Ask your WELDING questions here.

[fxstbiluigi]

Originally Posted by Fe Man

How hard is cast iron to cut and drill?

Cast Iron is really soft. a good sharp drill bit will go thru quite easily and it can , if necessary, be cut without much effort with a hack saw. Drill mounting holes and mount the gate prior to filling with concrete, rent a concrete vibrator to get the mud past the mounting bolts and to make sure there are no voids in the pipe............ edit. Don't know if I need to mention this or not..... but here it is anyway... make sure the drill bit is at 90 degreess to the pipe when it penetrates the other side and use a good level, when you set the post in concrete, to be sure the post is plumb.

[xtop20A]

ok what i am trying to do is have the weld come as close as possible to the in color/shade of the original base metal.i am needing to weld a side case for an old italian bike.1965 parilla garelli kl125 to be specific. thanx fer any hep

[fxstbiluigi]

Originally Posted by xtop20A

ok what i am trying to do is have the weld come as close as possible to the in color/shade of the original base metal.i am needing to weld a side case for an old italian bike.1965 parilla garelli kl125 to be specific. thanx fer any hep

Parts need to be wire brushed or chemicaly cleaned to remove oxidation and any other contaminates before they can be welded.Which will result in a bright finish. If your intention is to hide the welded part there are several firearms refinishing business that can probably oxidize the case to look authentic.

[Gringacho]

Question;

If your only planning on welding steel and using the TIG process, are there any advantages of spending upwards of 1k on a TIG machine when you can just convert a "buzz box" stick welder for less than $200 to TIG weld with?

[fxstbiluigi]

Originally Posted by Gringacho

Question;

If your only planning on welding steel and using the TIG process, are there any advantages of spending upwards of 1k on a TIG machine when you can just convert a "buzz box" stick welder for less than $200 to TIG weld with?

What are you calling a "buzz Box" to me that is an old lincoln, or similar, that is capable of A/C only welding current. I didn't know there is a conversion kit to make that type of machine capable of D/C welding current. Can you post a link on info about the conversion kit?

[Poolside]

I think I've seen ads for a TIG conversion box with an internal rectifier to convert the AC to DC.

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by Gringacho

Question;

If your only planning on welding steel and using the TIG process, are there any advantages of spending upwards of 1k on a TIG machine when you can just convert a "buzz box" stick welder for less than $200 to TIG weld with?

The biggest advantage of a "high faluting" Tig machine is the "soft start" or high frequency start. I welded a ton of stainless steel in a fab shop using an arc welder that used a simple switch on the torch to turn the gas on via a selanoid. You simply used a "scratch start" method to start the arc. Hell, I didn't even get a pedal to control my amperage, just set the machine and go. All of that Old School stuff aside, a soft start and pedal are nice......

[Pablo83]

Originally Posted by Gringacho

Question;

If your only planning on welding steel and using the TIG process, are there any advantages of spending upwards of 1k on a TIG machine when you can just convert a "buzz box" stick welder for less than $200 to TIG weld with?

Here's short article on it if it helps:

http://www.mig-welders-tig-welder.co...rsion-kits.htm

I'm sure there are many advantages to "spending upwards of 1k on a TIG machine", but if you want to try TIG welding, having a converted buzz box is much better than having nothing. Another option would be to find a used TIG unit. A few years back I found an old Lincoln unit for $500 that had high frequency start and included everything I needed. That's how I learned to TIG.

The guy I later sold it to was an excellent welder. When he tested it out he laid down some coin welds that absolutely put my welding to shame. Like most things that require a lot of skill, it has more to do with the person than the equipment [with the exception of those worthless Harbor Freight units; I could make better welds with a coat hanger and a malfunctioning toaster]

[Poolside]

I was just gonna suggest he get a Harbor Freight TIG welder.

This one works fine. I'm as good a welder on this as I am a Syncrowave 250, not using any of the fancy settings on the Miller that is.

Image below doesn't show it but it comes with a TIG torch.
http://www.harborfreight.com/welding...der-66787.html

[Gringacho]

Originally Posted by road ranger

What are you calling a "buzz Box" to me that is an old lincoln,

I was referring to an old Lincoln or the like, yet AC/DC, so I'm not schooled up or familiar with any conversion kit for AC only.

The reason for the question is I'm into heavy industrial construction management and I witness guys (professionals I must say) all the time laying down some beautiful TIG welds on steel pipe by swapping polarity on a machine like a miller xmt or a big diesel machine and just hooking up the argon and striking an arc by moving the filler against the tungsten in a fast motion like lighting a match. I've never really been around one of the "fancy" TIG rigs with all the bells and whistles so I wasn't sure why all the hoopla.

