Maggie’s The Welding and Metalworking Thread

mmmmmmmmmm pork


Wife tinkers with the finer arts, carving, jewelry, etc.

She cast a couple pieces in gold, carved the wax in the shape she wanted so a one shot deal but the detail was good when it came out the mould.

Since you have the toof already if you don't get what you want packing sand you could always make a positive of it in something like silicone for easier repetition.
I have thought about lost wax or some style as well. Seems that method takes detail very well. Will see how pleased she is with what I end up with using sand before I start a foundry!

As for the pork,
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anyone can reccommend a beginner/intermediate welding book?

thanks. epic thread. just recently came into the need for a welder and havnt welded since high school shop. we homeschool and my oldest is now old enough to learn to weld. thinking we go into this together as i cant remember crap..


thanks in advance.
DT
 
anyone can reccommend a beginner/intermediate welding book?

thanks. epic thread. just recently came into the need for a welder and havnt welded since high school shop. we homeschool and my oldest is now old enough to learn to weld. thinking we go into this together as i cant remember crap..


thanks in advance.
DT
Books are good for the technical info but there are a great number of excellent videos on youtube. Welding tips & tricks, Weld.com and many others.
 
anyone can reccommend a beginner/intermediate welding book?

thanks. epic thread. just recently came into the need for a welder and havnt welded since high school shop. we homeschool and my oldest is now old enough to learn to weld. thinking we go into this together as i cant remember crap..


thanks in advance.
DT

I am completely self taught. Had friends with machines and certificates help me get started with what to buy (easy to learn mig/stick machine, clamps, square jigs,etc) and how to practice.....watched some videos. Then I just started building as much stuff as I could starting with my welding table and plasma table, benches, gates, etc. Then as I got good at it I moved up to hay, utility trailers and stuff that required good sound structural welds. I am certainly nothing great but it got me to where I could enjoy building stuff and repairing farm equipment quickly. The more you do the better you get.
 
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So, I’m not sure if I just scored big or dumped a little money at an online auction-
Lincoln 84 dual flex… something something. I literally know nothing about it and here’s the only pic I’ve seen. Any info or feedback from what you guys can tell?
Little follow up- picked up my auction buy and took it straight to Ocarc ( the local Lincoln dealer/service shop) to have them do a look-over /function test etc…. Really hope it pans out to what the shop foreman told me about it- pulled it out of the pickup and he’s like “hoo boy, you spent some money on that thang!” …. So anybody in the market for a good, used Lincoln 84 dual flex feed system? Lol!
 
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To all my fellow metalworking guys,

what's the best way to get the surface rust of this gate? I want to help my dad get it painted but want to remove rust. Is the grinder the best option or is there something else more efficient?

Also, I don't have access to a refinery or huge industrial equipment. This is more of a backyard job. I'll consider buying some specialty tools if it's going to make this a much better job.

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To all my fellow metalworking guys,

what's the best way to get the surface rust of this gate? I want to help my dad get it painted but want to remove rust. Is the grinder the best option or is there something else more efficient?

Also, I don't have access to a refinery or huge industrial equipment. This is more of a backyard job. I'll consider buying some specialty tools if it's going to make this a much better job.

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I would run a grinder with a wire wheel on it. Probably need two types: a cup wheel and a straight wheel for the corners if the cupped wheel doesn't get in there. Be aware that just because you get the surface rust off you will still have rust in the pitting which may over time rust through.

Ichi's comment on sandblasting is the ultimate answer if you have the tools or can take it somewhere. That would get rid of all the rust in the pits if it is done correctly, and provide a good surface to paint on.
 
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One other comment: whichever rust removal route you go it will be your choice of paint that is key. Choose something that is oil based and thick. I have used several types in the past, but enamel paint with a hardner mixed in it works pretty well - lasts a long time and can help prevent any rust that is left over from getting through. Note that I said help. Cleaning the metal beforehand will be the key to success regardless of the paint you use and the rust removal method.

Tractor Supply has the enamel paint and the hardner. DO NOT put the hardner in the whole bucket of paint - get a smaller container and mix it with the paint in there.
 
