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Technical TOOLS, Top Welding Tips...

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Junkyard Dog 32, Jan 16, 2004.

  1. I was out in the shop this morning, working on a busted-up snowplow frame, and thinking about how long I've been doing this, and how easily the simple things come to me. Like the guys who rebuild Stromberg 97s in their sleep, and paint "mile deep" lacquor and flake jobs.
    So, I thought I'd jot down a few "simple" things and post 'em here. Hope you guys can get something from these.

    JOE[​IMG]



    1) GET IT CLEAN... Take off as much grease, rust and paint as you can. It makes for a cleaner, stronger weld, and reduces the amount of crap going into your lungs.

    2) CHANGE YOUR COVER PLATE... I can't tell you how many good welders don't realize how bad they weld when they can't see what they're doing. You can get away with cleaning a cover plate a few times, but it becomes scratched, and bends light, making it hard to get a focus on your weld. Saves on headaches, too.

    3) TACK EVERYTHING... In my years as a welder, I've violated this rule from time to time, and usually end up cutting things apart. Tack the entire project. Check it over for form, fit and function, THEN weld it off.

    4) LEAVE A GAP... Hold a little bit of a gap between pieces. About 1/2 the thickness of the material is my rule. This gives you a nice 100% weld and in cases of thinner material, eliminates the need for beveling.

    5) TACK IT CROOKED... Hold the piece you are tacking at a slight angle away from the side you're tacking. When the tack cools, it will pull the piece straight. Also leaving a nice gap, which as mentioned above, is a good thing.

    6) NEVER RE-HEAT A TACK... If you are about to weld something with any weight or pressure on it, after you've tacked it, start your weld someplace besides on a tack. Once that tack becomes molten again, it's not holding anything. Start your weld to where it will be cooling at it's tail before you run onto a tack.

    7) DON'T WELD TOO COLD... Many people worry about burn-through, so they turn their amperage too low. Speed is the key. Regulate your weld by where it goes and how fast, not by the amperage. In most cases, you can set your machine to weld 3/8" material and rip the knobs off.

    8) TRIGGER YOUR WELD... If you're using a wire-feed, you can weld very thin, rusty material if you trigger your welder. I like to leave my wire speed a little high, and each time I "zap", a little ball forms on the end of my wire. Before this ball is cool, I zap again. Keep hitting your own weld, and let it "build" and "flow" onto new thinner material. After you're done, you can go over the weld, again.

    9) KEEP YOUR HEAT ON THE HEAVY PIECE... If you're welding a thick peice to a thin one, concentrate your heat on the heavy piece and, either, "whip" onto the thin piece, or in cases of extreme difference, just let the weld push and penatrate into the thin one.

    10) NEVER WELD ACROSS A LOAD BEARING MEMBER... Always weld along the length, and NEVER across a stressed member. That weld becomes a breaking point. You'll see what I mean, when you come to it. The traction bar supports on the Graffiti coupe might be in violation of this rule.


    If you have more, let's hear 'em.
     
  2. Jester
    Joined: Nov 4, 2003
    Posts: 961

    Jester
    Member
    from Blevins AR

    very cool this would make a great tech post. everybody jump in
     
  3. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,263

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    11. Keep your welding wire and electrodes in a heated box to prevent moisture from getting into the flux and the formation of rust on the surfaces. A bulb in an old microwave or fridge works well.
    12. Use a copper or brass backup plate when welding thin material to soak up the heat and give the weld something to rest against.
    13. When welding close to painted or chromed surfaces. Use an antisplatter compound or simple vaseline to protect those areas.
    14. Remove the battery cables when welding on a vehicle. It just may save your electrical system.
    15. If you encounter problems with the weld not going where you intended or excessive splatter because of magnetic or polarized forces, move your ground to an opposite location or liturally wrap the ground wire around the part to be welded.
    16. Safety concerns: weld splatter can and will fly and settle in many areas. Be sure that all flamables are far away. Don't weld on or near a gas tank without either removing it or/and filling it with water.
     
  4. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    (17) Bondo is a very poor conductor of electricity.
    (18) Don't lend any more tools to the asshole who borrowed your welder and brought it back with an empty gas bottle and no wire. Make sure you retain this in your memory to your dying day.
     

  5. 19) Just because it ain't still red, don't mean it ain't still hot.
     