Couple of guys here at work actually gave me a TIG torch and lead to hook everything up. One of the biggest tips they have given me is to learn to really try and master "walking" the cup. They told me to take a rounded object like the bottom of a plastic bottle and walk it up and down my leg while watching tv or sitting in a chair to help get the motion down.

My old man has an AC/DC 240V "buzz box" that he is willing to let me take off his hands and a regulator as he used to TIG this way. So all I would really need to start TIG welding would be a bottle of argon and the hoses.

I might even be able to talk one of welding rental companies here on the job into selling me a bottle filled with argon for the right price.

[fxstbiluigi]

Originally Posted by Gringacho

I was referring to an old Lincoln or the like, yet AC/DC, so I'm not schooled up or familiar with any conversion kit for AC only.

The reason for the question is I'm into heavy industrial construction management and I witness guys (professionals I must say) all the time laying down some beautiful TIG welds on steel pipe by swapping polarity on a machine like a miller xmt or a big diesel machine and just hooking up the argon and striking an arc by moving the filler against the tungsten in a fast motion like lighting a match. I've never really been around one of the "fancy" TIG rigs with all the bells and whistles so I wasn't sure why all the hoopla.

Couple of guys here at work actually gave me a TIG torch and lead to hook everything up. One of the biggest tips they have given me is to learn to really try and master "walking" the cup. They told me to take a rounded object like the bottom of a plastic bottle and walk it up and down my leg while watching tv or sitting in a chair to help get the motion down.

My old man has an AC/DC 240V "buzz box" that he is willing to let me take off his hands and a regulator as he used to TIG this way. So all I would really need to start TIG welding would be a bottle of argon and the hoses.

I might even be able to talk one of welding rental companies here on the job into selling me a bottle filled with argon for the right price.

OK The machine you are talking about will do it.The TIG torch needs to be The neg. lead an the ground is positive.IIRC the mach. you are talking about dosent have much in the way of amperage adjusment so the arc is likely to be way to hot or way too cold. If ya can get one of them pipe welders to show you how to put a root in with the TIG torch. Pipe welders are without a doubt the best.

[TheRadBaron]

I've got a welding question. I'm trying to plan out how to construct an slightly offset sprocket. I'd like to weld an unhardened steel industrial sprocket blank onto a hardened motorcycle countershaft sprocket, then have the whole unit heat-treated.
Will welding the unhardened steel to the hardened steel present any problems? Thanks.

[Benesesso]

Originally Posted by TheRadBaron

I've got a welding question. I'm trying to plan out how to construct an slightly offset sprocket. I'd like to weld an unhardened steel industrial sprocket blank onto a hardened motorcycle countershaft sprocket, then have the whole unit heat-treated.
Will welding the unhardened steel to the hardened steel present any problems? Thanks.

Hardened steels do not like to be welded. Doesn't mean it can't be done, but the best thing to do is to soften it first. To do it right, heat it to ~1250-1275 F for ~15-30 min., then air-cool.

Weld after you preheat them to ~300 F, then do the HT. You should use some method to avoid decarb., such as an anti-decarb. coating or sealing the assembly in stainless foil. HT for ~30 min. at ~1550 F, then rapidly quench in oil, moving the part briskly for a full minute.

The great unknowns are what the sprockets are made from. The industrial one could be low carbon steel, which probably won't harden, or a medium carbon (~.40%) which should.

I assume the chain will run on the indust. one, so at this point you should check the surface hardness. The final HT step will be tempering, probably ~400F for an hour min. This will reduce the hardness a bit, but will add toughness.

If the indus. one IS low carbon, it could be carburized (case hardened).

There's several ways to skin this cat-keep us posted.

[mark1305]

+1 on what Benesesso said in the first two paragraphs. I've been in more than a couple of shipyards in my USCG career, and the last ship I sailed on had a hardened steel wheelhouse (WW II veteran) as in armored protection. When the shipyard guys tried to simply cut out and weld new QAWTD units on the sides of the wheelhouse, they got all kinds of cracks in the hardened parent metal. It took enough extra work to draw the temper from that steel to get the doors welded in properly to modify the contract (again).

The other advice on heating, hardening and tempering is right on. Often local libraries will have some of the better textbooks with details of how to build heat treating equipment and how to judge temps by the color of the steel. Most of it is pretty simple and cheap once you get the idea of the basics. For example, a turkey fryer burner and a pile of fire brick can be made to work wonders heating workpieces to the temps needed. Or some books show how to make a simple propane burner that looks a lot like the ones used to heat tile or roofing. When stuck into a fire brick "oven" these work to heat smaller pieces quite well. Lots of ways to tackle the project; all of them good learning opportunities.

[Pablo83]

Can I weld 6061 to 3003? If so, would I use 4043 filler?