Welding Tips and Tricks.

motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
8,976
27,522
113
Saskatchewan, Truckistan
Where do you go? I've going to Praxair for years, but they only exchange the "Q" tanks. Anything bigger they only do rentals

Linde Canada (the company formerly known as Praxair). We have an account (being incorporated has it's privileges) so getting the big boi tanks isn't an issue. It's an annual lease on the tank, and then we just pay for the gas. Delivery is an option too.
 

jlcustomz

G-Body Guru
Nov 22, 2011
983
1,096
93
Just read through all 6 pages.
Unless I missed seeing it, didn't see any mention about us older f--ks using magnifiers or reading glasses under our helmets. Seeing what you're doing definitely helps.

Getting back to some tig welding thin SS lately .Doing some 41 degree angle butt joints in thin wall SS 1 1/4" tubing. They were home depot bathroom handrails, , approx 20 to 18 ga, China grade I'm sure. Always struggled with thin SS. I call stainless poorman's chrome. Don't need showoff welds to grind , sand, & buff. Just need solid.

Also fixin to make a motorcycle muffler from an aluminum fire extinguisher. Talk about a change in intended product use.
 
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motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
8,976
27,522
113
Saskatchewan, Truckistan
Got a weird shaped pipe and no way to support it?

PXL_20210729_235030760.jpg


I would also mount the adjustable clamp to the aluminum I beam for additional height. Obviously a long piece of angle iron or pipe connected to the bench could elevate it further.

And here you can see the advantage of a modular work surface with large awkward objects.

PXL_20210728_144216077.jpg
 
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Northernregal

Sloppy McRodbender
Oct 24, 2017
3,359
12,828
113
Red Deer, Northern Montana territory
Got a weird shaped pipe and no way to support it?

View attachment 180636

I would also mount the adjustable clamp to the aluminum I beam for additional height. Obviously a long piece of angle iron or pipe connected to the bench could elevate it further.

And here you can see the advantage of a modular work surface with large awkward objects.

View attachment 180637
I am liking your table design....
 
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Beryy2

n00b
Sep 6, 2021
1
0
1
Chicago

JohnIL

Greasemonkey
Sep 9, 2020
131
310
63
Central Illinois
I was stick welding heavy plate steel for several years before I got my hands on a wire-fed MIG machine. I even stick welded several pieces of custom outdoor furniture out of 16ga rectangular tube. I can lay down a pretty mean bead with a stick welder.

When I started working with the MIG on 20ga-22ga sheet, my biggest hang-up was timing. I had to break the habit of striking an arc arc and pausing to let it penetrate. If you do that with thin sheet, you'll blow holes before you even realize what's happening.

The key, for me, was learning how to spot weld quickly and deliberately. Know where the arc is going, get into the trigger, and get out again quickly. Once I figured that out, stitching panels together got a whole lot easier. Now, I just need more practice. But that's OK, because the practice is fun. The tedious part is dressing the welds down to smooth out the body panels.
 
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Rktpwrd

Builder of Cool Shjt
Supporting Member
Feb 2, 2015
4,177
23,956
113
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
No fake welds here.

E8E81833-949E-4C59-ACF2-BB0EFA04400A.jpeg


Check out that consistent heat line. Done with a MiG, and on sheetmetal no less.
😉

72811B9B-FB80-49D4-8514-32B30827ADE2.gif
 
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Wraith

Royal Smart Person
Jan 13, 2013
1,602
4,764
113
DFW, TX
If you could teach people to watch the heat signature it would make welding easier. Plus quit looking at online weld p*rn. Or have their sh*t fall off after duplicating "weld p*rn". Any of those would be a start.
 
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