Projects Welders look here....

@turboroadster I have been to Cut and Shoot! Nice place.

 

I'd be happy to pay ($50-75) between a 12 pack and a shops minimum 2 hr. rate.
There's competent weldors everywhere. You just need to find one.
After the cheapest route as mentioned (neighbors, local car guys), would be a welder looking to do some quick side work at your home garage or his for cash. Folks are hungry for work.
Your local Craigslist 'services' will reveal a slew of weldors offering to do side work.
Look for mobile heavy equipment mechanics. They typically are set up and qualified to do all sorts of welding in the field. I know a few that work for the local Cat. Some even take their rigs home(weekend side work). Check local sites where there's grading being done and hit those guys up. Check your local Napa, 7/11, donut shop, diesel fueling station or heavy equipment parts counter first thing in the AM and try to catch them on their way to the field. Have a couple of good photos of the job in your phone. The counter guy may even be able to recommend a local welder off their corkboard that'll do small jobs.

Advantage is the part is small enough to bring to them and have done on your tailgate.

 

Having welded for over 50 years, both professionally and not, I can tell you that if you brought it to a shop and paid over 50 bucks for that job, you'd be getting hosed.

 

I went the CL route once and that was the last time LOL What a joke that guy turned out to be. Finding a welder is not really an issue... I mainly wanted to know the going rate. All good info though and thanks for that! I found a mobile guy via YP and he should be out soon. I didn't wan to have to lift it any more than I had too! I must be getting old because it feels to weigh a ton.

 

If you see him preheat then you know you got the wright guy doing the job.

 

He did not preheat He did a decent job and came to me.

 

Ok, now let us know what he charged you, please. After all you started this.

 

He said 65 an hour two hour minimum but only charged me 100.00 I thought it was a little high but I could live with it to not have to take it somewhere.

 

I took a tube front axle to a shop about 30 years ago to get pads welded on, the guy told me 20 bucks, when I came back to get it the old fart that owned the place said $90.00 and wouldn't let me take it.

I was young and paid the $90.00, I'd be willing to bet the 4 flat tires on his shop truck cost more to replace than the $70.00 he took from me. $70.00 was a lot of money back then.

if someone brought that to me I'd weld it for $20 bucks.

 

Why do you need to preheat if its not cast iron? Just asking cause I wouldn't have heated it.

 

So you felt right engaging in criminal activity because you felt that he cheated you
My aren't you a prize.
You should be very proud

 

It will give better penetration and if you get some preheat on the other side of the axle tube from the brackets it will help control the effects of the weld from pulling the tube to the side you welded.

 

I agree with everything everybody said but this. Why not charge shop supplies? Evidently you don't need to grind, and clean the surface prior to welding. You don't need to provide your employees with proper current PPE. You don't use wire, and gas when welding. You dont have to buy consumables like mig tips, new tungsten, mig dip. Do you not acquire these cost performing the job? You do. There is two ways to pay for this. 1. with a shop supply charge 2. with an increase in the hourly rate. Charging a shop supply will be cheaper than paying a higher hourly rate ANY time. (well when matrixed and with a $ amount cap)

 

If you don't get it done close to home, PM me and I can tell you of a shop doing my build in Villa Rica, Not to far from Cumming.. They would do it while you wait if they knew you were coming out.

 

@woodhawg .. Thanks for the info... I had a guy come out early afternoon today. All set.

 

Good deal, Suggest you subscribe to the SFCC group. Good help and local. Lot of good stuff in this area.

 

I call BS. If your machine, MIG,TIG or stick is set to the correct voltage or amps it will have the proper penetration. The trick is not to weld in one area too long, skipping around to the opposite side of the previous weld until complete.
If and when your axle housing is out a little from the welding, it is easy to get it straight by using a straight edge on the housing ends and determining the longer side. Apply heat to the opposite side of the welded area on the long side. Heat the area to about the size of a dime so it is red hot in the middle and let cool slowly. remeasure and repeat until it is perfect.

 

140 a , 115 v welder is not big enough for this job.
170 a, 220 v Miller or equivalent , running .023, WFO!
Or the ol' red Linc stick welder..Remember them?

 

I think it's a prevention by preheat or correction by post heat argument.
Some people have real problems.

Preheating will never ever cause you a problem. Is it always necessary ? Probably not but there's no ill that will come of it

 

Shop supplies are part of the cost of doing business and should be figured into your normal hourly rate.

 

I ran mine a year unwelded. I had some exhaust work done and the tech welded them for nothing.