Anything welding

Probably inconsistent due to a poor ground, or too long of a stick out/too fast wire speed.
Other thing I can think of is the liner needs to be replaced and the wire is binding/isnt feeding consistent- if you try the other stuff first, and it still sputters then try tightening down the feed roll tensioner so they cant slip to test whether it may be the liner, or just replace it if it's been a while since it was last replaced.

 

so, for the welders out there, heres a noobie question, can aluminum just be cut and MiG'd together or does it require heating first? id like to build my own bumpers and other things, but if i cant do aluminum without heating it or TIG it throws that idea out the window and ill go with my original plan to get a brush guard.

and when i say aluminum i mean mostly tube with filler plates not straight plate

 

So I don't have any experience with mig aluminum but aluminum requires way more amperage to weld because it transfers heat so efficiently. That's why pre heating the entire piece with a torch helps a lot if you have a smaller welder. Since you'd want at least 1/4" for a bumper I would pre heat.

 

damn, that kinda rules that out since i dont have anything to heat it with

 

Bernzomatics work. Not the best, but cheap and readily available.

 

Yeah even a cheap propane torch will do the trick.

 

Yeah that's what I use. One of the torches that the little propane bottle screws into. It just takes a lil longer but works great.

I got a question about welding on an axle ........ I welded Jerrys rear shock kit on a few months ago and could not for the life of me find a good setting to lay down a consistent bead. Welded the top mounts together fine, welded the top mounts to the frame fine but couldn't do the rear axle fine. Here's the top mounts .......





And here's the bottom after I painted it but you can tell I laid a few passes down ......



I got a Hobart Handler 140. I use flux core and a 75/25 Oxygen/Acetylene mix (I think that's right). I welded on the axle by tacking the pieces, preheating first, then doin 3/4"-1" passes at a time on different sides. I got my ground on a hub bolt. I left all the plugs in with the oil. And I had my settings at 4/40ish. And then I just kept changing the speed and fucking with the ground and never could get anything clean. They are on there now and after my 3 day offroad trip that was a few days after I welded them, I know it's plenty strong but I don't like the look. Can someone point out a possible problem? Maybe next time I can do it cleaner

 

Wow...so much fail. You don't use gas with flux core. And when you do its C25 (75% Argon, 25% Co2) or just Co2 is fine too. And of course you had a hard time on the axle mounts...its overhead welding. Turn the heat and feed up a bit, and get that nozzle close to the work.

And it's silly adding rock anchors below your axle tubes as well. Unless you are just a desert guy generally you want nothing hanging below the axle tube.

 

Haha I said I think that was right. And yeah that's it, 75/25 argon/oxygen. Lol sorry I don't read the bottle much. I just get it refilled with the same thing every time. And I tried all kinds of different combos to get it right. Just couldn't find the sweet spot. First time welding on an axle so I didn't know if there was any tips to it. So are you saying I wouldve welded it fine if it were right side up? Or you saying that just adds to the difficulty? Cause I know flat welding is easier then inverted.

And yeah I agree. Best case scenario is a flush axle but this is where my shock/mount combo fell out and I never had an issue with my stock shock mounts getting hung up. One of my first trips with my truck I got hung up in a creek bed on my ubolts so I got a flip kit. Hasn't happened with shock mounts yet. These are up higher then stock and are close to the wheel so I felt pretty good putting them there.

 

75% Argon, 25% CO2 not oxygen

Chances are if you properly cleaned the paint etc. off the axle tube and removed/flipped it then yeah your welds prolly would have looked just as nice.

 

Fuck I meant to type CO2. My bad. And aight I gotcha. I guess it was mainly the welding upside down then. I didn't know for sure. I've seen people say to weld on an axle the way I did, or to drain the oil first, or to crack the plug first. All kinds of different shit

 

Yeah I always weld on the top for my shock mounts. I imagine if there was gear oil in that tube that f'd you as well. Next time I would at least jack the side up you are gonna weld on to drain the fluid outa the tube.

 

I can't wait until I can afford one.

 

I'm in welding class right now, and I love it. I've been through that book and the Symbols book also. There is a lot of useful info in both of them. Good luck.

 

Yeah that's one thing I wasn't sure of either

 

Built a bender stand.

Work




Class

 

Got a deal on 1/4" 4130 plate, I figured I'd make my diff covers and anything else I can think of that would take nasty hits on the rocks. Should I just pre and post heat it like like you would when welding cast nodular iron?

 

its never a bad idea to pre heat thicker metal before welding, however if your welder can weld 1/4" in a single pass i wouldnt worry about it. but if youre concerned about warping then you can pre and post heat the entire piece that you're welding on

 

He's talking about heat treating it because it's chromoly.

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it, you're not going to dent 1/4" 4130 plate heat treated or not.

edit: for the baja car we had to make a weld sample and break it to pass tech. I used 1.25" OD .065" wall 4130 tube and didnt heat treat at all. It still took a 5 foot cheater bar and all of my 150lbs to break it.

This isn't mine but it looked the same.