Welding/Fab General Discussion

I've been hardfacing the tines and comb for this arena rake. I thought it might be easier to just use a tougher steel for the tines. I am unable to get the type of steel from the manufacturer of the rake, John Deer. It seems like a spring steel to me. What could I use in place that is the toughest steel that is available?

I thought this time would be fine, i'd learnt my lesson from previous mistakes of not clamping things down when welding them. I need to weld 10mm square bar to 20x30mm bar (twice in fact to create a recess on a bar that looks like 30x30, if that makes sense.) I clamped the whole lot down and proceeded to weld the length up and clean up all the weld. When i released it i found it had still warped upwards of an 50-60mm in two planes across the 2m length!!! What can i do to prevent this on the others i have to do. and what is my best course of action to rectify the bend i've created here?

I have a twin electrode carbon arc torch made by Craftsman/Sears and Roebuck in the mid-60's, in perfect condition, along with the ground clamp and cable, and the stick clamp and cable from the same welder, in the same condition. I really really want to get proficient at a very unconventional setup. I want to use 2 car batteries as the sole power source for both the carbon arc torch and the arc welder. I want to be proficient at cutting, welding, Brazing, and heating, using only these two methods, powered by the batteries. I'll be charging the batteries as needed. I only intend on welding, brazing, cutting and bending bicycle frames and parts. Occasionally…

Any tips for welding h13 punches and drifts to steel 1" bolts that I'm going to use for my flypress mounts to go into the ram. Was going to TIG it but also have stick and mig capabilities if those work better somehow. What type of filler rod and pre/post heat are recommended? It has also been recommended to braze or silver solider and not weld at all? Curious to here what people here have actually done and works and what didn't work. Thanks, dw

Story supposedly true. One of the old Hobart stick welding instructors was noticeably palsied, yet when he struck an arc, he was steady as could be. Even when oscillating, he slowed it to near perfection. Most students were amazed by this and during the second day of class, one student asked, "Why don't you shake when you're welding?" The old boy answered, "Learned to weld 'fore I learned to shake!"

I am wondering why sometimes the slag left from a 7018-1 rod is sometimes really hard to break off or instead off chipping of in pieces it crushes it to a powder? This occurs to me occasionally while welding root passes or even a hot pass. My bead will be flat, smooth, and perfectly stacked with no undercutting or discoloration of the weld. However instead of the slagging peeling off or chipping off easily it will be super hard to remove. I chip soon as the slag has cooled to a brown color and sometimes wait longer, but never while it is still orange hot. Any sugestions?

Hello all. I've got a 50-ish year old Marquette arc welder/generator with an Onan engine that still works great. When I got the machine a year or so ago, I had a friend who's got a number of welding certificates help me calibrate the machine and adjust the output settings for 6011 and 6013 in 3/32" and 1/8" rods. I have a couple of things I want to do that need different rods, some hardfacing and some 70xx for higher tensile strength. My question: Is there a constant difference in the output settings I'm using on my welder and the recommended output on these rods compared to others? Or do I have to buy extra rods and experiment to find the correct settings with each …

I bought two used rosebuds that had heavy soot. Never was able to get them clean until today......Oven cleaner. Since it's cold, I used a propane torch to warn them up while they soaked. Tip #2 If you use a biometric (finger print) reader to log onto your computer, oven cleaner WILL remove the ridges of your fingers. Some lessons are just hard won.

