These all vary by brand, with some brands having multiple lines of consumables for different purposes. Unless you have one made specifically to work with another company's consumables, you'd need to see what the manufacturer offers.

>>2771989
I think you're right, I'll have to DIY something. The roller spacers don't work so well though, I've had best results with templates cut out of 12mm fiberboard.

>>2772016
Place a hose clamp around the cup and lean it against angle iron if you're cutting straight lines, that's how they cut with acetylene torches

>>2772010
Alright, that makes sense, I have to create an electrical connection on the threaded part and find a way to secure a hose to it. I tried using a wire but it didn't work well, plus I'm out of ideas on how to connect a lug securely. No luck with the fitting and adapter, nobody has something this small

>>2772103
it's time to swallow your pride and buy the off-the-shelf parts.

>>2772188
I'd do it if any was available near me, I don't have a dedicated water cooler anyway so this is bound to be a frankenstein whichever way you turn it
I'll use the 26 torch I got with my machine, it's not bad quality but I'll learn to hate it quickly

>>2772223
Use a pressure washer adapter, it's got a female imperial thread, slide the hose over the slick part and clamp it down

Both dinse 35-50 connectors but one is shorter, does this cause any issues?

>>2772257
the peg engages a spiral groove in the socket, so if it locks in when you turn it, it's good enough.
but man, the chinese will cut *every* corner.

Which AC balance are you all using? I'm testing a new tig machine and everything works perfectly until I start doing anything with AC, the controls are analog and the balance wheel goes from 1 to 10 which is the percentage I guess and the area between 40 and 50% percent is factory marked as recommended.
I seem to remember everyone saying keep the balance at 25-30% on the positive, but I've tried all ranges and haven't seen much difference with the cleaning action, tungsten just gets dull like you'd expect but doesn't disintegrate wherever I set the balance. Gas lens do help but I won't always have them available and I've seen people work without them no issue.
This is probably my fault as I'm new to alooominum welding and the machine has no issues otherwise

>>2772801
i've never turned it down from maximum cleaning action. i wish there was a setting above maximum.
instead of a dial it should be a switch with two positions: fuck and FUCK.

>>2772803
Kek, I learned tig from youtube and everyone I watched said if you use too much of a positive cycle the electrode with explode. It didn't happen to me, no balling either the needle just gets dull and starts looking like a used pencil tip.
I do see the oxide being broken up and puddle starts looking like a mirror so the function does work, just not as consistently

>>2772804
Also, does anyone even use green tungsten now? I have a few electrodes but I've seen mixed opinions, some say don't use it on inverter welders while charts classify it as perfect for AC

>>2772801
A higher electrode negative balance puts more heat on the metal, while a higher positive balance scrubs oxide better. The optimal balance depends on how much cleaning the metal needs, with only that much positive. In my experience, cleaning can get sketchy below 30% positive or so on cleaned mill 6000 series aluminum. Duty cycle drops fast with more electrode positive balance, especially with air-cooled torches. I generally set it at 70% negative and tune from there if needed.

>>2772804
>if you use too much of a positive cycle the electrode with explode
Electrode positive current puts most of its heat on the electrode, which severely reduces the duty cycle a given size of electrode can handle. Rather than exploding, it generally melts the tip into a ball that makes it hard to control the arc well.

>>2772805
Green (pure) tungsten has a higher melting point than the various doped options, which lets it run hotter and handle more electrode positive current. But it's nicer to use a larger, sharper electrode that's not on the edge of melting, and other formulations handle lower operating temperatures better. They're still usable for AC, but others are better these days.

>>2772826
Alright, thanks for the explanation. I have a ton of gold electrodes 1.5% lanthanum I think so I'll try with them, I've done some digging and apparently the green tungsten is made for sinewaves on old machines, not inverters we have today which output squarewave voltage. Mine is the latter and the manual says the 1-10 scale is the % of positive cycle so I'll keep it around number #3.
Am I wrong about the amperage? Some recommend higher current than what is used on steel but it destroys the piece quickly in my case so I kept it at 30 amps per millimeter.

>>2772845
>Am I wrong about the amperage?
Aluminum conducts heat about 4x as fast as carbon steel (you need more heat input to maintain a puddle), but its melting point is about half as hot, and its heat capacity is about a third lower than steel of equal size (it takes a lot less energy input to melt). So it depends, and is generally more finicky. On large pieces, the increased thermal conduction dominates until you get to an edge, so you need higher amps than an otherwise similar weld on steel. On pieces small enough to entirely heat up, you get massive preheating, and the additional energy needed for the weld puddle can be a lot smaller. It's useful to have a foot pedal or other variable current control, since it lets you set a high current for starting out, and cut it down once the metal gets hot. It's especially useful for reducing cratering at the end of a weld.

