Ask your WELDING questions here.

[Old_Lion]

Originally Posted by pablo83

I attached these cast pieces with a stick welder. I used nickel electrode for cast iron.

Absolutely beautiful. I love looking at it.
How did you come buy these cast iron pieces?
You see why I need a better helmet?

George

[Pablo83]

Originally Posted by Old_Lion

Absolutely beautiful.

How did you come buy these cast iron pieces?

Thanks. I was living in Salt Lake at the time and there was a great metal supplier (Wasatch Metal) that carried a nice selection of cast iron. I haven't found a good supplier since. If anyone knows of a good online store that has a nice selection of decorative iron, I'd love to check them out.

[rd1900]

Originally Posted by Old_Lion

Why not gas MIG?.

I would need to use a separate welding shed with fancy ventilation setup
if I went with gas.

I don't understand why you would need this for MIG with gas. To stay out of the wind? The gas for MIG is carbon dioxide/argon, and in very small amounts. This is completely harmless to humans (other than suffocation!). The ozone created by the welding is far more troubling than the shielding gas could possible be.

As for the tank problem - I'm not familiar with monthly leases. Here you either own a small tank or lease a bigger tank with a one time payment. The easy solution would be to find a used tank on CL and buy it, they you just swap when you need a refill. I've used Linde, Airgas, local guy, none of them seem to care what the tank says on it.

Does your local welding shop sell machines? Do they have any you can try out? I know Linde and Airgas will let you do that. Try the flux core and then the gas MIG, you can decide for yourself. I've never welded with a stick, only gas MIG and TIG, so maybe coming from stick the flux core woudl not be such a big deal. But when I was forced to used a flux core machine after being used to gas MIG it was terrible.

And speaking of being cheap, I put hundred of pounds of wire through a cheap 120V Century MIG machine. No where near as nice as a Lincoln or Miller, and no where near as expensive, and I never had a weld fail.

Find a nice used machine, with a bottle included, use it and don't worry about fancy ventilation for the shielding gas, and I bet you would be quite happy.

[David R]

HI Old Lion.

You can also run Co2 in those machines for a gas. it works well. That is how I welded on Cell towers on Calm days. Windy days I just used stick. Look up Miller Passport. It is a 180 amp mig welder with a 12 ounce paintball Co2 can inside the case. it will weld 25? minutes on a tank.

Pick up a small roll of flux core. You can run it on one of my machines. See how you like it.

Out riding the KLX for a long lunch.

David :)

[Old_Lion]

Originally Posted by David R

HI Old Lion.

You can also run Co2 in those machines for a gas. it works well. That is how I welded on Cell towers on Calm days. Windy days I just used stick. Look up Miller Passport. It is a 180 amp mig welder with a 12 ounce paintball Co2 can inside the case. it will weld 25? minutes on a tank. Pick up a small roll of flux core. You can run it on one of my machines. See how you like it. ut riding the KLX for a long lunch.
David :)

David,
I have been meaning to get up to your place some day when you are not out riding.
Thanks for the invitation.
George

Originally Posted by rd1900

I don't understand why you would need this for MIG with gas. To stay out of the wind?.

Correct me if I am wrong.
It is my understanding that airflow/breeze/wind interferes with the gas that is shielding the arc of the weld in progress.
Be that argon75/co2 25, tri-mix, etc
Flux on a the outside of a stick/rod and flux inside a fluxcore wire performs the same function as "shielding gas" on a bare wire.

To protect the weld in progress from air movements I would have to find another location.
If you tell me that shielding the arc is not important I will take your word for it.
The main issue is shielding the arc, secondly avoiding fume-fever.

There is no way I can weld inside my garage.
Insufficient space and a fire hazard.
The first bay houses a tractor.
If rain forces me to weld indoors I have to move the tractor outdoors
and clean the floor first. Residue brought indoors on the tractor tires.

The garage is located about 40 feet from the house from which 3 overhead wires
provide the electrical power to the garage.
A farm shop bears no resemblance to a home garage.
Never made enough money to be able to afford a fancy bigger new building.
A pole building would have been nice.

Our cars and pickup truck are always parked outside summer and winter.
No room in the shop/garage.