I started my apprenticeship at age 7 in 1951 in my father and uncles blacksmith shop. My father was an old time smith and never really learned to arc or oxy/acet weld. He did horseshoing which I helped him with and he was rather tight with a penny so to speak. He saved all the short rod stubs from when my uncle was welding and he gave me those to build up the toe and heel caulks on used horseshoes. I must have done a pretty good job as when I was 9, my uncle gave me a pair of plow lays with new points tacked on to weld up. That was an intimidating job for a young me. The farmer came in for them after they were drawn out, ground and polished. I used to releave eith…

I'm not on iforgeiron much these days because I'm framing my workshop but my local welding supply company OxArc (Bend,OR) started carrying these respirators. I've already used it and wondered why it took me so long to know these things existed. I felt I had to tell others about this right away!! This respirator is so handy it should come with every welding helmet sold. It could save your life! RESPIRATOR: NORTH 7700Series Silicone Half Mask (www.northsafety.com) Model 770030M Cartridges: Honeywell 75FFP100 NIOSH P100 W522935 www.honeywellsafety.com These cartridges have female threads on the back and they screw into the respirator above…

I am taking a college TIG class, and the instructor had us buy four ceramic cups. I have a large drawstring bag with all my TIG gear in it: hose and torch coiled up, extra collet, extra gas lens, box of electrodes, and three ceramic cups all just rattling around inside the bag. Actually, I wrapped all the cups up in a folded bandana and then put a rubber band around them so they have a little protection. The big drawstring bag is carried inside a duffle bag with my PPE and tools. My question is: how do you carry extra ceramic cups around without worrying about accidentally smashing them? Do you have a little padded box or something? Do you simply not carry any backups…

For hardfacing rods, what info/data am I looking for when comparing the rods and their ability to withstand abrasion? I have been using Stoody 35, but Stoody XHC was recommended. So, for strictly, abrasion resistance to sand, what am I looking at to find the best rod for this purpose? When I read the characteristics of a rod, many say, "abrasion resistance is excellent, but is there data that I can quantify? Is there numbers that I can actually compare for abrasion resistance?

I've got a project in mind that will allow me to practice my welding again, and one of the key components is going to be a section of car coil spring. Maybe a full coil, or a coil and a half, welded between two plates to give you a bit of wiggle between said plates. This is a non-structural project and the worse that could happen is that I get embarrassed if someone sees it fall to pieces. But, I'm wondering about the heat of the weld making the coil spring brittle. With all the talk about heat-treating of knives and how the wrong temps can cause large grain and snapping blades, I can't help but wonder if the same thing would happen to a coil spring if you welde…

I want to add about one inch to the ends of these pins. They are for an arena rake dragged behind a tractor. They have worn off an inch or more and there are 21 of them. I will be using my Lincoln 220 AC welder. I want to add back the worn portion. I was told that I could add a sleeve like the pvc pipe and that it would keep the weld inside the tube and not stick to the weld. It was told to me that a ceramic tube was used, but I thought they a pvc pipe might work??????? It seems like it would make a neat little guide for the rod. I haven't tried this but I thought the pvc might melt. Some kind of ceramic tube should work better but I can't find any like the pvc …

I have a Lincoln 125 wire feed welder with flux core wire. I need to use an extension cord to get to my welding job on a barn. I was looking at Harbor Freight extension cords, specifically, the 100ft 10 guage which would be the perfect length. I'm concerned about the friction lost in 100 feet. I know it's not friction loss but I don't know the correct electrical term. I also figure this might be the right kind of harbor freight item to purchase.

Pictured is a railing I'm finishing up. I have plug welded the post to the base because it looks better to me. I'm a little worried that it might not be strong enough. The post is 1x1 with a 3/4" hole drilled in the mounting plate for the weld. This project has been all about the details and I don't want the look of a fillet weld. Am I asking for trouble? Thanks for your thoughts-

So. After much advice gathered and perusing my materials on hand to build my anvil stand. Here is my plan. I managed to weld three pieces of 1/2" plate together to form a square 12" x 12" x 1/2" thick. I beveled the edged, tacked them together, and welded one side. After seeing how poorly it penetrated, I ground the welds out and re-welded them while still warm from grinding. Worked pretty well. I flipped them over and welded the back side. Judging from the edges, I got near full penetration by going from both side. The plate is now finished. Here is my issue now. The legs I have chosen for my anvil stand are 2" x 4" square tubing with 1/4" thick wall…

