Some welding questions for you...

[Big Rod]

I can't be doing with those gasless things! Total garbage IMHO!

I swear by them for welding outdoors!!

OK, the finish isn't quite as good, but when you're grinding the seams down anyway, it doesn't make a wholehelluvalot of difference!

[HMK]

I think you should be fine with that now, Mark.

On your first pic it looked to me as if it wasn't 'hot enough' ie, Not enough Amps!! It did look as if you'd missed the odd bit - ie, bottom right hand corner........you know when the weld is too cold & hasn't penetrated enough, when the tester gets his screwdriver under a corner that you've missed & levers the whole plate off .........Or, as one of my 'plod' relatives used to tell me when a rusty old car with loads of DIY plates welded on was involved in a really bad RTA (smash), how funny it was to see all the welds had 'sprung' & virtually every tacked on plate had sprung off

Don't buy a 'gasless mig', I hate them I've actually got a cheap mig - It's  a SIP 105 (I think) & I think I must have had it for about ten totally trouble free years. The secret is to look after it!! I never, ever, leave it out in the garage or shed when it's not being used - it lives in the house, in a bedroom & it's NEVER been ANY trouble

I think it was Pedro that just said what I was going to say - ie, Find a friendly (but dodgy) pub landlord & get him to acquire you one of those size 'F' pub CO2 gas bottles (£10 is the going rate), so I've been told

[colonelk]

I think those big bottles are only about £5 a month rental from BOC anyways.

Thanks for the input HMK

Was having a bit of a mare getting it right, but Im sure that will come with practise.

Had a look at that pratical classics guide..... but sadly just where I wanted the most info the article stopped! LOL

Oh well.

If I start getting better then Ill get one of those big bottles I think. You can get trolleys for the welder and bottle to sit on which dont cost the earth IIRC.

[HMK]

I've found that those small disposable bottles (about £6 a throw round here) will hold their gas until you start to use them, then they will quickly run down in a few days to a week whether you use them or not. I found that they were worse if you disconnected them from the regulator than if you left them connected but made sure the valve was fully turned off. There is a re-fillable version that you can get on an 'exchange basis'. The BOC £5 a month rental is good, but SOON builds up if you're only welding your own car as & when.......the gas re-fill is VERY cheap - it's the rental that works out a bit pricey over the year if you don't use it much.

[Big Rod]

There is a re-fillable version that you can get on an 'exchange basis'.

I'll have one of them! Where do I get one?

[HMK]

They're the same size as the disposable ones......you pay a 'one off' deposit, then just keep exchanging............& they don't leak & run down when not in use

A tools factors should be able to supply them - in this area, I would reccommend 'Portland Tools, Portland Street, Lincoln'. Even if you're not in the area, you could give them a ring & get some details

[Big Rod]

Thank you! 

I'd always wondered if they were available, but no-one could give me an answer!!

[Pedro]

shouldnt that be imeo? (in my expert opinion) pete?

Err, yes it should! 



Most of my working life, I've been welding/fabricating/fitting/spannernig, and had a very good apprenticeship in the trade at Crane Fruehauf (a rather large trailer/tanker builders that now no longer exist), where the welding was X-Rayed, crack tested, destructive and non-destructive tested (not al on the same weld, you understand!). It's what got me into working for a BTCC outfit for a few years, and for that, I am very grateful to Crane Fruehauf!

[mapblue]

I also had a s.i.p migmate 105 for 9year before it gave up the ghost, just replaced it with a migmate 150 witch I've done all the welding on my Carlton and its been a cracking wee welder.

So Pedro your partially responsible for making all those trailers Ive sent the last 15years bursting my knuckles on having to fix.

[A3LTR]

I got the Clark 100EN mig welder.. good enough for cars etc but also you can use it with or without CO2... handy if ya run outa gas !  just change the wire and the tip!

Anyone ever tried welding aluminium ?? 

[Pedro]

Welding aluminium is OK as long as you have the right gas - pure argon, but there's probably other stuff too. The inner sleeve through the cable needs to be nylon so that the wire doesn't snag, and you go very quickly (compared to steels). The finished weld will be alot bigger than steels, and sometimes you can "weave" it as you go along.
Takes some getting used to, and the thinner it is, the harder it is - very hard! If it's thin, you're probably better off TIG welding it, but that's a completely different process.

Mapblue - aye, but way, way better than those total crap Montracon, Trailmaster or SDC things! The last few years I was at CF, I did the air brakes and electrics on petrol and whisky tankers - all new and clean, not seen any action - easy life!

[ozzylar]

I have a Sealey super mig 185, excelent welder but my bottle rental is £85 per year and £34 to refill. It does pay dividends to invest in a decent welder tho.

[carlton_mad]

who does your gas? my bottle is by boc and that costs me £40 odd plus iirc cant find my last billbut it goes on the bosses account (no rental) lol

[jonnybear]

I have been given a welder just been practising welding my old gates and what have ye lol, iirc its and electric arc are these and good can someone give me the crack on these.

Cheers Jonny

PS welding looks good mate

[carlton_mad]

arc welding is a pain in the arse but is ok for thicker stuff for car body etc you gotta have a mig they is the bogs dollocks

[Dave the Builder]

you can get a braising attachment for an electric arc welder for thin metal working(cars).but mig n tig is more suited as chris says. 
 knock up a few trailers out of angle iron and scrapyard bits with your e.a.welder...sell on ebay... buy a mig (welder not fighter aircraft  ).. jobs a guddon

[jonnybear]

thanks for the info guys i will; tek you up on that dave 

[insaneco]

@ Mr C.K
fair play to u taking this on urself - i had to recently run round a few body men who all told me it aint worth touching my rust spots so i said fook it and had a go myself also.
i, wif very little welding experience, started out wif a grinder, MIG and a hammer - tac, shape and weld in very short seam welds until all was covered

blew a few holes (lots of them - if i'm honest) but have got a great sence of acheivment from doing all this work myself (big proud head  emerges)

when i have it all done and dusted i'll post me pics

[Murph]

Post some "in progress" too mate - then those of us who are a bit reluctant to give it a go will see that a novice can prevail!