Anything welding

I'm picking up my first welder this week - a tombstone ac225. Not the fanciest machine in the world but couldn't pass it up for $50. Now I have to learn how to use it. I haven't welded since high school and that was a loooong time ago. And I sucked at it. lol. Anyone have any good teach yourself to weld hints or resources?

 

youtube will teach you a good bit, other than that just get out there and practice practice practice lol repatition does it

 

Just noticed a potentially big problem with my welder.

It's a Hobart 210MVP. I've always run it on 115 though. I was replacing the roll of wire and noticed the melted plastic. I think it's safe to assume it's not supposed to be like that. IIRC, I've never hit the max duty cycle (which I've done a time or two with my Hobart 140.) Even when cranked all the way up. I figured I didn't hit the duty cycle because I've only run 115.

Could something be messed up with the hardware so that it doesn't trip the kill switch (or whatever) and the welder becomes overheated?

 

Is the connection tight? Sometimes a loose connection will cause it to get hot.

 

"Insuperior potassium"

Cheapo plastic maybe?

 

While I haven't built my own sliders I have designed a lot of structural steel. You're gussets are not going to provide you the strength you think they will. If you hit heavy enough the gusset will either deform the flat of the square tube or punch through. Whenever I use square tube I place the gussets at the extreme edge of the member so that the gusset has something below it to bare on, not a flat piece of plate.

Now, you're going to have a lot more problems than some bent tubing if you've hit hard enough to buckle the tube and have the gussent punch through, so you're probably just fine.

Just some food for thought.



Here's a screen shot of one of my modules that I designed. It's currently being built. You can see the stiffeners where the square tubes meet the wide flanges. The stiffeners are placed such that the wall of the tube is supported.

 

Not a bad price. See if he'll take $600

 

I'd take that in a heartbeat

 

X2 this is why we weld our gussets on the outside edge of the slider legs.

 

Gotchya. That makes complete sense, and thanks for the intelligent input..

These have been a learning process, and I'm continually getting better. Definitely have an admiration for the large scale fab shops!

In retrospect, I agree fully with your suggestion of gusset placement. But, like you said - I'm fairly certain there will be many more pressing issues at hand if the truck has been thrashed on hard enough to blow out a gusset!

 

It's not that big of a deal if you put them in the center you will be fine.

 

What is everyone using for ventilation systems?

Did about a year of MMAW back in High School, and never really worried about my lungs.. which was stupid.

My shop now is so much smaller that the grinding/welding particulate/fumes don't have anywhere to dissipate. Leaving a door open isn't an option.

Been wearing a P100 Miller half-mask low profile respirator that seems to be working; although - I'd like to build some sort of extraction system..

 

X2 good thing to remember when Reenforcing something

 

Just food for thought buddy. You're sliders should work just fine. Keep up the good work. Nice welds by the way.

 

This one?

 

Could you also just weld/tack another piece down the middle inside the tube to support it?

 

Yup but not necessary at all.

 

Fairly certain it was the one that's a step down from that. Absolute junk. Motor was way under rated from what the sticker stated, tripped breakers - and the fence/handle assembly is garbage. Even the cord material on HF tools is junk. But - like I said - how could you expect something that costs a fraction of the "real deal" to be a quality tool?

Picked up a Makita yesterday. Much, much better.. Welded a piece of 1/4" flat stock to the fence, stiffened it up quite a bit.

Would love to be able to justify a cold cut or horizontal band saw; just can't do it at the moment.

Pretty cool table from Pirate on notching with a hole saw:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/shop-tools/456800-chop-saw-notching-101-pictures.html

This will have to do until I get my ass around to ordering a JD2 notcher.

 

So any suggestions for a decent MIG welder that's not gonna kill the bank on someone learning to weld? I did a couple practice runs a long time ago but I've never made a successful bead.. My goal is to use it to build sliders, bumper, whatever else for the truck so it needs to be able to weld thick enough metals (my guess from lookin around is one rated high enough to weld at least 1/4")

 

It took me a while to look at anything other than Blue..

But I'm really happy with my Thermal Arc Fabricator 211i.

I feel as though it's a machine that you're not going to outgrow as you become a proficient welder. Plus, it's multi-process/dual voltage as well.

Comes with good consumables - the only thing I'd swap would be the ground clamp. But that's just me.

Make sure you get a good helmet. It's tempting to get the junk from HF.. But how are you going to learn to weld if you can't see the puddle? I'm happy with this one:

http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/equipment/welding-gear/helmets/Pages/viking-3350.aspx