Anything welding

so - another question - when you get to a corner (as I did down below) do you roll your torch around so it's aiming back the way you came? I always get oxidation at the end where I break over the edge. Here my torch was probably aimed right at the root and tilted back about 30-45° from the direction I was going. Those damn corners.

 

How long is your post flow timer set for??

I start at the end of the joint and weld toward the center.

having the tack welds about 1/2" from the end allowing a good burn through.

In everything but Vertical

 

It's on 'auto' and goes for DAYS. lol. But that makes sense to weld in to the middle, though I feel like I see guys making beautiful continuous welds corner to corner on tanks and such. I'm going to have to start paying more attention.

 

You need to practice your tie ins.

Besides that is why you have many grinders

 

Ok, here we go.
Coming up to retirement and wanted to start my hobby...Um welding?

Yep always wanted to learn and so, I just got a millermatic 141, gear, tools and a table
Just need to get the argon/co2 mix. What size? 80? 40? I will practice alot and skip the classes. I learn by error.

 

Welcome aboard Andy! I started with a 60 and it lasted me a long time while I was learning and otherwise tinkering. I then moved to an 80 when things got more serious. I’m now using two 80cf tanks so I never run out between jobs. IMO, you’ll be fine with a smaller tank while you learn. Be sure to reach out if you need any help along the way!


Take a look here:

https://store.cyberweld.com/cyltecingasc.html

 

I will still need your skills for the aluminum


Is it better to buy a tank and have it filled or exchange it with a company like airgas?

 

I bought my tanks through cyber weld because they’re generally cheaper. I get them exchanged at air gas when needed.

 

I move torch to vertical/90 deg and dab filler at the end on a corner like that. Makes a nice puddle that caps the weld off.

 

Thank you! I've got some more weld/assemblies in mind so am going to get some material to do some practicing. Meanwhile... Finished item...

 

np. Is that a lathe?

 

'73 Jet mill. Lathe is right next to it.

 

Nice. been looking for an old 40-50's southbend lathe 36" ish. $1500-2500 range. Do you have any recommendations in that department.

 

I wish! I'm sort of a dope/chicken when it comes to used machinery. There's so much to these machines that you would never see unless you really tore in to them, so it can be hard to know if the machine is ok or not. There's a guy on instagram I follow who wanted to buy a new US iron manual knee mill so he got a brand-new Wells-Index. But the shit he found in that machine was unreal. He started down the rabbit hole trying to fix it and just kept discovering more and more stuff and eventually just scrapped it. A $40k mill. Made me feel pretty good about my 50 year old Taiwanese mill! And... made me realize finding an older monarch or southbend would probably be better than trying to get something new.

 

Ive heard the same thing. Prob just gonna take a chance on an old one. The 36-48" south bends mostly all made guns for ww2 or 1. Prob 2, im no historian. But if it can make guns, it can make some janky car part I need. lol

 

“Made guns” and can still make guns are two different things. I guess if I was going to buy a used lathe I’d grab a dial indicator and go check out someone’s machine that I knew was good and reef on the chuck and the carriage/cross slide and see what kind of runout/flex I could see and then do the same thing to a machine I was looking to buy.

 

Be sure to ask for a nice tank when you exchange or you’ll get a roached rusty tombstone bringing down your shop vibe!

 

My tanks always look good, and they exchanged them multiple times already.

With that said, doesn't matter if they look good or not cause the important part is you never have to worry about hydro-testing.

 

I gotta agree most distributors keep after the cylinders.

I could care less if it is beat up it makes no difference it is the contents

It all comes down to if you want to wait a few weeks for a pretty cylinder.

At one time some distributors would not swap but sent your owned cylinder out to be filled could take a easy month to get returned . Then the company cylinders came first yours might be bumped a few trailer loads .

 

Anyone in CO looking to sell a MIG machine?