>>2772860
That makes a lot of sense, the parts I practiced on were small so they got fried quickly, I didn't use a lot of filler so it didn't even cool the puddle. I have euro torch with a trigger so no foot pedal but I plan on making one at home, will probably ask around here regarding the potentiometer values when I get to it.
Thanks a lot

Can you plug the hole of a valve in an air cooled torch neck? I have a 17V torch I used when I only had scratch start but now I have a big boy machine and don't want to throw the torch out, the valve is annoying and in the way

What's the cheapest decent 120v MiG welder?<br>I don't intend to use anything but fluxcore

>>2773196
https://youtu.be/zUHyZhYOOKU?featur<wbr>e=shared
His tests are also about penetration and stuff like that which is mostly due to user error

>>2773280
>arc/wirefeed stability and limited parameter ranges do not affect "penetration and stuff like that"

>>2773183
just buy a non valved torch head if it bothers you that much. decent knockoffs are under $20

I have a tig setup
Trying to get back into it after a couple year hiatus
What are some neat art projects or gifts I could make?

>>2763067
Can I use SMAW rods for oxy fuel welding? Presumably by smashing the flux off first, though I wonder if it would make a difference.

Gotta weld some thin shit and don't want to make a run into town just for some rg45 rod. Also, curious if anyone's tried it.

I just got into learning tig and it's way way easier than what people say, yeah I contaminate my electrode sometimes but it's not a big deal
> can see everything, no sparks or smoke
> full control, can add wire if I want and decide how much
> all welds penetrate
> even the worst welds look nice
Tig is the shit
I saw some extensions for sale in a shop near me, gas lens, do they make a difference or save gas? Are they worth buying? Because they're bigger than normal cups and cost more

>>2774132
>gas lens, do they make a difference or save gas?
They give better gas coverage. You can turn the gas flow down for similar coverage, or use a higher flow to do things you can't with a normal cup, like using an extremely long electrode stickout to get into an awkward place.

>Are they worth buying?
Yes, if you regularly weld and/or have situations that need improved gas coverage. They are also more prone to damage (they do last a while, but it does happen), so you should keep a spare handy.

>>2774153
Thanks, I saw welders on yt shilling them for stainless but I didn't see the point since you can wire brush and grind oxidation after you're done

>>2774132
you can reduce the flow a bit on bigger cups and still get coverage. i don't think a #12 cup could even work without a gas lens.
most of the time you're gonna be using more like a #6 which isn't really flowing much, so you only get the side benefits.
the normal gas lens #6 lets you stick the tungsten out a bit more.
the "stubby" gas lens #6 is a very short cup that still gives ok gas coverage.

in this video they blow smoke instead of argon
https://youtu.be/Zy7YZHbUt3I?t=187

>>2774161
I used only normal cups 4, 5, 6 and 7 and didn't find a need for anything other than 4. 7 just looks better on the torch kek.
I've also noticed as far as steel that I can get away with using way less argon that is recommended 1 or 2 liters per minute with 4 seconds post flow covers everything and keeps it clean. Overhead would probably get screwed up though

I'm going to make a small fixture table out of laser cut 5mm sheet and am planning to use holes smaller than the ones that are standard, the reason why is because I think 16mm holes will weaken the material too much and pins that large could warp it. Is it a good idea to set 8mm holes at around 4 inch spacing and use allen head bolts as fixture pins? They're big enough to handle force but cheap and you can buy tons of them. If I need to secure something bigger I can use the same bolts to screw in heavy angle iron to the table. <br>Doing this could cut down the costs since this will be a small table for a home garage.

Second year apprentice in AB. 2 weeks into doing stick at school

>>2774204
>out of laser cut 5mm sheet
Fixture tables use much thicker material and/or structural bracing to provide stiffness. Unreinforced 5mm can be used to hold something in place, but it won't hold a weldment flat/square as it's welded. Most fixture tables use larger and closer holes than what you're proposing to allow more flexibility, but you're free to do other things if you prefer.

>>2774299
I plan on making ribs for it on the underside with the side plates and all that if it makes any difference. I know fixture tables are really thick but mine will be 1/4 or 1/5 of their size

>>2774311
>if it makes any difference
Well yes. It would provide vastly more stiffness than the 5mm sheet without any holes at all. Why are you worried about hole size at all?

>>2774569
> Why are you worried about hole size at all?
Well for this thing to be functional you'd need a good amount of holes, 2 inch spacing between them for example. If the holes were big like on pro tables it would get dense for thinner steel and essentially turn it into a fence net

>>2774576
Do you know how to calculate the stiffness/strength of a structure?

>>2774592
No, I'm too dumb for that so I eyeball things mostly

>>2774604
You could have 1" holes on 2" spacing, and it wouldn't matter enough to care about so long as the bracing is suitable. Depth gives strength and stiffness much more efficiently than using smaller holes in a slab. Do you imagine that the "pro tables" are floppy?

>>2774628
Alright so the most important thing are the side plates and ribs under the table top, small welds and clamping the shit out of it before doing anything?

>>2774632
>the most important thing
Is to have proper bracing. See pic related for an example (the underside of a Certiflat table). It needs to resist bending in all directions, which takes something like a box structure.

>small welds and clamping the shit out of it before doing anything?
Better to have the parts snap securely together without welding (held together with clamps/bolts), and set up so that the structural welds will not cause it to distort, as e.g. the Certiflat there does.

>>2774635
Ok yeah that makes sense, the full plates in the corners give it a lot of rigidity, I'll make something in cad and post it here, thanks a lot

>>2774649
>the full plates in the corners give it a lot of rigidity
They're also where the legs attach.

