famous bob
mopar misfit
Amen on the spring get here fast ! 21 degrees and a snow cover on the ground. Bout froze my hands off goin to feed the dogs, wind blowing too !!
Need Any Welding advice?
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Amen on the spring get here fast ! 21 degrees and a snow cover on the ground. Bout froze my hands off goin to feed the dogs, wind blowing too !!
Back in Time
Well-Known Member
Sounds to me like you don;t know jack. Giving vague answers I know a girl in Colorado that could outweld you with one hand tied behind her back. You've given nothing here but vague answers and cloudiness. Move on Paco.[/QUOTE]
I worked with a girl in Kansas that was the best welder in the shop and was a hot little Blond when she cleaned up.
Other than practicing and cleanliness , I find you got to be ready to move fast with a spool gun. I haven't had much luck on thinner sheet metal with the spool gun.
I love it when younger guys use the old fart name calling Chit! ha
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Well this has been fun.......I have earned a living my whole life under a hood. How else do you end up in ND?
Best advice on spool gun welding aluminum is don't! Automotive sheet metal with a stick, again with don't but if you have to, 3/32 6011 set so low it is just past won't start. MIG is way to go on auto sheet metal. Welding with a torch on cars, silicone bronze is your friend. Welding is not science but art in the car world! Disclaimer:
I am not offering welding advice!
Best advice on spool gun welding aluminum is don't! Automotive sheet metal with a stick, again with don't but if you have to, 3/32 6011 set so low it is just past won't start. MIG is way to go on auto sheet metal. Welding with a torch on cars, silicone bronze is your friend. Welding is not science but art in the car world! Disclaimer:
I am not offering welding advice!
I was going to ask JUST one question, before all panties got in a wad!
Stepson has a big bass boat. Other day, he found the "bracket", yes it is big , that holds the BIG outboard, was cracked. It is cast aluminum. I also noticed that it is not just bolted together but some of it is welded.
Aluminum stock trailers are mig welded. What is the system to weld this cast aluminum? Just curious.
Stepson has a big bass boat. Other day, he found the "bracket", yes it is big , that holds the BIG outboard, was cracked. It is cast aluminum. I also noticed that it is not just bolted together but some of it is welded.
Aluminum stock trailers are mig welded. What is the system to weld this cast aluminum? Just curious.
famous bob
mopar misfit
the b
Probly will try to tack the pieces together and just have it tig welded , unless I stumble on the something.
I noticed the few times I messed with the spool gun, the alum. wire was dancing all over the weld area, I bought a roll of heavier wire , hoping it will help . Too dam cold out side to try anything now, but may set the pieces on my garage heater and preheat them some when I try it . -------more to come -----
Probly will try to tack the pieces together and just have it tig welded , unless I stumble on the something.
I noticed the few times I messed with the spool gun, the alum. wire was dancing all over the weld area, I bought a roll of heavier wire , hoping it will help . Too dam cold out side to try anything now, but may set the pieces on my garage heater and preheat them some when I try it . -------more to come -----
famous bob
mopar misfit
I watched an alum. humongous house boat being built in Alaska on tv, they didn't have much trouble with using a mig spool gun set up, and it was bigger stuff, and a hell of a lot colder . ??????????
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Typically you will need to heli arc it back together. For those type parts usually 4043 or 5356. When you hit it with heat if it has greenish tint use 5356 otherwise 4043. And you MUST preheat with a torch and grind out crack rounding all corners where grind groove meets OEM. I have weeded up a bunch of them this way.
Disclaimer: just a redneck welder
All this trouble started other day, the day before the BIG bass tournament! He luckily found a boat shop that had a new thing, and put it on at 6 pm that evening!
The kid is a vo ag teacher and they have a pretty good shop teacher. Hopefully he can keep this cracked one and repairit and keep for a spare. The outboard is really big and heavy and those tournament bass guys run like Nascar drivers! The new thing is the same but way heavier material!
Cope
Fusing with fire
Welding on sheet metal.
Step one.
Set the machine LOW.
step two
Find some scrap that is the same thickness and play with it.