  6. dadseh
    Joined: May 13, 2001
    Posts: 526

    dadseh
    Member

    Dont keep welding when you get tired, it becomes so much easier the next day to finish.

    You can never have enough clamps for the job.

    when using an arc welder on thinner panels try using the 'special' terminal , (less burn throughs)

    dont eat yellow snow.

    DADSEH
     
  7. Barn Yard Chevy
    Joined: Sep 11, 2002
    Posts: 333

    Barn Yard Chevy
    Member

    24) when doing a large amount of (Arc or Mig) welding in one sitting use your gloves, long sleves, a full face shield instead of goggles or you'll get a nice sunburn on any bare skin...Trust me...
    but this is comming from a guy who's been know to wear flipflops when welding... [​IMG]

    BYC
     
  8. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,386

    Paul
    Editor

    use a double aught tip with a small neutral flame with Acc press. at 7 psi and Ox. at 10 psi,
    use 1/16" copper coated mild steel rod, get the material clean and the fit perfect before tacking anything.
    make a short tack, like about a half inch to an inch, set the torch aside and work the weld area with the hammer and dolly to get it close to where you want it to end up. cool it with a damp rag, and fine tune the area. keep your welds spread out to keep from over-heating an area.

    work slowly and plan every step.
     
  9. 53choptop
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 1,203

    53choptop
    Member

    GREAT TIPS!!

    This is more of a Common Sense tip but and as stupid as this sounds:

    if you wear contact lenses take them off, I've read and have been told (I have nurses in the family)of cases where they are not taken out and people weld with them and they melt in your eye because of accidental contact with metal and the stick/wire spark.
     
  10. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,386

    Paul
    Editor

    sometimes the best and fastest way to remove sheet metal for repairs or modification is with the cutting torch,
    keep the flame directed away from the area you are keeping and leave about an inch extra material,
    this is where most of the distortion will happen, trim the cut edge with snips to remove the distortion, rework with hammer/dolly and file for that perfect fit and weld your new material on as in my earlier post.

     
  11. SwitchBlade327
    Joined: Dec 15, 2002
    Posts: 2,911

    SwitchBlade327
    Member

    haha, the flip flop thing is hilarious, when I first started school for auto-body there was this one kid that acted like he knew everything (the teacher had been warned to keep an eye on him) and he ALWAYS wore flip flops. He was welding on a roof one day, in his flops, with jeans that were all tore up on the bottom, with no helmet on. I walked by the truck looked at him, and said "your on fire". he musta thought I was kidding cos he just kept on going until he felt his foot burning. He's been called "Flip Flop" at the shop ever since, half the people don't even know his real name.
     
  12. Smokin Joe
    Joined: Mar 19, 2002
    Posts: 3,770

    Smokin Joe
    Member

    Welding and grinding sparks will pit automotive glass coatings. Cover any nearby glass when using the welder or grinder. Nothing like finding your new windshield is trashed by all those little sparks you thought were just bouncing off it from that grinder 10 ft away.
     
  13. kustomolds
    Joined: Jan 22, 2003
    Posts: 332

    kustomolds
    Member

    BUtton yer shirt all the way up. I have a burn on my chest that looks like a third NIPPLE..... [​IMG]
     
  14. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,386

    Paul
    Editor

    when widening or narrowing or reversing rims, mount them on a spindle with a gauge set up made of heavy wire or scrap metal so as you skip weld you can turn the wheel to check for true.

     
  15. You guys are awesome. Please keep 'em coming! [​IMG]

    I've learned more real-world tech from a year on the HAMB than 20 years of magazine subscriptions and bench racing with suposedly knowledgeable friends.
     
  16. Barn Yard Chevy
    Joined: Sep 11, 2002
    Posts: 333

    Barn Yard Chevy
    Member

    Thought of another one I did to my self a while back...
    When using filler rod & gas welding, put a bend on one side of you filler rod. This is so you remember which end your using and you don't accidently pickup the Hot end after putting it down, or end up pointing the hot end at your self & burn through a flannel & two tee shirts before you give yourself a second belly button...

    BYC
     
  17. A couple more things that I realized that just have to come naturally.

    GET CLOSE... I keep my head (eyes) within a foot, or so, of the weld. Seeing what your doing is half the battle. This is especially true with TIG.