Is there a reason not to use oxygen hose for agron if it's washed from the inside and not cracked? The hoses they give out with machines are too short unless you keep your cylinder next to the welder. I don't want to mess up my solenoid valve and have a dusty hose laying around

>>2774997
No problem, used oxygen lines and regulators with a special adapter to purge 12 in stainless pipe from a liquid argon tank

>>2774997
i've always used an oxy regulator for my argon because i'm too cheap to buy an argon regulator AND too cheap refill my oxygen.
instead of the oxy hose i use 50ft of 1/8 nylon pipe with pushfit adaptors (b/c cheap) and it works ok. the unused length coils up to practically nothing and i leave it hanging on the bottle.

>>2775033
The rubber doesn't shed from inside? I got 1m (3 feet?) of braided transparent hose with my machine and that's too short to be useful with my dumb shop layout
>>2775057
I've got a real regulator, I was just worried about running a "wrong" hose from it to the back of the welder. As far as torches are concerned I've used everything lol I've even had ideas of making a fake CK flex cable out of garden hose and ground wire

>>2775064
you're thinking it. i bought a case of western enterprises 5/8 inert gas to npt adapters and put compressed air quick connects on all my welders so i can just use any air hose laying around. i've had 150 ft of chinkshit garbage freight hose strung out running dual shield until the regulator froze up and it didn't make a bit of difference. same for tig welding stainless. leave the cylinder in my pickup and drag hose way back in a building so i didn't have to lug the tank around. no issue

>>2774997

The entire point of argon is that it doesn't react with anything under pretty much any circumstance. You can use any hose you can find and it wouldn't be a problem, as long as it was rated for the pressure.

But if anyone does like >>2775104 did, keep in mind that compressed air connectors can be kind of shitty. There's no hazard using them, it's just that the cheaper ones, especially, tend to leak a bit. Considering a 300CF fill of argon is like $70 now, using crap fittings could end up costing you more than they saved in the first place.

>>2775112
I use an extension hose which I hang on my cylinder and it's got a quick disconnect from a compressor, it's made out of rubber oxy hose, works no problem. Never busted a solenoid in a machine, some people told me they handle moisture well and most of it evaporates from the heat of the machine or gets blown out by pressurized argon.
If it's something to worry about, I'd just run a burst of argon on the highest setting through the empty hose before plugging it into the rig

>>2775112
>quality couplers
absolutely. i run euro high flow cejn 320 series
>>2775144
if you run long hoses, you want smith surge protectors on the machine end. they have a small orifice to keep from getting that hard start puff from the hose acting like a balloon. you can make your own. .026" hole for 20cfh, .032" for 30 cfh, .037" for 40 cfh @ 30psi

>>2775161
Mine is 15 feet + 6 feet of what I got with my machine, it's just in case I need to move the machine closer to something I work on which is rarely

>>2774219
Has anyone got the harbor freight Chicago electric 80 amp welder?
If so, does it output accurate amps?

Alright guys I need some help, recently I've got my hands on a Chinese Jasic tig and the machine kicks ass, the only thing I hate is the giant torch I got with it so I'm planning to use my old 17 with a foot pedal which I'm going to DIY as well, the reason being is that they're more expensive than they're worth here where I live and importing things takes too long and the customs rape your wallet if they feel like it.
I've ordered the replacement 9 pin plug which I need regardless and the foot controller is going to be a junk guitar or sewing machine pedal.
Which potentiometer value do tig welders use, is it universal? I can't find any useful information but here's the model of my machine https://www.jasic.co.uk/tig202a-ana<wbr>log-inverter

>>2775321
typically put ground on one end, +5v on the other end and read a voltage between 0 and 5 from the wiper, so they don't care about the actual resistance of the pot.
then just a momentary switch for on/off.

>>2775342
You sure about that? I've read the forums and they say millers and lincolns use different ohm values for example

>>2775345
i don't have time to teach you basic electronics.

>>2775386
So, theoretically, I can just steal a foot controller from a sewing machine and plug it into the pins?

I've had another idea, what about using an accelerator pedal from any car? They have potentiometers and a micro switch inside them

>>2775452
they are 5v reference, you give it 5v and ground, you receive 0.2v-4.5v linearly as you press the pedal
Some really early ones might be 12v, maybe on bmw

>>2775454
Ok got it, this sounds it could work and I hopefully won't blow up the machine.
On/off wires can be found with continuity on a multimeter and the remaining 3 should be 5, 0 and wiper

>>2775469
it actually should be two complete separate sensors, so ???, 5va, "wiper"a, 5vb, "wiper"b, gnd
the wipers are inverted too and the differential signal is used by the car ecu to verify proper function of the pedal, obviously improper function could be dangerous so its redundant.

>>2775503
This is all I have regarding the wiring, I've managed to make an on/off switch on pins 1 and 2 using an arduino button thingy and it didn't get fried yet

>>2775525
Ok so an automotive pedal won't work then

HELP! How do you do uphill mig? I was doing fine in tig and stick and now I just feel like a dumb migger.

>>2775861
your going the wrong way, you want to do downhill since there's no slag to be trapped.
try using a weave if it helps, decrease voltage and wfs by a tad if its still globby so you can deposit slower, uphill tends to make a mess with mig.

