DirtyComanche Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 I can't stand wearing any more clothes than absolutely necessary. It's like 100* out there before I start welding. And I can tough out a few slag burns. It's just wearing sandles that's the crappy part, the slag always seems to wind up in them and then I kinda have to flail around in a strange dance to stop the burning. Almost all of the steel is .250. Some of it is thicker though. I'd use the blanket statement and say it's 'mild steel' - but I actually couldn't really tell you what it is. There's more gussets to do yet, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Squeezed in some time to do some more work today. Look framiliar? Tacking it up AGAIN! Image Not Found This time I just said f' it and tacked it at 135amps, and hoped it was aligned right. Pulled 'er back off Image Not Found Then final welded it Image Not Found Yeah, that one tab is bent. The plate is warped. But it will be fine. I didn't have time to take the slag off the welds. Tomorrow. And I'll put it in then. Well, weld spring hangers to it first. I also solved all of my clearance problems with the fans/rad/wiring. And I need to ask, how can you tell what amperage an alternator is? If mine is the origonal, or a direct replacement, it is 61amps. That blows. I need to junkyard a better one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I would say over all it is looking good. I have another question.. what kinda welder you using? Stick, a mig welder with gas, or flux core wire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Lincoln tombstone. (Stick) AC/DC+-, best money I ever spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnaevd Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 how good does a MIG with inert work? i'm suppose to be going HALFsies with my pops on one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Gotta love the old barn burner lincoln's Thats what I use as well :D Depending on how powerful of a Mig welder you buy.. they are great. Keep in mind that they get preety pricey for the ones I am talking about. We are talking in the 1000+ price range, but ones that big can weld 1/2 in one pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnaevd Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 anyone have good luck welding aluminum befor? I would like to make some fancy bumpers to try it out and see if it will keep its strength compared to the steal alternative. i know it has to be preheated, but i didn't know if anyone has tried and failed miserebly at it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Does nearly welding a scrap piece of aluminum to a car battery count? :rotfl2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I know to weld aluminum it takes a special setup on a mig machine..... I also know that that setup is pricey.. so more then likely I will never weld aluminum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnaevd Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 OIC. like I said i have a custom bumper design idea that i really like, i'd like to build it from aluminum to save wear on my rig(whenever i actually get around to building it). i know aluminum can be used for bumpers, but if i wear attaching my tow points to it, I wouldn't want them fail on me... how much would a custom bumper weigh ( and i know this is extrememly hard to answer because there is such a wide variety but toss out a range n e ways please) How much stress is this on the front/rear suspension? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 My rigid co weighs about 60 lbs.. the one on casper comes in around 50. It all depends on how thick of material is used in the building of it... also how much stuff is added to reinforce the stress areas. the weight can sage your front as much as 1" depending on the springs that are used, and how old and abused they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnaevd Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 how much is stock weight? I think I can reduce the weight by using the thinner stuff for my "cosmetics" when I did the math the first time i htink i save around 25 lbs usuing aluminum, butthe cost went up quite a bit. how thick should I be using to get proper strenth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 I would use 1/4" steel for structural things and 3/16" steel for cosmetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 My front bumper weighs 3Lbs. You guys really like heavy things. Oh, the issue with aluminum as far as using it structerally goes, is it does not 'give' any under impact; instead of deforming, it will crack. Same goes for welds made in it. It is really not an ideal material for a bumper... I'll point out though that my 'bumper,' as it is, is based on the assumptions that I; A) Won't drive straight into a tree (again) B) The leaf hangers and front crossmember will hit before anything else. C) The exo cage will do all the heavy work when the time comes. Oh, and about the weight of the bumper, if you have 180Lb/inch coils it'll only be better. Mine were too stiff with my front end being lightened... