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Author: Subject: Welding for the first time
sa-fabrication

posted on 2/6/12 at 08:19 AM Reply With Quote
I would never recomend gasless welding.
The gas helps form the weld, keep it clean and makes life easier.
If you need assistance im just outside hinckley in leicestershire, and I can give you some hints and tips.
Regards

Steve

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coyoteboy

posted on 2/6/12 at 11:21 AM Reply With Quote
From my own experiences:

1) Welding without gloves and sleeves is a BIG mistake. I don't sunburn easily and the last time I did a sill replacement I did it glove and sleeveless on one hand, that arm ended up red and the fingers of the ungloved hand were sore they were that burned. Spatter never seems to be an issue with me until it falls into a glove, but I'd risk that over UV burn and cancer any day.
2) Gasless - never used it but Ive seen a few who have experience of both and all of them inform me it's very hard to get a good finish, better for welding gates than cars.
3) Metal can never be too clean for welding.
4) You need a good quality welder with sufficient adjustment, many larger welders won't go <40A which can be difficult when welding 0.7mm sheet, but small ones often sacrifice on quality and make getting a neat weld very tough.

[Edited on 2/6/12 by coyoteboy]

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FuryRebuild

posted on 2/6/12 at 01:21 PM Reply With Quote
CoyoteBoy

Everything you say is totally true.

I clean everything, even if it's fresh sheet that's just been cut - the odds are very high there will still be some surface scale on the metal. I clean it with a cup brush, then scrub it down with acetone to be sure any residue is removed. Acetone is great because it evaporates really quickly and leaves nothing behind.

It's ruiniously expensive if bought from a chemist, but it only costs £5 per litre from a hairdressers wholesalers.





When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.

www.furyrebuild.co.uk

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roadrunner

posted on 29/6/12 at 08:56 PM Reply With Quote
Managed to get on the garage today to give it a go. Been so busy at work this year, Ive hardly touched the car.
First picture

Its only a Kenda welder, and I know you will get at me about it being crap, but it should do for what I want it for.
Its got two switches, one for wire speed, and one for high and low power.
The bottom weld was first, its 3mm steel by the way. Set at high with medium speed on the wire.
Second from top was set at low power.
The other two, I just altered the wire speed slightly while on high power.

Then I had a quick go with 1mm steel.

I tried all the settings and adjusted my gun movement speed.
Is it the wire thickness that caused holes or is it just the settings that causes the holes.

I know the welds aren't straight, but that's because I was kneeling on the floor while welding to close to me.
While welding, it is suggested to keep the gun 10mm (3/8 inch old money) from the work. Do you trim the wire 10mm long from the gun, or trim it against the gun, then hold the gun 10mm from the work and then pull the trigger.
Comments, advice, calling it a pile of crap is all welcome.
I will practise some more tomorrow, hopefully they will be straighter.
Brad.

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loggyboy

posted on 29/6/12 at 09:01 PM Reply With Quote
10mm of wire hanging out, then remain about 10mm from work.

Try acctually welding 2 peices of metal too!!





Mistral Motorsport

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FuryRebuild

posted on 29/6/12 at 09:03 PM Reply With Quote
second picture looks good - nice penetration.

you have to spend time here: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/index.php

The guy that set the forum up has done plenty of instructional videos. They're also quite a welcoming bunch.





When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.

www.furyrebuild.co.uk

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wilkingj

posted on 29/6/12 at 11:24 PM Reply With Quote
Dont forget a bucket of water, and a fire extinguisher. If you burn yourself, the cold water will help reduce the burn damage by removing some of the heat.
Then remember to check the garage about 20-30 mins after you stop welding.
ie check for fires. They tend to start small and get bigger.

Cover up ALL exposed skin, you will get anything from mild to severe sun burn.
My Garage tee Shirt gets trashed quite often, as holes in it tend to give me freckles on my chest!
Its not a good idea to use a welder to get a sun tan!

Poorly fitting clothes have give me sunburn of the neck / top chest, and a 3" round bit on my Tum, due to large holes.
Learn by other peoples mistakes NOT your own!








1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk

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DIY Si

posted on 30/6/12 at 09:52 AM Reply With Quote
Although I'm fortunate to have a big welder, I only ever leave about 5mm of wire sticking out of the gun when welding flat bits. The more you leave sticking out, the more it can wander and that makes life much harder. And the cheaper welders that I've used in the past have made this worse.

The other thing is to try and get your mask as close as possible to the weld. If you can't see what the weld pool is doing, you stand little chance of knowing how to correct things. But don't get so close the splatter messes the screen up!





“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War

My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/

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Xtreme Kermit

posted on 30/6/12 at 03:58 PM Reply With Quote
I've not welded since my apprentoid course,mbut when a friend did some work on kermit a couple of years back, he brought a huge thick fireproof blanket to cover up bits of the car not being welded to stop splatter damage anywhere else.
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FuryRebuild

posted on 30/6/12 at 04:04 PM Reply With Quote
I bought some welding sleeves as well (from weldequip). means I can work in a t-shirt and when i need to weld (because it is an addictive habit) then I know my arms are protected.








When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.

www.furyrebuild.co.uk

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T66

posted on 30/6/12 at 04:15 PM Reply With Quote
Many years ago with my first mig, my 10 year old son came in the garage while I was welding and asked for a go....


Stuck an old top on him, gloves and my mask. Talked him through what was needed, and set him away with some scrap.



I didnt have a spare mask, so just held a spare mask glass to my face (yep) while he splattered weld everywhere, after half an hour he lost interest and went in the house.


For a few days after, I had a perfect mask size glass outline with a nice red face. I still weld wearing a t shirt, keeps my freckles topped up






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FuryRebuild

posted on 30/6/12 at 04:34 PM Reply With Quote
Heh, once in the early days I was welding some tiny brackets, didn't know better and got up close with some goggles rather than a full mask.

I looked like rudolf for a week.





When all you have is a hammer, everything around you is a nail.

www.furyrebuild.co.uk

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