I have to do FCAW 3G which is a major pain in the ass (easy to get porosity if you're not at the right distance and since its already angled you naturally fuck up the angle when going upward)

>>2775877
I'm in a welding class, the assignment specifically says 3F Vertical Up beads on 3/16" plates. I offered the instructor a blowjob in lieu of a lab submission, but he said I'm too ugly to get him hard and the only way he can cum is if I piss on him and that's kind of weird. Man, I'm in over my head here, I really need help.

>>2775877
FCAW S or G? For duel shield 3G I had to keep reminding myself to move the nozzle closer as I went up because your arms naturally pull away as you go up. If you keep that in mind porosity isn't a problem. Then for FCAW-S its just a bitch. You need to take your time with, you get a feel for it eventually.

How the hell do people eve work with these shit torches?
> Trigger too far away might as well put it on the bottom of the handle
> Shit dexterity, handle too wide to be held in any way except like a mig gun, still not as sturdy as plain slim handles
> Cable too stiff as if you're wrestling a fire hose, can't wrap it around your arm
Homemade or valve neck torches with a lamp switch taped to them are unironically better

>>2776199
It’s FCAW dual shield yeah.
Pretty sure the gas is just 75% Argon 25% CO2

But I still hate my welding teacher, always whined about “nooo your heckin attitude why won’t you smile and be my frickin frienderino!!”

He’s threatened me twice or three times at this point with kicking me out of his class. Keeps making us rush our coupons too by not giving enough time to do prep, practice, etc
Only get about 1-2 hours a day to be in the shop anyway so

>>2776422
go to the gender clinic and tell them you want to become a man

>>2776426
We are supposed to have stiff cables in our pants, not hands

>>2763067
ive seen all those slo mo youtube shorts of welding, and finally saw one without any glare and the guy is moving the tip back and forth between the materials with extreme dexterity, am i supposed to be doing this? im just using a gasless flux core on farm equipment

Why is there so much smaw videos on yt where they place series of bad tack welds instead of a bead? It's annoying to watch and I'm willing to bet money they're not structurally sound

>>2763067
I'm gonna weld some cast iron with nickel 55 rods, is there anything i need to worry about other than preheating and cooling slowly? I don't weld with stick much but there aren't any good mig options for cast iron and i don't care for brazing big parts.

It's a wood stove if it matters, I'm gonna fire it up good and hot and wrap a fiberglass blanket around it and let it burn itself out when I'm done.

>>2777990
run short 1" beads and peen the shit out of them as they cool. wait a few minutes between welding. cast is always 50/50 whether it holds without the dreaded tink crack sound as it cools

>>2776425
You'll get dual shield soon enough. Wirefeed isn't too bad once you learn how to position yourself and that takes some practice.

As for your teacher that sucks. I got along great with my teacher, we talked about how 9/11 was impossible just as much as we talked about welding. But its just school you're there to learn, gtfo and start making money as soon as possible.

>>2776830
You'll be fine running a straight enough bead as long as you're not getting porosity. But for it to be a good weld not just a good enough one weaving would help that.
>>2777778
Nearly every weld you'll ever see when you know how to weld will look like shit.

>>2763067
is it worth it? or is brushless a meme and I should just buy a brushed makita/ non hpt metabo variable grinder.

>>2777990
Do you have a needle scaler? They work great at relieving the stresses from distortion

>>2778268
>metabo HPT
Stick with Makita or real Metabo 5 inch corded grinders. They're the standard among pipe welders for a reason. And brushless corded grinders are a meme, there's no reason for a corded tool to be brushless.

>>2778268
brushless does give nice speed control, might be worth if this is primarily for a wire wheel.

>>2778268
I would get one with a trigger and not an on/off switch.

>>2766201
Barring that, how would I go about spoofing a company to order from them?

Advanced Tig noob here
The machine I'm using has a pulse option, but it doesn't have a duty cycle setting so all I get is 50% main 50% background at whatever frequency I set
How do I make this work im my favour? It's not a must, I like the regular straight current but having a pulser is neat

>>2776422
No respectable welder uses those shit torches that come with the welder although I know guys who prefer thicker handles for walking the cup on pipe.

>>2780650
another non glamorous job. fire pit for a regular customer's wife's birthday on super short notice. he provided the old pressure tank. had to scounge some mesh off a dead john deere combine in the scrap boneyard for the spark screen lid. delivered with a 12 hrs to spare and he was happy. little bullshit jobs line this keep the wheels greased and the good work coming

>>2780805
Nice work anon
Bullshit jobs are the best, they pay well and don't take a lot of time and your friends will tell everyone you're the go to guy

I burnt my tit with filler rod and all my welds sucked ass today. My holes need punishment.

>>2777990
>good mig options for cast iron

Crown Alloys Royal 44-30 wire worked great for my machinery repair machinistbros who fix ancient cast equipment for the local sausage company (tho after a gear box full of maggots they now require steam cleaning before they touch the parts). I heard about it from aametalmasters posts on weldingweb and Shop Floor Talk where he welded parts like nasty exhaust manifolds without removing them from the engine.

My bros welded test coupons and beat the shit out of them with a sledge to test. They adopted the wire several years ago. I have a roll but haven't gotten around to breaking some test fins on the junk cylinders I scored for practice (I wrench old HDs and Triumphs).
It needs argon shielding gas.

