The Welding and Fabrication Thread

[cntryby]

Personally, I'd be looking into buying a multiprocess machine like the Miller Multimatic 220 AC/DC welder ($3000) and plugging it in to a standard generator. That machine isn't cheap with the TIG package but it runs really well and will allow you to MIG and stick weld off the same machine. Its portable as well. My field service trucks use these quite a bit and love them. 110v or 220v input as well.

Nice rig... it's on my radar. Either that or since I have a couple of TIG machines, the millermatic 255 in nice.

 

[Booyah45828]

Yes good stuff, thanks I'll look into that.

Suggestions on where to look for deals, ideally setting alerts?

And yes I'd probably need to build a shed, to keep the bobcat secure

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/721080505186775/?ref=search&referral_code=undefined

Not sure where you're at or how close to me you are. But this is near me, looks pretty good and seems like a deal.

 

[john61ct-SKO]

Don't touch social media, but thanks

 

[Booyah45828]

Sorry. I don't blame you.

Facebook marketplace is the only reason I have facebook. Craigslist is nearly dead and none of the alternatives like offerup/letgo/kijiji have taken off.

 

[john61ct-SKO]

Gotta save up first anyway

when the bank balance is ready the opportunity will appear

maybe rent for learning?

 

[rossvtaylor]

Now that I've got over a year with this machine, I feel like I can recommend it...and I do, highly. I'm not using it for anything other than TIG, since I've got 3 other welders for other processes, but for TIG it's fantastic and I'm impressed with the build quality.

 

[musigenesis]

Craigslist is nearly dead

I guess I need to stop buying stuff off Craigslist then! :biggrin:

Facebook Marketplace does seem to have a lot more stuff on it. I get my brother to arrange to buy anything I need off of that.

 

[BeNimble]

Given I got just about everything for the shuttle bus build for free of CL, I'd say it is not dead at all. I don't do FB, but a google search found a Legends 1934 Ford Sedan racecar body on it from a google search and so I went there and got the phone number to buy it. Hmm, do I have a pic..well not mine but same..oh I wish I could get back to that project.

 

[Native-SKO]

Do you have a LARGE lot of land to store all your projects?

 

[BeNimble]

Do you have a LARGE lot of land to store all your projects?

I did have 2 acres..County made me move them, but creeping back up the car count, might be at 22 now.. I have some stacked up in my shop...that project is on the second floor of the shelves. Hey anyone want a 2011 Volvo C30?

 

[RamRod4]

Right there with you nimble, just a good many less than you haha. Along with my bus, there’s a 68 GTO convertible, a Suzuki samurai rock crawler, 2 motorcycles, and 2 trailers in my yard/shop....and room for more.

My wife is getting nervous watching browse the bus auctions and classifieds.

 

[john61ct-SKO]

If you're serious about structure welding aluminum remotely … get a used bobcat welder, do your work, and then resell it.



I wouldn't mess with those alternator/welder combos. They're neat in a highschool science project way
…
You can stick weld aluminum, I've done it. It won't be tig pretty, but it will work

Came across this, well reco by Expo truck guys

http://readywelder.com

Informed feedback, from anyone

would be most welcome

 

[RamRod4]

Came across this, well reco by Expo truck guys

Ready Welder

Informed feedback, from anyone

would be most welcome

There was some talk about these when I was on the Pirate 4x4 forums and most opted to put together a more homebrew welding setup than spend the money on a Ready Welder. That setup is for quick and dirty welding. There's little to no control compared to a standard welding machine.

Your main issue here is that you want to do aluminum. In my opinion, TIG welding aluminum is the only way to go. A spoolgun setup on a Ready Welder (if even available) might get the job done but I can tell you first hand that a spoolgun is usually my last resort when welding aluminum. I can get into the science behind why it's not ideal for welding aluminum if you'd like.

You can stick weld aluminum. I don't recommend that either unless you're very familiar with running aluminum stick rods.

I know you're still looking for a have your cake and eat it to solution (low cost and versatility), but unfortunately you wont really be able to do that. It's kind of a 1 or the other type of scenario.

 

[john61ct-SKO]

The issue for me is portability, remote off grid use. Following conventional industry best practices would be nice but afaic functional results are all I care about.

I've only started researching, but so far finding plenty of examples of structural aluminum fab and repair work using the Ready Weld spool gun

including the Army making it standard kit on their mobile battlefield welding Hummers.

Maybe just marketing hype, but so far passing the smell test afaic

 

[RamRod4]

The issue for me is portability, remote off grid use. Following conventional industry best practices would be nice but afaic functional results are all I care about.

I've only started researching, but so far finding plenty of examples of structural aluminum fab and repair work using the Ready Weld spool gun

including the Army making it standard kit on their mobile battlefield welding Hummers.

Maybe just marketing hype, but so far passing the smell test afaic

I'm not trying to shoot you down by any means but you initially stated you want to do "structural aluminum". Your idea of structural may be different than mine, but there's little to no chance that I'm doing any structural aluminum work with a Ready Welder. I understand that industry standards are not your top priority but they have to be when doing structural work.

