aametalmaster

I weld outside and since the sun dosen't shine 365 days a year in Ohio some days are in the rain or snow. I get shocked alot, so much i now take heart meds because my heart has an electrical short in it and i kept failing my physical at work so wonder how my heart got screwed up? Anyway i lay the rods on a board now when changing them out because everything on me is always wet. And my mig welder in the hot summertime always bites me also when it is humid out...Bob

I would like to see some pics also...Bob

I burn anything i can get cheap. I have used them and they are fine, they are like everybody else, someone makes them and they are packaged for Forney...Bob

Forney Industries

Pullmax's are great. We had one in the sheetmetal shop. We cut large circles in 1/8" SS plus formed up edges with it. I will look around and see if i can find you a link for a book...Bob

http://www.pullmaxinc.com/

Watch ebay. Here is a cheap SB 9" don't know what it needs but its buy it now for $299. It would be a great start. SOUTHBEND LATHE 9" X 20" - eBay (item 320230178234 end time Apr-19-08 03:51:34 PDT)

Lets say you have a 1/2" hole and you want to weld a 7/16" nut centered on it. If you had a lathe you could turn a stub to stick thru the hole from the backside with a small 1/2" shoulder to line up the hole then the stub would have a small end turned to fit the ID of the nut and the same height to hold the nut while you tacked it. Thats how we did it in the sheetmetal shop when we had hundreds of holes to do and they had to be perfect...Bob

My buddy has me fix some of his old cars in his garage so i take my welder there and i have a pigtail made up to fit his elec stove plug, just pull the stove out and weld...Bob

Crown Alloys 255 Nickel Alloy for cast iron. Complete instructions here...Bob
http://www.crownalloys.com/page10.pdf

This tractor part came in today with a giant cut out where the crack used to be. The part houses the steering box plus is the tank for the radiator and it froze. The guy ground it all the way thru and was going to braze it then he changed his mind. Neverless it was a large gouge. I gave it a few test tacks with some machinable cast rod and it looked like it was going to be ok so i proceded to connect the dots. Then i ground it all out and put some longer beads on it grinding between the beads as i went. I sprayed some pentrating suff on it and didn't see any cracks...Bob

It looks like a truck rearend in the 2nd pic driving the auger...Bob

Keith, Here is a few more pics of making my block.
Pic 1 scribing center line with dead center
Pic 2 t nut turned from round stock and the ears cut off to fit into the compound slot
Pic 3 t nut slid into slot. It also has a 5/8" 4130 stud threaded into it. The square block is recessed to fit over the stem sticking up...Bob

Looks like you need one of my square tool blocks. Then you can use any cutter you want from any size HSS to 1/2" sq shank carbide jobs. I used my lantern post once just to make my square block then it went in the drawer...Bob

There are also some welding procedures that specify that if you grind or even wire brush your weld, you automatically fail. No excuses, no exceptions.
All-in-all, Rutterbush is most certainly correct. It all depends on what it is being used for.

Thats how it was when i took my 6G 7018 test. No grinding just a little pick. And the inspector stood by you the whole time and watched...Bob

We used mineral spirits in the mill when i was a Millwright...Bob

"professional"

There are lots of professional companys out there that build stuff to look pretty and don't have a clue on real welding. I see it all the time in magazines and on TV. But i would use a bigger mig than yours. If it warps up after welding which it will just heat the bottom a little and it will coll and pull back flat...Bob

My Miller mig has a 60% duty cycle and i weld with it 8 hours a day when i am building my bridges. But its not a solid 8 hr weld because i have to put the parts in the welding jig so i guess the welder cools down then. I have never overheated it and i think mine has a breaker that trips, but some don't. I normally don't shut it down after i have been welding heavy because the cooling fan shuts down as well so i let it idle for a few minutes...Bob

Most hardware stores have their displays and some rod and wire. Here is their website...Bob
Forney Industries

If you don't have a press use a lead hammer and 2 wood blocks to support the shaft. It prob won't take much hammering then sight down it to see if its straight or you can roll it and see if it wobbles...Bob

Congrats...Bob

2. drilled stop holes are never in the right place. there is a stop with a sq headed set screw shown that does a more efficient job.

Yes it is efficient, but after years of using it you get lots of burrs and round holes galled into the steel then the stop dosen't seat well. Where a slotted flatbar washer could be adjusted to go between the holes at any setting. Oh well thats just me talking. But its still cool...Bob

A mill would be clearly better, but if it was laid out properly and you had a nice 5/8" bit it would be easy. But most guys can't drill a bunch of 5/8" holes on home shop drill presses because they just don't run slow enough and the bit wobbles while drilling making nice star shaped holes. I added an extra small pulley on mine just to do 5/8" holes because i do a lot of reese hitch work. I also use a 4 flute drill bit that drills super nice holes but its 130 bucks...Bob

Here is a good place to get those special parts for projects...Bob
King Architectural Metals

100% Argon for my alum mig.
75/25 for my steel mig jobs.
CO2 for my outside mig jobs where i need to crank up the gas for the wind...Bob

One thing i would add is 5/16" holes drilled 360 degrees around the 8" plate to use as a stop when bending. Other than that its cool...Bob

Preparation H is what i have used for 30 years for burns. I always have some in the tool box...Bob