>>2778268
what is the fucking difference. i have a 15 dollar HF one and ive never looked back...

I am a poor fag and my only welding option atm is acetylene... i am starting to get the hang of it but its an art form to get it to look pretty.

>>2781448
nigga you can get an inverter for price of a single acetylene tank refill

>>2781443
Jesus, that shit's like $150 for a #2 roll. You could buy #5 of nickel 99 for that price and still have enough left over for a case of beer.

>>2781448
If you were a real poorfag, you'd use a chinese shockbox with 6013s

>>2764100
Lower your amps to 45ish and don't use your wrist or elbow but use your whole arm. Put the rod into the keyhole ever so lightly. If done right, the slag won't be a problem.

I've got really good at 6G Tig in school, root and fill no issues but I usually mess up my cap pass when walking, which is preventing me from getting a cert.
Sometimes it's not consistent, sometimes I get undercut, both because I'm too dumb to get the body position right.
We're using small pipes (o.d. is cca 50mm) and are allowed to move them up or down on the stand without rotating.
Any advice?

>>2782982
Forgot to mention this
I didn't take pictures but you can immediately tell which part was the underside when I do it.
From around 4 or 5 o'clock to 8 is when the torch doesn't really cooperate, probably because I hold it backwards in the overhead position.
The rest of the cap pass looks sorta nice without mistakes.

>>2785007
Thanks for the bump. Nice track torch

>>2785049
it was new, but i snagged it at an auction for like $200. it's rack and pinion so it'll cut vertically, but the cut quality is dogshit compared to an airco beetle. you can see the gear teeth finely pantagraphed in the cut as it rattles along

>>2782982
wait for the pipe to cool before doing the cap. Thats the most important thing. Welding over hot metal is a great way to get a bunch of undercut.
Also wire brush the weld before you do your cap.
If youre good enough to root a 2 inch pipe properly then you can for sure put a nice cap on it, it just takes practise to weld out of position. I usually freehand anything thats in position and walk the cup when i have plenty of space and can roll the pipe around.

>>2785378
Wait, are there guys here who don't clean between each bead?
Man, my job would literally fire me if I didn't hit every single bead with at LEAST a wire brush. Normally it's needlegun and rotary wire brush for everything that's not TIG.

>>2785696
Im talking about Tig. Obviously you need to clean the slag off before welding over it but its also good to wire brush any oxidation off when TIG welding.

>>2785696
I went to a welding school and there were some real retarded mexicans who couldn't grasp the concept of completely removing slag or slag inclusion.

What's the best amperage when welding 16 gauge / 1.6 mm stainless steel. Fusion TIG welding without filler. My welds keep looking bad.

>>2786501
my crystal ball says your problem isn't amps, it's bad fitup making your weld wobbly and gaptoothed, and no backing gas making the back side sugary and grey.

>>2786507
the fitup is good and I can't use backing gas. Either the welds fuses well and looks good but the back side sugars up, or the weld doesn't fuse well but at least the back side doesn't fuse up. Doing T corner welds at 54 amps.

I want to make a folding welding table. I have knock off workmate I pulled off the side of the road that was broken, but I pulled the jaws on it and got a useable folding base. I was going to use it as a folding table using a piece of ply on top, but I bought some plastic folding event tables.<br>I don't know how big it should be, maybe like 2x3 foot or a bit smaller. Where would I find 1/4 plate without being raped and it costing as much as the actual hf folding bench? https://www.harborfreight.com/adjus<wbr>table-steel-welding-table-61369.htm<wbr>l

>>2786842
>Where would I find 1/4 plate without being raped and it costing as much as the actual hf folding bench?
24x36x.250 == 61 lbs
the current price for steel from my supplier is around $2/lb for full sheets. you might get lucky at a scrap yard but most around me want $1-1.25/lb for wrinkly, rusty sheet that's often some shitalloy wear plate that's harder than a whore's heart, so you can't drill it.
buy the garbage freight table, then watch cl, facefuck, and auctions until a deal on a something pops up

>>2786501
35-40 amps if you want a direct answer and assuming you're new to it. Otherwise you're always better off running stainless on slightly higher amperage and faster travel speed to outrun the haz and oxidation.
Sugaring will always happen on penetrative welds if you don't purge. This can be easily remedied by grinding the backside after the weld or just use borax or 308L flux to shield the backside if gas isn't possible to use

I need to fix a really bad mig weld that leaks on a few spots. Can I use Tig to wash over this? Grinding it down increases the chance of screwing everything up so I thought about washing over it but need some guidance. <br>And yeah of course I'll clean everything up before doing anything

>>2787201
looks like an old 2-stroke expansion chamber, so absolutely fucking not.
just let it leak until you've saved up $50 for a new one.

>>2787201
Normally, putting a cover over leaky garbage just results in slowly leaking garbage with a temporary respite. To really fix a problem, it has to come completely out and then get replaced by good weld. If it's an old piece of shit machine that's not going to last much longer anyway, then go for it. It's just not going to work for long.