Step three.
Flange the metal.
If your gonna but weld it it better not have any seam. I'm talking dead nuts tight on the cuts. Yes you can fill the gaps but it's not easy or pretty.
If you blow a hole shoot your wire back into the pool and build backwards.
Spot weld the entire thing moving around ALOT. do not let it get hot. Cool the work with compressed air when it gets warm.
Step four.
Practice.
There that wasn't so hard now was it?
Step one.
Set the machine LOW.
step two
Find some scrap that is the same thickness and play with it.
Step three.
Flange the metal.
If your gonna but weld it it better not have any seam. I'm talking dead nuts tight on the cuts. Yes you can fill the gaps but it's not easy or pretty.
If you blow a hole shoot your wire back into the pool and build backwards.
Spot weld the entire thing moving around ALOT. do not let it get hot. Cool the work with compressed air when it gets warm.
Step four.
Practice.
There that wasn't so hard now was it?
Mysons68dart
Well-Known Member
Well since I'm still new to the forum and I'm an OLD FART I've been welding on and off for 35 years And the best thing I did was try to teach my son how to Weld he got so intrested in it he went to school for it in the last 3 years hes become a multiple certificate pipe welder and in the last 4 or 5 months hes been working for an aerospace company doing aerospace Welding. Since it is quite different than doing pipe welding . So here goes
Question number one AC for tig aluminum current depends on thickness I will send pix
Question number 2 as someone else has said I don't think stick should be used in automotive work sheet metal Chrome Molly , ECT
Number 3
It's hard to recommend a machine if you haven't used it but there is a lot of good machines out there I went in halves with my son and bought a Lincoln 200 Square wave ACD C stick machine plus pulse real nice machine but a little pricey But we bought it brand new and it's been a great machine but if you want ACD C you're gonna need to spend a little more
Number 4
It's Been years since I have done it but it's kinder lighting with Teague few start of puddle which means you're removing metal then you dip your rod and add the metal back in you can kind of do that with gas welding but we used to do is start a puddle and just keep running the ponnelle down until you've made your Weld it's kind of hard to explain sorry head Bang
Number 5
As my son is taught me you really need the heat to be adjustable there's a lot of variables like gas flow cup size tungsten size X cetera
Number 6
I don't mean to be a DICK But it's kind of obvious don't Weld or do anything that uses electrical current in water that's my disclaimer
Number 7
Did you mean tick rod I just bought a pound of IR80S - D2 for micro Mali 4 link tubes your net was $12.22 from mcmaster C pic
Number 8
I'm not sure I would think it would depend on how much Room you have head Bang maybe someone else that has done Roll bars which I have seen many threads in FABO
Well I hope this helps the OP and some of you other guys out there if there is any questions or welding advice I would be more than happy to ask my son since he has learned from one of the best welders who may I add works for Lockheed and has been considered 1 of the best in the country picks to follow
Gary, and son Kevin which is not the son who owns the dart but his brother and kudos to him for helping me build this car.
Mysons68dart
Well-Known Member
Now those are nice answers.
Mysons68dart
Well-Known Member
Thanks rusty, You guys have taught me a whole bunch in just the last couple of weeks on building this car so I just wanted to give back
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Agreed RR. I sent John a PM as well. We will give him all the help we can!
mopar head
Well-Known Member
35+year weldor here hoping to learn something new.
I`ve learned something all right
op.
I`ve learned something all right
op.
famous bob
mopar misfit
35+year weldor here hoping to learn something new.
I`ve learned something all right
just think, all this for a suggestion on aluminum spool gun welding.
I have already installed "in the floor" type frame connectors, which are the strongest type, built front firewall down struts, and lower control arm struts for the magnum force front end, welded up a crack in the pass side front frame and reinforced it, installed a 6 point cage, bought a front fender area lower patch, lengthened it and welded it in, before painting the car.
I really didn`t want a lecture in welding, sheet metal , I SIMPLY ASKED FOR ANY TRICKS ON ALUM SPOOL GUN WELDING !