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Gotta love the old barn burner lincoln's Thats what I use as well :D They're the best bang for the buck! A favorite of rednecks and cheap people world over! No; to buy a MIG for the same price I payed for it, I'd probably have 120amps to play with. You also have to realize that you can get greater penetration with stick at the same amperage(as a MIG). That and there's no god damn respooling when you change materials. Not to mention I can cut with it, and heat things really fast. I'd buy a MIG only if I had lots of cash to play with (I don't). And if I was to do that, I'd buy a nice lathe too... If you're really cheap you can always convert an old alternator into a nice stick welder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feerocknok Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Not to mention I can cut with it, and heat things really fast. My Lincoln 185 MIG is running fluxcore right now, and it's kickass to burn through stuff. I figure it's probably bad for something, but oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 The problem with a wire feed welder is how big a PROPER bead is. Using a stick welder the proper thickness or width of a bead can be up to 3x the diameter of the rod.. which means a 1/8 rod can make a 3/8 bead in a single pass, and still be a "good" weld by acceptable standards. I forogt how thick a mig weld can be.. but it is a similar formula... also the advantages of a mig welder are lost when you use flux core wire.. you stil have to chip slag, but you don't get the benefits of deep penetration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Admittedly I own a tiny stick welder and the electrical system for the garage is barely adequate for it, but it leaves a bad taste in my mouth (figuratively) everytime I struggle to strike an arc. Assuming it's just me and not the equipment, it must take a lot of practice to get good at that. I remember it being substatially easier using a MIG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 MIG is more point and shoot. But, look at it like how they properly train welders. They start with oxy/acetylene and put emphasis entirely on controlling the weld puddle. With a MIG you can make a weld that looks 'good' but is piss poor as far as strength goes. Stick doesn't really allow that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 so how do you get good Structural MIG welds? (just bought a lincoln 1/4in MIG welder) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 Stick welding is more about heat, and puddle control. Pete there are many reason why you lil buzz box doesn't work properly. Maybe you got the wrong kinda rods for it, or the rods were too big for the size of welder you have. I overcame the fact that my garage doesn't have a 220 outlet, by making an extension cord that I plug inot the dryer outlet :brows: I too have a flux core machine, but I rarely use it anymore cause of the fact that I was taught to weld with a stick, and it is just easier that way for me. Practice makes perfect when it comes to stick welding. As for how they make proper welds with a mig... it is mostly puddle control again, along with heat control. The larger MIG (metal inert gas) machines have the power to weld and the gas is just used to keep contaminants out the puddle. A flux core machine functions preety much the same as a stick welder, but most are run on 110 volts, and they just don't have the @$$ to burn through the crap that a barn burner/ tombstone welder can. IMHO.. the ayto darkening helmets have also ruined, or made lazy the welder. I still use my full face shield style el cheapo helmet... even though I own an auto darkening shield... I don't think it is really that much of an advantage when striking an arc. Also if you learn with the bare minimums.. when you have all the luxuries it makes it real easy to weld :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 I love my auto helmet. But that's when I'm in crazy stupid positions trying to not burn up anything that I shouldn't (under the truck). Otherwise it's no big deal with stick. I'm always flipping it up and down anyways. I learned on a poor boy flip down. Eventually it got wrecked, and the autos were dirt cheap (on sale) so I couldn't resist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oizarod115 Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 we just got a cheapy flip down style, and our popbox is a 110 like you said, it gets through 1/4in but i don't know if i could burn through that thick, its tough to get it to arc well if its not REALLY clean too, at this point we use flux core for lack of MIG gas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 27, 2006 Author Share Posted July 27, 2006 Some say god is in the details; I say he's in the prep work. Stick gives you more leeway with prep depending what rod you use. 6011 can make a weld that will hold even if you don't even both to scrape the rust and old paint off. 6013 needs it to be quite clean to make a good weld, but allows for some wiggle room. However, it's easiest if you just clean it up really good. 7018 (or like) requires the surface to be absolutely clean(clean the surface with xylene or such after taking everything off with a flap disk), however it makes the strongest weld. With MIG, it has always got to be really clean. No way around it. The flap disk will become your best friend. What's the amperage on your MIG? 110V will only give you maybe 100amps at most. Oh yeah, I just said screw it and got the garage wired for 220V and made an extension cord to weld in the driveway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted July 27, 2006 Share Posted July 27, 2006 I use the sticks that came with it. I don't think it really matters what I do with it, since welding for more than 5 seconds in a row will blow the breaker. :cry: And the little welder can't penetrate anything anyways the way it is. I weld with what I call the "bubble gum method". The weld material sticks to this piece and sticks to that piece and if you work at it, you can get a little blob of a bridge connecting the two. Enough of those and the two pieces are stuck together well enough to remove the part and take it to a professional. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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