>>2787210
I wouldn't be attempting to fix it if I could find a new one, trust me
>>2787232
So grind it completely off and weld in sections? I'm trying to avoid fabricating an entire new segment because I'm sure I'd fuck something up

>>2787404
Maybe not completely off if you know where the leaks are. If you can find the fault line, just opening that up enough to get a good amount of fusion between the two parts is enough. Basically your actual weld doesn't penetrate very deeply, so if you can create the conditions to weld deep by actually starting further into the metal, it'll be a much stronger weld. Plus if the fault is still underneath, it'll keep exerting pressure against your shallow cap until it breaks through again.

>>2787421
I ground it relatively flat and can identify only one leak point and I was sure there was more of them, looks like I'll need to do a cap pass on the entire length

is muriatic acid good to strip millscale before welding?

>>2789155
Yes but I wouldn't fuck with it, if you're not in a hurry use vinegar it's gonna do the same job

let's keep bumping this so it reaches 300 and we don't have to see OP's face any more

How do you deal with an asshole coworker?
>I am sorta moving up and working more with the engineering team
>still hourly but I no longer report to the floor supervisor
>he still handles my pay roll
>stay late Friday trying to finish a project
>don't finish, so I show up an hour early today because I want to get it moved out of the way of the other welders so they can use the space, it isn't normal production work
>he tells me I shouldn't be showing up early
>he says everyone there has been asking for over time but he's been told not to give it to anyone
>tells me I'm going to start offending others
>just tell him I understand
Should I have told him fucking get over it or am I over reacting? It's constant with this guy. Later that day I went to look at a station to see what we had set up there and I guess he was watching on the cameras because he finds me and tells me I don't need to be messing with stations. I'm about to take a prybar to his head if the boss doesnt get him to fuck off

>>2790362
he sounds like average midwit middle management material. he lives to hassle people and act like he's important. odds are you won't win. hope he jumps ship for more money elsewhere or you do the same
remember, no good deed goes unpunished and the only reward for a job well done is more work

i have an old penske truck, it has 3" box hitch welded to the frame instead of a receiver, its a 2" ball welded to the hitch and its too low for my trailer

is a HF Titanium 125 flux core going to have the penetration to put a 2" receiver in place without my welds breaking going 65 down the hwy with 5k behind me

>>2790629
The classic combination for hobby use is a little wire welder for sheet metal and a transformer stick machine (AC is fine) with 6011 cellulosic rods. You do need to practice (not on your workpiece, that's the usual mistake) and destructively test samples so you know you can repeatably make sound welds. Most new welders fail to practice and fail to ensure clean metal (flap disc on an angle grinder does nicely).

If not sure you can cut and fit the new parts then use the wire welder to tack them and take the result to someone who can properly finish the job. Most time spend is cutting and fitting, not welding so even if you had to pay that saves a bunch.

>>2790362
Yeah I think this Friday is my last day, otherwise it's next Friday.
>yesterday he comes and finds me in the shop
>he has the CEOs assistant with him
>he tears into for adding a part to the system wrong
>he tears into me for not telling him the order went through and needs to be added to production
>he tears into me for not telling him we already have material for the part, because he was about to order some more. Even though it's his job to check
>argue with him that I didn't do either of those things and how was I supposed to know he just orders material without checking to see if we have some stocked
>tell him the CEO put the part into the system because I was in training the day it was added
>he eventually fucks off
>the CEOs assistant apologizes to me and says she was the one who processed the order and forgot to tell him
>I tell her not to apologize, that's just how he is. Then walked off without going into more detail since I really don't trust her
>a few minutes later he comes out to apologize to me
>he asks if I felt like I was being accused
>when I tell him yes he tells me to explain why I thought he was accusing me
>I just "yeah" my way though the conversation so he fucks off
>CEOs assistant smiles at me later because she probably thinks she helped me by getting him to apologize
>later that day I make a little mistake in the shop
>told him about it when I shouldn't have
>he tells me "why don't you go back into the office, we want you somewhere that you might perform better so you can succeed"
>the decision to get me involved in office work was not up to him
>no one even bothered to tell him I was no longer in production, he yelled at me for coming in an hour late after I was switched to office hours
>tell him I want to stay involved in production
>he says we can go talk to the CEO and see what he wants
>tell him no
I just can't do this anymore. I applied for a production position at another place.

>>2791479
godspeed anon. hope you get on at the new gig and it doesn't suck as bad

>>2791581
Nvm. The head of the engineering department actually heard the tantrum this guy was throwing and went straight to the plant manager then the CEOs assistant about it to defend me, making it clear to them the mistake I made wasn't a big deal at all. The engineer and PM I guess have noticed how he talks to me for a while but never said anything to me until now. I am sure this guy will keep trying to pin mistakes on me but I'm a lot happier today than I was yesterday

>>2791678
Nvm. I'm just gonna walk out next Friday. Thanks for reading my vent posts

>>2791958
anon, sounds like you need a vacation at the least

>>2763166
I own things that have been sold in shops with worse welds on than that.
>>2776172
3 eyed wall toad. common in industry/construction. they have evolved beyond the need of water or moist environments, due to their adaption to consume blood.

>>2778646

Can't you just make up a company name and list yourself as the owner? I don't think they actually ask for any company documentation.

only 48 more post until this thread is dead

>>2792197
for me it's nr212 smoke that hits the right spot
there's no better way to start your day than black coffee, cowboy killers, and the smell of 5p red rod burning

>>2763067
just got my car back from getting lowered
does this look ok?

