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I Forge Iron

Scott Hightower

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  1. It takes some practice but you can weld aluminum with a mig. I welded tons of racecar parts and never broke a weld, even in a hard crash. You need 100% argon though for the sheilding gas. If you don't have a pull gun make sure you keep your lead as straight as possible. Scott welders360
  2. the 110V is certainly undersized for this application but if you must proceed, grind a deep bevel and weld multiple passes with the heat set at 100% not a long term solution but may get you by Scott welders360
  3. for novice welders make sure you keep an eye on the puddle and be sure that both components are melting. You can lay down a pretty bead that has no strength if one side is not fused. Also, be sure the sheilding gas is not blown away by a fan or the wind if welding outside. Set up a curtain to stop the wind. Scott welders360
  4. TIG will produce a more aesthetic weld. MIG is OK but you should use a spool gun and you must use 100% argon as the shielding gas. Both will take some practice. Scott Welders360
  5. To prevent glazing I added a cheater bar to my handle. With a little more leverage you can apply more pressure to each cut. Scott Welders360
  6. You should be very competitive at $30 per hour. Estimate the time with a little fluff, mark up any material costs by 30% add labor and material together and you should be OK. Worst case if it takes twice as long you still make $15 an hour. If a customer wants to supply his own material this is OK too. It takes some of the risk out of the equation and you usually end up with some drop material. Scott Fab Manager Welders360.com
  7. Add a ground strap from the nozzle to the cabinet. Scott Fab Manager Welders360.com
  8. Lincoln has a pretty good reputation in particular they are somewhat famous for the buzzbox that you are considering. I know allot of people that use that machine for repair work on the farm and similar work. If you are doing any serious welding though you may want to consider a small MIG machine. A little more money but I find them easier to use and faster (no chipping). Scott Fab Manager Welders360.com
  9. If you were repairing a forklift tine I would use 10018 although I would prefer not to fix it at all. In your case, since you are not putting the tines back on a forklift 7018 will suffice. Scott Fab Manager Welders360.com
  10. 6010 would be the easiest and provide good penetration but you may get allot of weld spatter. Use the 6010 for a root pass, knock off all the spatter, then do a final cap pass with 7018 for a nice looking weld. Scott Fab Manager Welders360
  11. I find that TIG is more art than science meaning practice, practice and practice. Of the people I have taught welding to, for some reason they find TIG more difficult than most forms of welding. As mentioned earlier in the thread though, I agree with turning the machine down a bit and be sure to shield the back side of thin gauge material. Scott Fab Manager Welders360
  12. Its easy to add a 220V plug to your garage. Just purchase a double breaker that will snap in place in the existing panel. I added one in my garage in less than an hour and the cost was minimal. If you are stuck on the 110 volt then try a Campbell Hausfeld WG2060. It is inexpensive, versatile, and runs on a 20 amp 115 volt circuit. Scott Fab Manager Welders360
  13. AC/DC for versatility. Personally I like MIG for rookies it seems easier although that would rule out your gouging. BIGGER is better so go 220 volt if you can. You should be able to do this without adding a sub panel. You can add a double breaker to the existing panel to get the 220. These fit into the standard panels. Scott Fab Manager Welders360
  14. Spend the extra money and purchase a MIG machine. As a novice you will appreciate how easy it is to learn MIG and lay down a decent bead. Scott welders360.com
  15. Roofers use a long giant rosebud to heat up rolled roofing material. Visit your local roofing supply house. Of course welding supply stores will have these as well, but I like the roofing tool better because of the long handle. It is about 3 ft long so it keeps you away from the heat for both comfort and safety. Scott Fab Manager welders360.com
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