A local office building upgraded the old human operated elevator to a new fangled push button operator. I got a bagful of these obsolete open faced graphite electrical contacts that were used to slap against a powersource and apparently, make the car go up and down. I put one in the gas forge one day to see what would happen. After 2 hours, it was happy as could be, with no degradation. I started researching a bit, and found the melting point of this stuff could be as high as 3850C.. Last week, a guy came into the shop with a cast iron wood stove door. Grandpa had stumbled while opening the door, and ripped the upper hinge pocket off the poorly designed door. It had a…

I had hardfaced an arena rake that has a comb and some round pins that is pulled by a tractor around an arena. I didn't watch the pins wearing closely and I need to build them back up to their original length. We are talking about a1/2" to 1' amount of wear. Question: Do I build the pins back up with 6011 or 6013 rod, and then finish it off with the hardfacing rod, or do I build the entire amount back up with hardfacing rod, (Stoody 35)? I have and old lincoln 220 AC arc welder and we are talking about 20 pins.

This looked to be the closest forum, so if it is the wrong place, feel free to move it. When I first learned how to silver solder, I didn't have much of a budget. So, I got the cheapie Bernz-o-matic Oxy-MAPP rig. Given that their O2 bottles have almost no gas in them, I cut the O2 connector off, and attached a real Oxy regulator and switched to Propane for the fuel gas side. Mainly for cleanliness of my soldering and cooler flame color. Well, it worked after a fashion. I could solder with it, but it always took me a lot of time and usually left a lot of fire-scale, even when I was using the spray flux like Prip's. (Actualy Cupronil) Recently, I picked up …

I tried to weld some 1" square to the bottom of a rail, to make a hardy hole. I ran 3 passes on each side and as I was running the last pass I heard a PING. A little later I saw a crack down the side of my weld on the other side. after about 1 hr. work using a hot cut and bottom fuller it fell off. The welds popped out of the rail leaving a app. 1/16 grove where my weld was. I don't have a camera so I can't show pics. Can I do this with my welder? I have a 110 stick welder and used 6011 rods, what I had. If so what did I do wrong? Thanks, Flemish

Is it possible to glue a flux to mild steel to make your own stick welding rods? I've got some pentahydrate borax, would that be a suitable flux? This is just a theoretical idea.

I have gotten the idea in my head that I NEED an Oxy Fuel torch. I have it in mind that I would find it useful for new techniques such as isolated heating or working on larger projects than my small forge crowed smithy can currently handle. I was hoping I could get some feedback from some of you that incorporate torches into your bag of tricks. What do you find that it gets used for other than as a cutting tool? What options/techniques might a torch open up for me beyond my small coal forge? BTW - we can talk torch specifics if you'd like also. My current thought is to start with an Oxy propane set (for heating and lower initial expense) and latter add acetylen…

Hi All, I am restoring a gate in quite a different way (I think) using * Cebora 1965 TIG welder 5-200Amps DC wìth pedal * Bosch angle grinder (new) * Bosch second hand Drill My working are is my back garden when it is nice wheather and otherwise a tiny shed with a 1x2.5 meter working area and a workmate Black and Decker and a so called "third hand" (have to look it up, nice quality meant for soldering PCB but not built for large forces) My object is a sober designed gate but with beautiful features, very well made. It had been modified in the past: all rivets that hold the 3 main horizontal bars which split into (vèry smart design) Y to make a direct…

A friend has a 30 foot boat with an aluminum hull that need work. Lot of holes in the hull for various devices he no longer wants there. He asked me if I could weld/patch these holes with my tig welder. My tig welder is basically set up for working in the shop and near my welding table. But, I do have an old Lincoln AC 220 stick welder that would reach the inside of the boat with my extension cable/cord built for 220 operations. I heard that they make a rod that will weld aluminum. Is this correct and can I do this with my AC welder? What number is this rod, who makes it, and is it really expensive?