>>2792198
the bumping of the wannabe tin man will continue until the welding content improves

>>2794102
Those three bolts hold the shock to the newly welded frame, one of the bolts isn't even threaded on all the way. Would recommend you tighten that down, use some blue loctite and check the torque but otherwise it's probably fine, assuming the welder did his job right.

>>2763067
happiness is a new pair of welpers

Sounds like I'll be making a security gate like picrel, frames are a nightmare since I'm a garage warrior without a fixture table. <br>Got any advice on how to make this sucker efficiently and keep it square?

>>2796248
square is easy enough with a tape measure, and a concrete floor is flat enough. when it goes into the hot dip galv it'll twist it up like a pretzel no matter what you do.

>>2796270
It's gonna get painted but that's not my worry

>>2796248
If you can't tack it down to a table (that can't bend, clamping it to a bendy table won't help), then using temporary attachments might help. Tack it all together and then weld a few scrap bars across it to prevent pulling. Cut them off afterwards.
You can also try to control your heat input by not slamming it super hot on one side. Alternate locations and sides so that everything is locked in before anything is finished. Maybe get some tempsticks/thermo crayons and don't weld if the temp is above 300 f.

>>2796449
Oh, and don't put the crayon directly on the weld location. That shit causes porosity. Use them 1-3 inches away.

>>2796451
You'd think that would be obvious, but knowing some of the welders I know... Also don't eat it. It might look tasty to some of you, but I promise it's not and it's probably very unhealthy. Stick to Crayola.

>>2796449
Ok thanks, I might use the excess bars clamp it flat diagonally
I don't have a mig so this is gonna be 6013 only

>>2763067
can i get some intel of OP pic?

I've come into posession of an old Millermatic 35, 70's model. I have an old, most definitely out of date large 100% argon bottle.

Where the fuck do I go to get this thing refilled/exchanged? The obvious answer is a welding supply place, but will they take this old bottle? I really dont want to go to airgas.

>>2797129
provided it doesn't have some company's name stamped in the metal or on the neck ring marking it as a rental, most places will swap it for a full cylinder and maybe charge $10-30 for a hydro test. rumor has it you can buff off a stamed name and repaint the bottle to remove the rental information if needed. also make the guy at the store look at it in the bed of your pickup and agree to swap it before giving them possession. shitbag gas dealers will take the cylinder, then make some bullshit up and refuse to give it back to you
t. owns about 25 gas cylinders

>>2765479
>migger, tha jew of welding
/pol/tards learn to weld

>>2797156
Yeah, I called a LWS like my retarded ass should have to begin with, and they told me $50 recert, and $50 to swap for a new cylinder because I own it. lot cheaper than I thought it would be honestly.

>>2797172
don't get straight argon if you're going to be welding steel. you want 75% argon 25% co2. they should swap for a bottle of whatever you want

>>2797181
I intend on welding aluminum with it and all of the consequences that come with that. I only need to weld a few small cracks in my aluminum boat, so I think it will be fine.

>>2765080
Not that anon but I have a feeling that's gonna be what's wrong with my welder.

>>2768083
Used 140a mig machine for 150-300
argon bottle i think was 150-200
hood, wire, clamps/whelpers, tip dip, tips etc, 100-150. Assuming you have die grinders, angle grinders, etc.
It's not that expensive. No, it's not retard proof but the fundamentals aren't that complicated and will make the rest much easier to learn intuitively.
I don't think it takes even 30 hours to do serviceable mig work if you're really putting in effort.
All it comes down to is reading the puddle and getting pace down. With mig you have a lot of sound cues that help. Once you lay a few decent beads you'll have a frame of reference to make adjustments from, then it gets easier

>>2768083
>>2797221
damn I'm retarded i didn't see you said aluminum/stainless. You'll want to get into Tig i guess, it is a lot harder than mig. You're pretty intimate with the weld.
You can weld stainless with mig if it's aesthetic, you just lose corrosion resistance along the weld because of chromium migration

>>2797225
It's not that hard if you get through the theory on how it's supposed to work, people blow Tig difficulty out of proportion. Literally oxy acetylene but nicer
t. self taught, later certified tigger

I'm looking for a corded die grinder but not a lot of options are available around me, found a 400 watt makita for a really nice price. Does anyone have experience working with something in this or similar wattage? The ones that have 750 or 800 watts are too damn expensive to justify

>>2797427
I already have a pneumatic, it's not bad but my compressor is small so air tools Don get much use, that's why I thought about getting an electric one. It's more powerful than my dremel at least and I have a few carbide burrs in good condition

>>2797463
harbor freight as big air tanks that will be plenty for under $300. I know that's not what you're asking, but I figured i'd mention if you didn't know and are in the US.

I’m a 28 yo jobless ex-graphic designer replaced by cheap pajeets and AI combo.
Local employment office keep asking me if I would be ok with learning welding to get a job.
Is it a viable career choice at nearly 30yo? Can I except to be paid more than minimum wage in my mid-thirties if I start now?

>>2797464
I'm not in the US but here we have stores similar to harbor freight, and a real compressor is the next big thing I'm getting, air tools are cool

>>2797467
> nearly 30yo
27 and recently started professional tigging, I have some previous experience though, I made some junk for friends and fixed some exhausts. It's a nice career for a change since I was an office dweller before but I don't plan on doing this shit my entire life

>>2797471
Nice to know, I loathe office work too but at least it paid decently. Is it hard/long to learn if you aren’t /diy/ to start?