[Pablo83]

Originally Posted by rd1900

The easy solution would be to find a used tank on CL and buy it, they you just swap when you need a refill. I've used Linde, Airgas, local guy, none of them seem to care what the tank says on it.

You need to call your gas supplier and ask if they will fill other people's tanks or not. This changes in different locations. In Salt Lake none of the suppliers would exchange or refill other companies tank. In Colorado Springs there's one shop (Colorado Welding Supply) that will actually sell you a tank (no lease) and refill it. I was very happy to find them.

[Old_Lion]

Originally Posted by pablo83

You need to call your gas supplier and ask if they will fill other people's tanks or not. This changes in different locations. In Salt Lake none of the suppliers would exchange or refill other companies tank. In Colorado Springs there's one shop (Colorado Welding Supply) that will actually sell you a tank (no lease) and refill it. I was very happy to find them.

Refilling my tanks would entail having them tested periodically.
Mandatory testing is not an issue when swapping empty tanks for full tanks.
George

[David R]

I was only saying about the Co2 because its cheaper and easier to refill. If there is a draft, turning up the flow may keep you welding. With Co2 it does not hurt the wallet near as much as C/25. Wind will shut you down outside.

I get the not wanting to weld inside your garage. Fumes from MIG are not bad at all compared to stick OR fluxcore. I have been mig welding inside all week and an open window is usually enough. The burning paint on the other side of what I am welding makes the most smoke. I do have a fume extractor, but its NOISY. I wear ear plugs when using it.

Try Mig with gas and with out before you decide.


I tig welded this aluminum rack for my Kamakasi




David

[Old_Lion]

Originally Posted by David R

Try Mig with gas and with out before you decide. I tig welded this aluminum rack for my Kamakasi


David

Oh yes I will try both.
Nice TIG job David.
Room for rod tubes underneath.

George

[David R]

Welding rod tubes just fit. I tried 3" PVC first, but it was too fat. Some paint, a drill and a few bolts.

[rd1900]

Nice work David R.
That low grade thin Al square tube is a pain in the ass, I've got a bunch of it from old pontoon boats. What tungsten did you use?

[David R]

Originally Posted by rd1900

Nice work David R.
That low grade thin Al square tube is a pain in the ass, I've got a bunch of it from old pontoon boats. What tungsten did you use?

Aluminum is extruded angle 1/8" thick by 3/4" x 3/4" from tractor supply. I bent it in a vice. Tungsten was red or black (thorated or lanthanated). It does not matter what its made of when I dunk it in the puddle. I really can't tell the difference.

David

[Old_Lion]

Originally Posted by David R

Aluminum is extruded angle 1/8" thick by 3/4" x 3/4" from tractor supply. I bent it in a vice. Tungsten was red or black (thorated or lanthanated). It does not matter what its made of when I dunk it in the puddle. I really can't tell the difference. David

David,
Your shop is filled with all sorts of nifty equipment.
I am reading an article
http://www.thefabricator.com/article/aluminumwelding/tackling-aluminum-gmaw#

It is written by

Matt Tavernelli Product manager, aluminum, hardfacing, and stainless consumables, Lincoln Electric Co 22801 St. Clair Ave. Cleveland, OH 44117 USA Phone: 216-481-8100 He makes a case for pulse transfer in welding aluminum. Quote: "" Until the development of the pulse transfer mode, it was extremely difficult to weld thin pieces of aluminum with GMAW. The high heat output of the CV spray transfer process burned through thin base materials and required a small-diameter wire, which posed other potential problems, such as feeding difficulty and tangling. Pulsing provides spray arc transfer across a wider amperage range than CC and CV. "" I am assuming that you have tried it? George

[David R]

Pulsed spray Aluminum. Yeah, I done it... I was shocked at how thin I could go.

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=18934

Most of what I do is pulsed spray low carbon steel.

David :)

[Old_Lion]

Originally Posted by David R

Pulsed spray Aluminum. Yeah, I done it... I was shocked at how thin I could go. http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=18934
Most of what I do is pulsed spray low carbon steel.
David :)

David,
Thanks.
Aluminum welding demand is on the increase.
http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/support/process-and-theory/pages/aluminum-application-detail.aspx

Nice discussion on www.weldingweb.com
Your avatar shows a Lincoln Ranger on your service truck?


George