Fun and games welding sheet metal with an arc welder - learning to weld - Page 4 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Stretch · #46 01-02-2012, 01:09 PM

Undercoat? Undercoat? There's none of that rubberised junk on MY W123! I've removed it all with a blow torch and a scraper...

Stretch · #47 01-03-2012, 11:13 AM

I've found that the magic 1.0mm tungsten rods are for TIG - even though the stockist here in Holland says they can be used for arc welding...

Luckily I joined weldingweb

Doing it the hard way? - WeldingWeb™ - Welding forum for pros and enthusiasts

before I bought them.

Stretch · #48 03-01-2012, 01:19 PM

I forgot to up date this thread.

Here are some pictures of some butt welds on 1mm thick sheet - still done with an arc welder

Here's the start

The top side after welding and a bit of a clean up

In this picture - 'cos I'm right handed the welding direction is from left to right. The false start at the beginning is apparently due to not enough heat in the sheet to start off with. I should be striking an arc ahead of the start point - stopping - and then going back to the start point and welding over the bit where I struck the arc.

The next picture shows the penetration...

The weld direction in this last picture is from the right to the left as the sheet has been flipped that way to show the underside.

With a bit of practice I can now repeat welds like this at will. It is a little bit like riding a bike - you might wobble a bit to start off with - but you only need to practice for a short while to get back to as "good" (or as bad?) as you were before.

Even so I still need to get some more hours in before I let myself loose on the car.

Stretch · #49 03-01-2012, 01:26 PM

The other day I got a bit bored with butt welds and started to teach myself to weld on the up => vertical welding.

I reckon that'll come in handy.

Here's a picture of my first attempt

I didn't realise that instead of dragging the rod you are meant to push it up hill!

I must say it is messy - but it is good fun.

Here's a not so good picture of some results from today

You can see that I'm still struggling with this at the moment. But hey ho we'll get there in the end.

Has anyone got any tips?

Stretch · #50 03-01-2012, 01:28 PM

Next step will be to try and construct some steel boxes I think - that's all the rage over on weldingweb!

Yak · #51 03-01-2012, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

Next step will be to try and construct some steel boxes I think - that's all the rage over on weldingweb!

Why aren't you practicing by building steel tool boxes?

Stretch · #52 03-02-2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yak

Why aren't you practicing by building steel tool boxes?

Partly because of the cost of ball bearing drawer sliders...

...partly because I don't have a metal folding machine...

...also because I reckon the joints would fare better being spot welded and in order to do that I need to chase down some 10mm^2 3 core wire to connect my new spot welder at the garage to the fuse box in the house - I'm waiting on a cheaper option - copper wire prices have hit the roof recently...

...but mainly because I bought a second hand not quite what I want tool(ish) cabinet for 20 euros! I'm gonna give that a go before I make a serious purchase.

Prairie Swamp · #53 03-03-2012, 08:09 AM

Your stick welds on .040"/1mm sheet are impressive. I don't think I would attempt it. I'm just learning to MIG weld and I can't imagine trying to stick weld on the body.

The first time I picked up the MIG torch I laid down perfect beads on sheet horizontal on the bench - but it's a totally different story overhead on a rusty car body. I think you're blazing a trail here. Keep up the good work.

On your tool cabinet idea - I received a sale flyer from surpluscenter dot com. If you search for "cabinet" they have a lot of new stand alone tool cabinets for $75 a piece. Steel and wood construction but shipping weight is 250 lbs! Once again not much good to you (shipping would kill the deal even for me) but just another idea.

Eric

Stretch · #54 03-03-2012, 01:43 PM

Thanks for the encouragement Eric - the tool cabinet problem will be solved one way or another - though I guess I'll just have to swim over and get one...

whunter · #55 03-04-2012, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

Thanks for the encouragement Eric - the tool cabinet problem will be solved one way or another - though I guess I'll just have to swim over and get one...

I thought you where going to drive across the Bering Strait ice bridge, to America.

.

Stretch · #56 03-04-2012, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

I thought you where going to drive across the Bering Strait ice bridge, to America.

.

The bloody thing has melted again - it's arm bands and vaseline for me!

whunter · #57 03-04-2012, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

The bloody thing has melted again - it's arm bands and vaseline for me!

All I can think of is youtube swimming the English channel.

youtube swimming the English channel - Google Search

I get to video this heroic attempt for posterity (Ripley's Believe It or Not!)..

dseretakis · #58 03-08-2012, 07:19 PM

I have to say that I'm impressed! You've done the almost impossible. I would suggest that you clamp the pieces a bit further apart so that the two edges don't try to overlap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Army

I forgot to up date this thread.

Here are some pictures of some butt welds on 1mm thick sheet - still done with an arc welder

Here's the start

The top side after welding and a bit of a clean up

In this picture - 'cos I'm right handed the welding direction is from left to right. The false start at the beginning is apparently due to not enough heat in the sheet to start off with. I should be striking an arc ahead of the start point - stopping - and then going back to the start point and welding over the bit where I struck the arc.

The next picture shows the penetration...

The weld direction in this last picture is from the right to the left as the sheet has been flipped that way to show the underside.

With a bit of practice I can now repeat welds like this at will. It is a little bit like riding a bike - you might wobble a bit to start off with - but you only need to practice for a short while to get back to as "good" (or as bad?) as you were before.

Even so I still need to get some more hours in before I let myself loose on the car.

Stretch · #59 03-09-2012, 07:34 AM

Hey dseretakis I forgot to thank you for the metal meet tip you posted in one of these threads - I've signed up to see a whole new world of possibilities!

dseretakis · #60 03-09-2012, 06:53 PM

Your welcome. That site is awesome. I've learned so much from those guys. The level of work that they do qualifies almost as fine art if you ask me!