Maybe you could clarify what exactly you plan to weld? Give an example or 2. 2" sq aluminum tubing for a pergola/gazebo is not what I'd consider structural. You can easily do that with a Ready Welder or cheap MIG welder and spoolgun. If you plan to make some side money while travelling in your bus and want to fabricate a drive-under overhead sign for a local business entrance or something of that nature then I'd say you need to shell out the money and do it with the correct machine.

Additionally, portability is a relative term. I'd say a welding machine that fits in an underbody storage bay and plugs into your onboard generator is pretty portable. That may not be ideal for you but without more detail thats the input I was able to give you.

Thats the distinction that needs to be made to give you the best advice. Hope that helps.

 

[john61ct-SKO]

Thanks, fair enough.

Not just on a bus, truck camper, RV / trailers, pontoon platforms, houseboats, sailboats say 28-32'

Tiny houses & their trailers, stuff like that

No AC generator available necessarily, DC only sources, often wind or solar, sometimes hydro, why I stress off grid, large alternators maybe (shooting for 10+kW)

Electric propulsion for boats and vehicles running at 24-96V, so high capacity battery banks readily available.

Chassis framing for the above, hull repairs, also floating docks and boat lifts.

Trailers for hauling the boats, slide-on "living pods", for truck campers too, also go inside connex boxes.

structural yes but not bridges. . .

 

[RamRod4]

Still here. Ask away!

 

[TheHubbardBus]

I got a couple questions!

Are there ways to test your own welds - aside from just clobbering it till it breaks - that you can do at home and are relatively easy / inexpensive? If so, is that something you'd recommend? I'd like to start welding things that matter (so far I've limited myself to stuff that really won't matter if it breaks), but want to make sure my work is solid before I do.

Also,

If my beads aren't getting good slag coverage (FCAW), what would you say are possible causes? The very first day we got our welder (hobart 140, E71-T11 wire, .030) my practice beads looked great regarding slag - nice even coverage - but since then something (in my head) broke. Now I'm not getting any slag over the bead most of the time, or when I do it's spotty & inconsistent. I didn't purposefully change anything, but obviously I'm doing something different, and don't know what it is.

 

[TJones-SKO]

I got a couple questions!

Are there ways to test your own welds - aside from just clobbering it till it breaks - that you can do at home and are relatively easy / inexpensive? If so, is that something you'd recommend? I'd like to start welding things that matter (so far I've limited myself to stuff that really won't matter if it breaks), but want to make sure my work is solid before I do.

Also,

If my beads aren't getting good slag coverage (FCAW), what would you say are possible causes? The very first day we got our welder (hobart 140, E71-T11 wire, .030) my practice beads looked great regarding slag - nice even coverage - but since then something (in my head) broke. Now I'm not getting any slag over the bead most of the time, or when I do it's spotty & inconsistent. I didn't purposefully change anything, but obviously I'm doing something different, and don't know what it is.

For testing welds you can do an acid etch test. Basically cut out a cross section of the weld, polish and etch with acid. This will show how far the weld is penatrating into the base metal. There are you tube videos of how to do this.

In high school welding class we would quench test welds in water which would make them brittle. Then we would put them in a vice and bend them until they broke. The weld would pull out of the base metal and give you a pretty good idea of how well it penatrated.

I like to run my welds pretty hot so that I can see a tiny bit of melt on the back side of the metal I'm welding.

The the disappearing slag is a mystery. Not sure what settings your welder has but maybe high voltage is causing excess spatter and loosing flux? Some pictures of your welds might help.

Ted

 

[RamRod4]

I got a couple questions!

Are there ways to test your own welds - aside from just clobbering it till it breaks - that you can do at home and are relatively easy / inexpensive? If so, is that something you'd recommend? I'd like to start welding things that matter (so far I've limited myself to stuff that really won't matter if it breaks), but want to make sure my work is solid before I do.

Also,

If my beads aren't getting good slag coverage (FCAW), what would you say are possible causes? The very first day we got our welder (hobart 140, E71-T11 wire, .030) my practice beads looked great regarding slag - nice even coverage - but since then something (in my head) broke. Now I'm not getting any slag over the bead most of the time, or when I do it's spotty & inconsistent. I didn't purposefully change anything, but obviously I'm doing something different, and don't know what it is.

TJ had good advice. I’d add 2 more quick things to check/think about

1. Wire stickout - start with a 1/2” of stickout and keep your torch head close. Don’t pull away as you weld. Keep a consistent and close “torch-to-work” distance.

2. If it has slag, drag! - make sure you’re keeping a slight 10-15* angle on your MIG gun and drag or pull it in the direction you’re welding. Another way of saying this is to make sure your wrist is ahead of the tip of the MIG gun in your direction of travel. Anything that uses flux (flux core wire, stick welding, dual shield, etc) should be pulled (dragged) not pushed.

Lastly, get some 75/25 gas and start welding with regular solid wire MIG. It will give you far better results as long as you can keep wind from blowing away your shielding gas. You’ll learn quicker with it as well since you can identify your mistakes easier with no slag to chip off.