Seems like every time someone asks a question any more , it turns to pissing match !
famous bob
mopar misfit
AGREE STICK IS FOR TRACTORS, "AND TRAILERS" . I did my own 3 1/2" exhaust using my mig, it turned out like I wanted .
mopar head
Well-Known Member
I have limited experience with alu. sp.gun welding but do own a nice miller gun, and bought a nice XMT 350 to power it. Back in the early 80s I worked for a small tea kettle to catapillar repair/welding shop, great experience/low pay,moved on after 3 years.
Spent some time with the spoolgun in a few aluminum dump trailers, 1/4-1/2" thick stuff, could make some nice welds. 1/8" and down, not so much, so I rather use my tig system. Thinner the harder. I found that a larger .035 wire tends to work better than .024 on thinner material, wire speed is key. If you have scrap the same as your welding,"a must" and can control the gun with 1 hand and one on the wire speed while welding is the best way to set the system.
famous bob
mopar misfit
Thanks, that's more on order of what I was asking .
I have to use both hands on the gun for more than spotting it tho !! L0L
May have to tack it together and have it tigged -----------
mopar head
Well-Known Member
Stick will never be replaced out in the field, for structure and definitely pipe welding, which is my gig.
TrailBeast
AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
35+year weldor here hoping to learn something new.
I`ve learned something all right
Here's something new for you to learn.
It's spelled "welder"
Man, I had to do that so please don't get all "burnt" up about it.
Here's hoping you can take a joke.
mopar head
Well-Known Member
Sure, I can take it and dish it out too... allow me to learn ya sumfin. welder the machine.Here's something new for you to learn.
It's spelled "welder"
Man, I had to do that so please don't get all "burnt" up about it.
Here's hoping you can take a joke.
Weldor the person, but they only taught me that in the 1000 hr course in tech school.
Speaking of burnt up, last week I experienced the worse pants on fire in my history
Cope
Fusing with fire
When I build cages there's a few ways to get it done. Easiest is to cut holes in the floor and drop the entire cage down then at the end you lift the cage back up built your out riggers and patch the floor.
On full frame cars it's a litte more tricky.
Full frame cars I like to land right on the frame so you cant drop it down. In that case it's a give and take. Hopefully you have enough room to leave the cage down an inch or so for welding. If the driver height requires the cage to be touching the roof you better get dam good at welding with a lot of "stick out".
I believe NHRA allows tubes that can't be fully welded to be gusseted but I always manage to get around the tube.
The real trick to TIG welding cages is getting realy good at notching tube.
The welds only look as good as your notch.
Never think you can go back and fix the notch with weld. You cant, it always look shity.
I have turned A LOT of tube into scrap buildings roll cages..
Most times I will sneak up on the notch. I leave the bar long and notch two or three time to make it fit just right. As the bar shrinks from notching the angle of the notch changes so I make my first notch close and remove 1/4 of an inch at a time while bumping the notcher over until it's perfect.
Why do you think roll cages are so expensive? It's a ton of work and it's not easy.
Hell it's just your life, it dont have to be that good right?
On full frame cars it's a litte more tricky.
Full frame cars I like to land right on the frame so you cant drop it down. In that case it's a give and take. Hopefully you have enough room to leave the cage down an inch or so for welding. If the driver height requires the cage to be touching the roof you better get dam good at welding with a lot of "stick out".
I believe NHRA allows tubes that can't be fully welded to be gusseted but I always manage to get around the tube.
The real trick to TIG welding cages is getting realy good at notching tube.
The welds only look as good as your notch.
Never think you can go back and fix the notch with weld. You cant, it always look shity.
I have turned A LOT of tube into scrap buildings roll cages..
Most times I will sneak up on the notch. I leave the bar long and notch two or three time to make it fit just right. As the bar shrinks from notching the angle of the notch changes so I make my first notch close and remove 1/4 of an inch at a time while bumping the notcher over until it's perfect.
Why do you think roll cages are so expensive? It's a ton of work and it's not easy.
Hell it's just your life, it dont have to be that good right?
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