My trusty old Miller hood is dying. What is the best helmet these days? Features, good clear viewing, etc.?
If you aren't looking for something super specific, take a look at the Miller Classic series Rise. I have two - just purchased another last week. auto darkening with settings on the inside for welding, cutting and grinding, with multiple levels of darkness for each. IIRC, about $140 from Airgas. Good field of view. I'm not into spending huge amounts of money on hoods when this one does the trick. Others may have better manufacturers and models, but this one works well.
 
So far I've been at it with a grinder and wire brush wheel. It takes some serious time to only make little progress but it's still going.

On a side note, I have a green chemical that a welder friend had given me a while back. I soaked the smaller gate and will try pressure washing it off tomorrow. Supposedly that will remove surface rust.

I'll be using a thick oil based primer and paint. That will still only somewhat work. Here in Corpus, we have very humid air. The other stuff that's painted with said paint from just a few years back already shows significant amount of surface rust.
 
So far I've been at it with a grinder and wire brush wheel. It takes some serious time to only make little progress but it's still going.

On a side note, I have a green chemical that a welder friend had given me a while back. I soaked the smaller gate and will try pressure washing it off tomorrow. Supposedly that will remove surface rust.

I'll be using a thick oil based primer and paint. That will still only somewhat work. Here in Corpus, we have very humid air. The other stuff that's painted with said paint from just a few years back already shows significant amount of surface rust.
If you are in Corpus the main thing you will have to commit to is regular paint maintenance. No way around it unless you go with powder coating or stainless steel. There isn't a magic pill in high humidity environments that I know of. Everything rusts down there. But maintenance is better than what you are going through.
 
There's a place in Tucson that does my powder coating, Perfection Industrial Coatings. They do the sandblasting for my projects and sandblasting is just one of the services that is rolled into the entire costs.

Do you have any powdercoaters in your AO? If not do you have someone who makes gravestones? The do a lot of sandblasting to do the stones.

Wire brush and sanding will certainly get the job done, but it's a pain in the a$$ if you could delegate that to someone else.

Just an idea or two.

Pete
 
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If you are in Corpus the main thing you will have to commit to is regular paint maintenance. No way around it unless you go with powder coating or stainless steel. There isn't a magic pill in high humidity environments that I know of. Everything rusts down there. But maintenance is better than what you are going through.

Yup, that's the nature of the beast out here. The air is filled with moisture.
 
There's a place in Tucson that does my powder coating, Perfection Industrial Coatings. They do the sandblasting for my projects and sandblasting is just one of the services that is rolled into the entire costs.

Do you have any powdercoaters in your AO? If not do you have someone who makes gravestones? The do a lot of sandblasting to do the stones.

Wire brush and sanding will certainly get the job done, but it's a pain in the a$$ if you could delegate that to someone else.

Just an idea or two.

Pete
Sandblasting to WHITE metal and a good coating (epoxy or powdercoat) is the only way to STOP rust. That was more than surface rust. it is slightly pitted.
Wire brushing and miracle rust preventives only slow it down.
 
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POR 15 will stop it. Used it on on lots of metal and several Tacoma truck frames. Get off all the loose rust. Treat it per instructions with their degreaser and acid clean kit and put on the product. Its not UV stable and will turn gray so it has to be topcoated with a good paint but it will make an extremely hard molecular bonded coating over rust. They make a good rust remover also.....
Paint Over Rust

Nothing wrong with sandblasting and powder coating though. Thats what I do on my hay trailers
 
4.5" angle grinder with about a 120 grit flat flap wheel (we always called them buffing wheels but they are far from a buffer)....some call them sandpaper discs ?

Miller still makes the best bang for the buck welding helmet I know of, and they are widely supported so it's easy ti find lenses or alternate type head bands for them.
 
My trusty old Miller hood is dying. What is the best helmet these days? Features, good clear viewing, etc.?
Depends how much you want to spend. My helmets with the best lenses IMHO are Optrel with the crystal lens and only use them for TIG welding and the color rendition is amazing which is really helpful when watching the arc and puddle. The downside is they are expensive and somewhat delicate. For MIG and stick use either a Miller Digital Infinity or Classic with a Clearlight lens. The color rendition is not quite as good as the Optrel but still very good. The Millers are sturdy and can stand up to the abuse.
 
