Anything welding

Just wanted to pass along an idea I had a few weeks ago. I recently got a Tig welder and, of course, needed to build a cart. I always vow to use scrap except for the casters/wheels, but I broke with tradition. You can see by my homely collection, I usually stick to my scrap rule The one in the middle was an old school desk with the wooden lid. There's also a washing machine top in there.



On my Mig cart, I got lucky and had an old wall mount for a heavy duty fire extinguisher. Being round, it made a good bottom tray for my tank. But this time, I didn't have anything handy. So, I saw the Harbor Freight 700 lbs rated dolly was on sale for $39.00. Considering the price of the wheels I needed anyway, I thought why not.

It turned out pretty good, I'll still will be welding some small keepers at the base to better secure the bottom of the tank, and add a better strap system. But overall the idea worked well. The key is having just enough forward tilt so the bottom of the dolly doesn't drag the floor, but also keeping the bulk of the weight off the small front casters so they swivel easily. If you get the balance right, the weight of the tank helps offset the weight of the welder on those front wheels because the rear axle acts as a fulcrum.

By the way, for just an amateur, weekend warrior, I really recommend something similar to my lineup there: I have a 60amp plasma cutter, 150 amp Mig, 225 amp AC/DC Tig w/arc. My tig is not water cooled, but for me it's more than capable enough. The PrimeWeld equipment is really super value for us low hour users.

 

my Mobile EZGO rig

 

Everything I've read (including the instructions for my machine) says you have to swap polarity.

 

Well every machine I’ve used, which is a lot, that is not the case. Not sure what kinda stuff your using but hard wire/flux core there’s no difference. But do what you gotta do.

 

I’ve used hardwire on handrails on the same machine I use welding 28 passes on one side of aN ethanol reactor no switching polarity needed. Maybe i was doing it wrong? Haha.

 

I think you’re talking about two different things. Self shielded flux core is DCEN and dual shield flux core can be used both ways depending on the application

 

Yeah maybe so idk. I used to build reactors and all we used was flux core. I’ve switched gears and now a code welder at a chemical plant so my mig/flux core is a minimum
Now. Mostly tig and stick pressure pipe.

 

But even on my machine At home when I switch from hard wire to flux core I don’t change Polarity. If gasless flux wire requires swapping polarity that’s news to me. But I’ve never used it.

 

I honestly think a skilled mig welder would be able to compensate for the polarity difference. We are so used to making changes in our welding style to get the best looking weld, we wouldn't even know the leads were switched.

Our subconscious takes over on lots of welding jobs.

This is my theory, anyways.

 

Having fun building this gravity smoker with Bryan and Zach

 

Your right. Never have changed it myself.

 

I certainly can't argue... I just bought a welder, did a bunch of reading and have been trying to make metal stick together so I'm as green as they come. Everything I read says you switch polarity for solid wire with gas versus flux core without gas. I've always switched the polarity until I forgot this last time. The fact that it seemed to work fine speaks to my question and your answer

You talk about something else I know nothing about.... I thought flux core wire was for welding without gas, like outside or if you just don't have a gas setup. In what circumstances would you use flux core and a sheilding gas? Is it still argon/CO2?

 

When you're running dual shield and the gas specified for the particular wire you're using. Usually high amps.

Standard flux core needs the proper polarity as specified by the welder manufacture and using any flavor of gas is a waste of $$.

 

I have the rage 3 saw. It was cheap and got me started on a few projects but that's about all the nice things I have to say about it. The clamp vibrates loose every cut, its deafening loud and no way would I consider it for anything where precision counts. I've been looking at allot of positive reviews on the HF hydraulic feed bandsaw. Will most likely pick it up very soon.

 

Its never really made a huge difference for me. Some wire responds better than others with reversed polarity, but usually it's just a spatter difference.

 

So I'm in the middle of making new upper coilover mounts on the shock tower bucket; is there enough vertical stress supports on my current design?



The coilover bolts to two 1/4" C-channel sections, which is that vertically supported by a 1/8" C-channel section and a 1/4" 2" wide bar.

I'm a little worried about vertical stress.

 

Just might be the people doing the welding have not been around long enough to see the difference.

It depends what one is welding I have a customer crying now his machine splatters to much saving money running CO2.

I see more of a difference when one goes from self shielded straight polarity and then goes back to hard wire without changing

 

When I have the extra time after work and on the weekends I’m trying to continue pecking away at my rock slider orders

almost finished with this set.

 

At it again guys!!!

 

Please tell me you did not buy iron from a big box stores.