Welding and Fabrication Thread

[grimm]

thanks, this is my first time really working with metal in general.

[rocknrace03]

well I've had a lot of practice at work and brought some scraps home today to give pipe welding another go.

monday and tuesday i did 20 or so sets of these tips, started off real terrible, and this was one of the last ones i did



welding in that tight spot was tough, especially cuz i can only move in one direction at the moment, and the thick cast stainless to thin tips was a challenge in its own

heres how i did when i got home, they're better then i have been doing (or at least i think so) but it looks to me like every once in a while i get a heavy right foot and get the material too hot, but the thinner filler wire has worked magic as far as being able to dip properly, also figuring out how to "pulse" the pedal, but mine doesn't have too much travel, i need to upgrade to the miller pedal since mine is the hobart one, it should be interchangeable.






let me know what you'd guys think

[SovXietday]

Don't get into the habit of manually pulsing the pedal, you're going to have all sorts of issues doing that. I only do that when I am in a REALLY tight spot and having trouble filling correctly, but it's more so that I don't burn through than to get nice beads.

You're getting there, keep practicing. Try working with like 1/8" plate and learning how the puddle moves and whatnot, tube is really really hard to learn on because it's always changing and it's very thin. Also remember, metal heat soaks. So when you start out you'll be rolling with more heat, then you'll need less and less as it gets hotter and hotter. I like to try and focus on the bead width, making it the same every time and making sure that when I drag the puddle forward I push it dead straight.

Then, when you think you're getting pretty good, turn on AC and get your ass handed to ya. :P

Here's some collector welds for my turbo manifold, getting better now.

[rocknrace03]

thanks again aaron, the only reason i do tube is because since i work for an exhaust shop i figure i might as well learn on the pipe since we rarely have anything flat in the scrap bin, ill have to pick up some steel filler/ steel plate, right now i only have stainless. but thanks for the tips, your welds look professional for sure! gonna practice a little bit this afternoon ill edit this post with pics

[grimm]

the past 2 weekends i've been building a brew stand, it's certainly not as pretty as any of the work posted so far, but it's my first metal fabrication project and i think it came out great!
I need to finish up the fuel system, and then wire in a pump.

[RedWabbit]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1337719596.660872.jpg

Unfortunately I had to get a new phone so this is the only pic of the skid plate I welded onto my oil pan for the vr6 I just put in the car. It was rushed after work but overall I'm happy with it, i did clean it up a bit and sand it down to make it look better. Using an old 1960's Lincoln water cooled tig machine no special features like they have today just put your foot in it and go.


Sent from under my car.

[rocknrace03]

havnt updated in a while, no cool projects quite yet, but i have one in the making. spent the past 2 days at work making various brackets for our products. my welds are very consistent now and i think i have it figured out for the most part. one of the guys i work with told me that instead of trying to move super fast to keep the heat from soaking, to simply just push more filler in on each dip, and it def helped tons!

[enigma]

Seems like you are still "learning the pedal", much improvement tho, keep up the good work.
Heres a drill that helped me, Just get a piece of scrap sheet metal, and run an arc across it. No filler rod, just use the torch, and pedal control to create a nice consistent seam down a piece of metal. Try to acheive 100% penetration, without burning through, while keeping your heat pattern consistent as well. You'll learn to "read" read the puddle faster, and adjust yourself quicker as the base metal heats up and the arc changes.

[rocknrace03]

Originally Posted by enigma

Seems like you are still "learning the pedal", much improvement tho, keep up the good work.
Heres a drill that helped me, Just get a piece of scrap sheet metal, and run an arc across it. No filler rod, just use the torch, and pedal control to create a nice consistent seam down a piece of metal. Try to acheive 100% penetration, without burning through, while keeping your heat pattern consistent as well. You'll learn to "read" read the puddle faster, and adjust yourself quicker as the base metal heats up and the arc changes.

thanks for the tip ill def give it a try. for the most part i try to just set the machine for what i need and "flat foot" it, but sometimes that does come back to bite me. and still there are times where i know i need to adjust something, but i don't know what so i have to end the weld before i over heat it trying to make a decision. i guess like anything i just need more and more practice. making these brackets at work has definitely helped tons too!

[SovXietday]

Getting better! Definitely improving. Just keep up with the torch time and you'll learn more and more. You're just a bit cold on that bracket though, but that feel will all come with time.

I learned something new just yesterday. Been reading about how to weave but never really had to do it before until now. They're a ton of fun, and I think it came out pretty nice for my first go. Still need to go the rest of the way around, and I'm bound to screw it up so I figured I'd take pics of the good part. :P

[cmr076]

Originally Posted by rocknrace03

thanks for the tip ill def give it a try. for the most part i try to just set the machine for what i need and "flat foot" it, but sometimes that does come back to bite me. and still there are times where i know i need to adjust something, but i don't know what so i have to end the weld before i over heat it trying to make a decision. i guess like anything i just need more and more practice. making these brackets at work has definitely helped tons too!

