Welders? Any welders on this site?

[Al Smith]

I have put a pound or two of both 7018 plus nickel rod on the wood stove for a couple of hours before I use it .I've also cooked it in the oven for a tad .Most of it is already in a metal can or a sealed cardboard tube .Some I just burn it cold depending on what I need to weld . It's very seldom cast iron these days .

Recently I had to replace the fridge in my garage because it wouldn't cool my beer any more which sucked .That one is at my shop where I will use it as kind of a rod oven with a light bulb .WTH it was free in a way depending on how you look at it .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Thanks for the tips guys

 

[flushcut]

Recently I was playing and my 6010's were running awful then I remembered they need some moisture in the flux, dipped it in water and it ran like is was supposed to. I keep them in a Rod Guard tube with some desiccant packs.

 

[Tree09]

Lose the desiccant. I keep them for months in the bed of the truck in ammo cans, 60 mm mortar if i remember right, and weld xray with them like that.

 

[flushcut]

Yep. I took them out after. It was odd how they ran it was like the arc was blowing out the sides like there was no flux at all and after getting them wet ran like it should.

 

[BlackSmith]

An unrelated tip. 1/8 6010 or 11 will run at the same heat as 3/32 7018, 5/32 10 or 11 run at the same heat as 1/8 7018. Common practice in the pipe trade but also useful elsewhere.

 

[flushcut]

Good to know but I rarely switch rods during a project.

 

[Al Smith]

Unless it's changed 6010 was the standard on pipe welding for the root pass with 7018 for the hot and cover pass .

 

[Tree09]

It still is, depending in what you are doing. Pipeline it's all downhill with 6010 or similar cellulose rods per the procedure (which has to do with the grade of pipe), usually 7018 or similar for in service stuff (gas flowing through the pipe which quenches the steel). On most code work in building trades you tig the root and hot, then 7018 out. Like anything in life, it all depends on what you are doing.

I switch rods all the time depending on what I'm doing. Even if I'm using 6010 to fab something, i change rod sizes, running the biggest i can for that particular weld. I also have a remote so that makes it very easy to do, but lacking that you can do all the ones size rod welds then change for the other size welds. Set up a galvanized bucket to use as a rod bucket, placing handfuls of rods in different directions to keep them separate. Your spent rods go right in the bucket, and you can keep tools in there right with you.

 

[Al Smith]

Most questions that arise on these forums are just from those who want to do general repairs on steel .Stuff like cast iron ,stainless etc most will never do .You can get real technical if you talk about consumable inserts on nuke power house piping which almost nobody will do including myself .

It's a learning curve that some pick up easy and some not so easy .No matter which once you learn it, it will stay with you the rest of your life .Worst case is being absent from same which in a few minutes/hours it come back to you like it never left .

 

[Tree09]

It really is like riding a bike....

 

[flushcut]

But welding doesn't make you winded and wearing spandex is frowned upon.

 

[Tree09]

 

[CurSedVoyce]

 

[Tree09]

Someone asked about flange wizard stuff earlier, finally got a chance to use my new chariot cutting guide.... I'm an idiot for not getting one sooner. I'm still getting the hang of it, but at a glance it's like a cnc did it. This thing will definitely save me some time by making cleaner cuts when i can use it, both straight and circle cuts.

 

[flushcut]

That was me. Cool! Iv'e read and heard good things about their tools not that I really have a use for them on a daily basis but... you know.


Ran some more aluminum spool gun today so far so good. Getting better. I feel the factory settings on my Miller Multimatic 200 are a touch cold (20v 350fpm) bumped it to 20.5v 365fpm outside corner 1/8".

 

[BlackSmith]

Factory settings are like stop signs flush, just suggestions, not rules to live by... heh

 

[Tree09]

If you have a cutting torch, get a chariot cutting guide thing, I'm not kidding it actually is stupid quick and accurate. I didn't get any pics, but I'll get some tomorrow of the drops from cutting circles, and it was my first time with it. In time i seriously think i could almost match a flame table. The straight cuts were hit and miss, definitely user error but probably smoother than me by hand like normal. I think i need a guide to follow and a bit more time with it. I also didn't have the right size tip for the 3/16, so that's not helping either lol.

Good deal that you are getting the spool gun figured out, a very handy tool for sure!!! I just so rarely use aluminum for anything.

I'm pretty sure I'm getting some cold cut tools this weekend, I'll keep you posted on how those do once i get them

 

[flushcut]

I know the settings are a suggestion but having like all of twenty minutes of arc time with spoolgun so I'll get there.
Thanks for the input on Flange Wizard and looking froward to how you like the cold cut stuff. Are you thinking skill saw type or chop saw type? Both

 

[Tree09]

Both of course It's time. This bed build is my justification, not that i needed one. Just spent almost 700 at westtech rigging for blocks, hooks, e.t.c, not even the wire rope. It will be another 4 to 500 for the wire rope, an order to surplus center for hydraulics, and then finally ordering the steel and epoxy paint. I can't effin wait!!!!!

 

[FireFighterZero]

Buddy has a dewalt with a diablo blade.

Its bananas.

 

[Tree09]

I've seen the circular saw ones cut 15 foot of 5/8 thick pipe long ways in about 10 min, absolutely insane. They didn't care about blades at all, but that is a ton of steel to just rip through that fast and leave a decent cut. I usually just had everything sheared, but this will allow me to do my own stuff and take my time to build exactly how i want. I'm gonna be building the hydraulic tank, skirt for the flatbed, steel for the skids, toolboxes, headache rack, and countless little touches like a chain hanger, lead, torch and cord reels, winch cover pipe, gin poles, rolling tailboard, e.t.c. And il be doing a trailer right afterwards, with its own skids as well. God willing I'll be building stuff til the end if the year just for my own use, and my side gig tree business will greatly grow from it.

 

[FireFighterZero]

Nothing wrong with sheared.

Maybe your cut edges will be nicer....less distortion maybe.

 

[Tree09]

Sheared is awesome, but now I'll be able to get similar quality and speed at home...

 

[flushcut]

to both! That's an impressive cut, 15' x5/8".

Weld porn: well almost.