Ask your WELDING questions here.

I just broke a few (slightly) higher-than-HF-quality c-clamps. One look at that pot metal and I thought "no WAY I'm going to try to salvage those"

Yeah, decent quality clamps with a drop-forged steel frame are expensive new, probably explains the price of the Miller clamps

are you sure the HF clamp is cast iron?

2 things-
I think I would rather have a set of T-nut style clamps than what you're talking about. you could put another nut/washer above the table so the stud didn't fall through your slot if you had a through slot instead of a groove. The T-nut style clamps with bars and step blocks can accomodate angles so much better than the swivel of a C-clamp thing.

If you do like the C-clamp style, take a look at modifying the Jorgenson heavy duty adjustable F-clamps that they sell at Home Despot. They're really nice clamps at a great price, and I think you could take off the fixed head just by drilling out a pin, then weld on a plate with some threaded holes to hold it in the slot (or something like that, not sure how the x clamps work).

If you knew someone with a plasma table you could cut out the frames then weld the boss on and an acme screw. By the time you do all that, $40 is probably going to be a bargain.

I've welded cast iron before using silicon bronze. AC, preheat the part to 400 degrees in an oven. It's more like brazing. Works well I made a couple exhaust risers for my buddies diesel power boat. I've done it once and I'm remembering the instructions from memory through. I would think a clamp like that is going to put more stress on the weld than I would want to dedicate the time to do though.

Industrial auctions typically have large commercial old school clamps by the box for cheap. The good ones never die.

Pretty sure they are forged. I've cut and welded them to create my own valve spring compressors and suspension tools. No issues welding.

The HF ones have a "Heavy duty cast iron body":
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-inch-industrial-c-clamps-39609.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-industrial-c-clamp-37850.html

Though I noticed yesterday that the deep-throat ones, ooh err, that would probably work better, are apparently "Malleable steel":
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-inch-deep-throat-c-clamp-45916.html

If I do it, I may spend a bit more and use these:
http://www.amazon.com/IIT-23325-Deep-Throat-C-Clamp/dp/B001VSY14Q

Sailah may well be right however.

Either way, they welded just fine. I think I used stick with 7018 rod. Tools like this generally aren't as important as a mission critical application (engine block or suspension component).

Are they supposed to glow when you're done?

9 passes without breaking arc. 2 guys on the same machine, each have our own stinger hooked up to a Y. Keep going in circles and passing the arc off to each other, change your rod while the weld is on the other side. No chipping slag.





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And what is it you are accomplishing, pray tell?

I "Think" they are boiler tubes. I hope they are thick because I "think" I see undercutting on the red one.
David

They are boiler tubes. 2.25" OD, 1.25" ID. So 1/2" thick. The undercut happens when you run them out that fast, as the metal heats it will flow down and sag at the top. After the slag is chipped off and the tube stops glowing one more pass will dress the top up. They don't get left as pictured, I just wanted to get a shot of it glowing.

The reason we ring them like this is because rod angle is terrible on some of the back sides, and you can just barely reach it. Restarts aren't feasible normally, so we just keep the weld going. Sometimes just one round at a time, it depends kn the situation.

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Back ground Im a gorilla welder welds are ugly and usually strong.
machine hobart champion


I want to weld some stake pockets to my trailer and cant get the vertical welds to stick.
I've tried 7018 1/8, 3/32 6013 1/8 3/32 with no luck
the frame is 5x2 x 11ga box steel and stake pockets are 3/32 thick

On the flat I can get 7018 to run ok (they are old rods) but on up hill they just don't stick.

Gorilla welder,

Both pieces need to be clean as in fresh ground no rust or scale, even mill scale. Keep a short arc and work your UP with a weave.

Vertical up is a learned skill. Get the hang of it then weld your stake pockets in. FRESH DRY 3/32 7018 @ 80 amps is what I would use. You could also use 6010 or 6011 but I don't' know how many amps. The machine should do the job.

It took ma a semester to learn vertical up. Once you have it, any position is a piece of cake.

Good luck
David

Thanks I'll get some new rods and try again.

tom

Point the rod straight in or a little up.

Pics please
David

Just use 6010 rod run vertical up with a whip technic.


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I've had good luck with ones from Grizzly. They have a little one pictured in their catalog(it's orange), but they have a bigger one that I have bought a bunch of that isn't pictured. I think they're like $15 each, and I can't break them.

6010 DC ROD I have AC welder I had to look it up because I usually use 6011.

thanks for posting I had to look it up and learned something.

Sir , Now its Water tide Sir .


Cooling Water Instalation in India .
(One of about 500 Joints that look like this .)

("Please let me out of here befor i kill the welder")