Damn your getting better quick! Your learning from some of the best though and are in a great place to become very talented.

Did tony really get you guys those rotisserie things that spins around on the work benches? I was In a meeting with him Monday and he was talking about them.

[rocknrace03]

Originally Posted by cmr076

Damn your getting better quick! Your learning from some of the best though and are in a great place to become very talented.

Did tony really get you guys those rotisserie things that spins around on the work benches? I was In a meeting with him Monday and he was talking about them.

thanks dave! we have 2 now. JB and Dan have used them and they both think it worked really well. i haven't tried it yet, but i don't think i can keep a steady hand long enough. i definitely do learn from the best though. brad spent some time with me over lunch today to help me out with the with my welding. i did i few sets of welding these ball flares on some our products. heres my welds as of 3:30pm today


getting better, but i start stop a lot and of course still stick the tungsten all the time. but as billy says. "you need to get more consistent. but with more practice you'll get consistently better"


speaking of practice, i also put a flange on a buddys exhaust for his turbo build and it came out really nice.

but its a little easier when you have a real thinck flange to keep the heat on. as always I'm just gonna keep practicing. really determined to master the welding. fabricating is always fun for me. even though i still struggle a bit with most of it

[Mishimoto]

Originally Posted by rocknrace03

speaking of practice, i also put a flange on a buddys exhaust for his turbo build and it came out really nice. but its a little easier when you have a real thinck flange to keep the heat on. as always I'm just gonna keep practicing. really determined to master the welding. fabricating is always fun for me. even though i still struggle a bit with most of it

Looks great! Your the go to welder for your buddies now lol.

[cmr076]

Originally Posted by rocknrace03

thanks dave! we have 2 now. JB and Dan have used them and they both think it worked really well. i haven't tried it yet, but i don't think i can keep a steady hand long enough. i definitely do learn from the best though. brad spent some time with me over lunch today to help me out with the with my welding. i did i few sets of welding these ball flares on some our products. heres my welds as of 3:30pm today


getting better, but i start stop a lot and of course still stick the tungsten all the time. but as billy says. "you need to get more consistent. but with more practice you'll get consistently better"


speaking of practice, i also put a flange on a buddys exhaust for his turbo build and it came out really nice.

but its a little easier when you have a real thinck flange to keep the heat on. as always I'm just gonna keep practicing. really determined to master the welding. fabricating is always fun for me. even though i still struggle a bit with most of it

Looks great!!

Wait until you see tony and sal throw a mask on... Then your I'm for a treat!

[rocknrace03]

Originally Posted by cmr076

Looks great!!

Wait until you see tony and sal throw a mask on... Then your I'm for a treat!

have already seen this. he's by far the best in the shop. so fast and perfect every time

[SoStock92]

I recently picked up a miller diversion 180 and converted it to a weldcraft wp9 torch with crazy awesome flex hose


Anyway, here are some of my welds


Autogenous Weld Root Pass by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

I also built this tool to bevel pipe


Pipe Beveler Project by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

[rocknrace03]

Originally Posted by SoStock92

I recently picked up a miller diversion 180 and converted it to a weldcraft wp9 torch with crazy awesome flex hose


Anyway, here are some of my welds

nice! any info on that mod. i have a hobart 165 ez-tig (same as the diversion 165) we use those hoses at work which i really like having. would love to see if its possible on my machine for home. and your welds are super nice. sooo jelly

[SovXietday]

Originally Posted by SoStock92

I recently picked up a miller diversion 180 and converted it to a weldcraft wp9 torch with crazy awesome flex hose


Anyway, here are some of my welds


Autogenous Weld Root Pass by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

I also built this tool to bevel pipe


Pipe Beveler Project by Jon Kensy, on Flickr

That's what I did to mine, flex head = win. Only problem is they break after a while, so buy extras.

PS, you're planning on running another bead right? Way undercut as of this moment.

[devo]

Do gay little end tables count??

My dad's a welder and taught me to TIG weld years ago. But all I used it for, beyond practicing on scrap, was some gay little end tables I made for my bedroom using silver(plated) serving trays I got at a flea market.

...Basically if Martha Stewart had a welding episode, this would be it.

[Mishimoto]

Originally Posted by devo

Do gay little end tables count??

My dad's a welder and taught me to TIG weld years ago. But all I used it for, beyond practicing on scrap, was some gay little end tables I made for my bedroom using silver(plated) serving trays I got at a flea market.

...Basically if Martha Stewart had a welding episode, this would be it.

Sounds neat. Post them up!