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Sometimes you gotta learn by doing. My dad had a Lincoln crackerbox and a cutting torch. I needed a utility trailer so decided to build one. A friend gave me the rear end out of a 1949 Chevrolet (at least I think it was a '49). It had the covered driveshaft that I figured would make part of the tongue of the trailer. I knew NOTHING about building a trailer, or of fabrication practices, or of metal strength.

I started with a 4x8 frame on top of the axle, that would hold a piece of 1" plywood that I already had. Plan was to have a flatbed. Then I discovered that the angle iron for the side rails was not sturdy enough and the bed started sagging on both ends. Rather than doing the right thing and tearing it apart and replacing the angle iron I decided to truss it. I wrapped a piece underneath the tongue to brace the front end, then built up all 4 corners so as to have two-foot sides with scrap sucker rods between the corner posts and forming the truss. Seems to have been working OK as this was all around 1973 or so. Over the years I added fenders and running boards, a tool box and spare tire mount. Recently I pulled it apart and installed an aluminum floor, added more tiedown points, reworked the nose-gate and the tailgate, replaced wiring, and generally spruced it up. My welding is not pretty (see last picture for how awful it is), but good enough to last 50 years.

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Figure out how much you will use a new helmet and then how much you want to spend. On the economy side of things I’ve had good luck with weldmarks and they also take AAA batteries which is convenient. 3m speedglass is really good but pricey. I had a miller elite and it was ok but for the price you can do a lot better.

For all day comfort and huge viewing area my favorite is an ESab A60.
 
To all my fellow metalworking guys,

what's the best way to get the surface rust of this gate? I want to help my dad get it painted but want to remove rust. Is the grinder the best option or is there something else more efficient?

Also, I don't have access to a refinery or huge industrial equipment. This is more of a backyard job. I'll consider buying some specialty tools if it's going to make this a much better job.

View attachment 8475156View attachment 8475157
knock loose rust off with wire wheels, cup brush etc. then use Ospho or a rust converter to turn the light rust that's left into a primer for painting.
Available at most good hardware stores



 
Old machine that I have run at work for the last 7 years left yesterday. It was a 1987 sheffield grinder. Last rebuilt in 2002. Had some unused grinding wheels on the shelf that were made February of 1983. Oil coolant grinder.

People in the photos not me.
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New grinder is just like the one we already have. Internet picture below. Studer s41.
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Working on a home project (first mentioned January in Funny and Awesome) that is coming to the end of taking way too freaking long (started 13.5 months ago) and used tools that the normal home owner wouldn't have.

Current piece of project, to cut back some aluminum transition threshold crap at door of bathroom to upstairs hall. Changing hall to pergo from carpet.
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Cut the bulk away with oscillating tool. Not too uncommon.

In the trim router, I used a reduced shank 3/16 4 flute endmill to cut it flush. It's what I had in 1/4" shank. Didn't want to use flush cut wood router bit and the double cut 1/4 burr was too slow.

In the corners where the router wouldn't fit I used my Nakanishi Rotus pneumatic with a burr to get it the rest of the way. Used it because it is easier to get the airline upstairs from the garage than to use a Foredom SR on the floor.

Finished ready for the rest of this piece of the project.
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Ideer. Im stealing that. Hunting season on your mind ?
Kinda sorta, but not really. A buddy was cleaning up a calvary carbine chambered in 6.5x52, I thought I had some ammo for it. Turned out I had some 6.5x52R tucked away, so no good for his gun.

But deer meat is always in my mind
 
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Guys, I'm coming to the mountain for some assitance with a cutting torch. I have a IOxygen vm-222 that I need orings for. Searched the web, no luck. Does anyone know if it crosses over to a Victor model and the o-rings are interchangeable or where I can find them for this model?

Thanks for the help.
 
Guys, I'm coming to the mountain for some assitance with a cutting torch. I have a IOxygen vm-222 that I need orings for. Searched the web, no luck. Does anyone know if it crosses over to a Victor model and the o-rings are interchangeable or where I can find them for this model?

Thanks for the help.
I don't know but I bought a rebuild kit for my victor and it was cheap