    STRIKE YOUR ARC RIGHT AWAY... You see alot of rookies flop their helmet down and get nice and comfortable, before they strike their arc. By that time, your eyes are in the dark, inside your helmet, and have also lost their focus on your weld area. Strike your arc as soon as your helmet drops. This is something nobody teaches, and I can't believe I skipped it on my first list. Try it.

    JOE[​IMG]
     
  18. lowsquire
    Joined: Feb 21, 2002
    Posts: 2,567

    lowsquire
    Member
    from Austin, TX

    dont weld in your 6" cuffed big E levis. you will burn to death.from the bottom up.
     
  19. mecutem
    Joined: Oct 6, 2002
    Posts: 603

    mecutem
    Member

    ........avoid wearing "Handy Andy" gloves and flannel shirts while welding. The flames are purty but you look stupid trying to put them out. Steve
     
  20. Yeah, that reminds me...

    If a guy catches on fire, DON'T TELL HIM...
    Just watch...
    Its funny [​IMG]


    JOE[​IMG]
     
  21. carnut68
    Joined: Dec 22, 2002
    Posts: 6

    carnut68
    Member

    Ok here's my 2 cent's, If your tig welding and have high frequency, set the high freq to start, then you won't have to scatch start, Get your tungsten by were you want to start welding flip the gas switch and there's your arc, but make sure you have your helmet down before you flip the switch or (you'll see the light). This will also eliminate burn mark's from scratch starting. [​IMG]
     
  22. [ QUOTE ]
    Ok here's my 2 cent's, If your tig welding and have high frequency, set the high freq to start, then you won't have to scatch start, Get your tungsten by were you want to start welding flip the gas switch and there's your arc, but make sure you have your helmet down before you flip the switch or (you'll see the light). This will also eliminate burn mark's from scratch starting. [​IMG]

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Cool Don.
    That Hi-Freq start is awesome when you have some tiny piece that will move if you scratch start.
     
  23. Barn Yard Chevy
    Joined: Sep 11, 2002
    Posts: 333

    Barn Yard Chevy
    Member

    [ QUOTE ]


    If a guy catches on fire, DON'T TELL HIM...
    Just watch...
    Its funny [​IMG]


    JOE[​IMG]

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Oh Yea, There is also the welding test you can do to your buddy. While he's welding slam a pipe or a big hammer on his work bench or something like it to see if he jumps...This was once demonestrated on monster garage...

    BYC
     
  24. zman
    Joined: Apr 2, 2001
    Posts: 16,730

    zman
    Member
    from Garner, NC

    [ QUOTE ]

    Oh Yea, There is also the welding test you can do to your buddy. While he's welding slam a pipe or a big hammer on his work bench or something like it to see if he jumps...This was once demonestrated on monster garage...

    BYC

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I believe that was the "NASCAR welding test" from the 1st Petty episode. And I think Jesse passed. It's a 50-50 shot as to wether someone passes or not.
     
  25. Rude Dude
    Joined: Dec 14, 2003
    Posts: 356

    Rude Dude
    Member

    Always remember to remove cigs and lighter from shirt pocket never wear nylon sneakers when welding. ouch it smarts
     
  26. timebandit
    Joined: Feb 13, 2003
    Posts: 188

    timebandit
    Member
    from Norway

    -Never weld with a wide bathing shorts.
    A buddy of mine was just ready to go to the beach when a guy popped in to have something fixed in a hurry. So he fires up the mig and welds it together. Problem was he was doing the job on the garage floor, and simply bent down to weld the thing. He earned one painfull experience gettin his balls burned.
     
  27. Nads
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 11,862

    Nads
    Member
    from Hypocrisy

    (25) Nutsacks ARE flammable.
     
  28. plmczy
    Joined: Aug 3, 2001
    Posts: 2,408

    plmczy
    Member

    What is a good shade number to use when welding? I thought I would ask this after reading the tip about getting up close to your weld. Thanks,later plmczy
     
  29. I like a 10 for normal stuff. Outside, in bright lite, I like to go darker, like a 12.




    JOE[​IMG]
     
  30. Buy a can of Anti-Spatter for the MIG cones and surrounding areas!! [​IMG]

    TEST...,
    What is the Best type of gas to use for MIG welding...,
    Stainless???
    Aluminum????
    Mild Steel??

    [​IMG] [​IMG]


     

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