>>2797468
>and a real compressor is the next big thing I'm getting, air tools are cool
Based. you should. I love air tools too.

>>2797481
Which process are you going to learn? Do you have good dexterity and spatial awareness?
> Is it hard/long to learn if you aren’t /diy/ to start?
It's not if know the theory behind how it's supposed to work. It basically comes down to melting 2 pieces of metal and jamming more metal in the puddle which you need to constantly watch and this is the universal rule for every process, different metals react to heat differently but it's more of a consistency issue which is one of the main things you'll need to be good at. There's a lot of videos on jewtube and they explain it well. You can always ask here and someone will give you good advice.
A lot of people start with mig since it's the easiest one apparently but I was a poorfag so I learned on smaw, tig was surprisingly easy to learn though, you can identify mistakes immediately

>>2797503
Yeah and one more thing, you'll need to git good with grinders and saws, depending on the job, you'll use them more than you use your welding machine. Don't fuck around with them, they're powerful and dangerous, just use your brain and you'll be fine

>>2797406
i have a couple of the older milwakees. they do what they're supposed to. i'm not a dewalt guy, but their corded die grinder is cheap and gets good reviews

>>2797555
fwiw i have an old old (like 20yo) corded dewalt angle grinder and it's awesome.

>>2797503
>Which process are you going to learn?
Haven’t decided yet. Employment office want to send me to learn TIG.
Thanks, very helpful anon.

>>2797406
variable speed is the most important thing on a corded die grinder.

paddles are nice but not ergonomic. slides are ergonomic but you lose feathering the switch.

>>2797467
bait and switch bullshit.

is the literal easiest thing to teach someone to 'weld'.

as in it takes months to teach someone to be even allowed near electric, plumbing etc. vs having someone play with a welder.

If it's free take it.

Tell them you're interested in CNC machining. Very boring. But if you're on this site you're already qualified to get into it. Much easier on your body then welding.

any trade you're going to be a bitch. Welder be prepared to run a grinder and carry heavy shit all day. Machine shop be prepared to stare at a saw cutting all day. etc. You're also going to be bullied for being useless at your age. Ignore. Sooner you get into something the better.

>>2797599
Checked and good luck, don't turn down a paid tig course but don't rely only on your instructors, I'm telling you from experience because some people don't know how to transfer their knowledge to someone else, you'll get skilled as you work but GTAW is 80% tricks like positioning or torch manipulation to make your job easier.
>>2797685
> variable speed is the most important thing on a corded die grinder.
I saw cheap ones with variable speed but I never had to use it really, I just keep it at max for anything, burrs especially
> is the literal easiest thing to teach someone to 'weld'.
This, I taught my sister in 2 hours, she's good but makes mistakes with torch height like most people, the issue is that some old dudes don't want to teach newbies because they feel years of experience will go down the drain

>>2797794
>Checked and good luck, don't turn down a paid tig course but don't rely only on your instructors, I'm telling you from experience because some people don't know how to transfer their knowledge to someone else, you'll get skilled as you work but GTAW is 80% tricks like positioning or torch manipulation to make your job easier.
Can say that this is true for basically all welding. There's a lot of myths and half-truths that gets repeated while some facts are just completely left out.
For example when you're learning TIG basically the only thing you're told about grinding the tungsten is to do it lengthwise since it produces a more stable arc. The actual impact grind angle has on the arc and the puddle isn't mentioned. You're basically just expected to figure out which angle works for you and when. Even people who've worked with TIG welding for decades will say there's a difference but won't be able to articulate what that difference actually is apart from various possible explanations. But they'll still know that if they're welding a outside corner joint they get the best results if they pick a specific grinding angle, hold the torch in a specific way , have a specific arc length and use a specific size of filler wire, etc., because they've just done it a bunch of times and figured that out. If they tell someone else how they do it, the other person might struggle a lot because even a tiny difference in arc length, torch angle and deposition rate messes it up.

>>2797838
I knew that stuff from the interwebs, when I started welding school to get certs my instructor told me to grind the electrode sideways but I thought I'd look like a retard if I argued so I kept doing lengthwise even when other students did it the wrong way.
> You're basically just expected to figure out which angle works for you and when.
This applies even more to torch holding, I'm in Europe so our torches have switches and you're apparently supposed to hold the thing like a hammer which absolutely sucks for anything and you get zero precision. Another thing I learned from experience with sheet metal is that you definitely can melt the wire first then mix the blob with base metal if it's really thin, it won't fail despite what everyone says, at least for SS or mild steel

>>2797854
Yeah and I pulled the trigger and bought this 400 watt Makita for 2/3 of the price, seriously the quietest power tool I've ever used. It kicks ass, carbide burrs are accurate, work fast and don't produce as much heat, everyone should have a few of them. Abrasives can suck a dick

>>2763067
 post #300: good riddance to the tin man

new thread: >>2798197

>>2771592
If it's stupid and it works, it's not stupid. I use a shopping trolly I cut the bottom out of and welded onto the top.

>>2763067
how the fuck did you get my drivers license picture