How do you "test" a weld?
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
First mistake.....weld with argon shield......air products do bottles, as do most scrap weigh in yards....gassless is just crap....pardon my belgian
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
I have had it kicking about for something like 8-10 years. This is the first time it has been used for something other than making a nut captive.
Given my current employment status I am having to make use of what I have. I would love to go out and spend some money on new tools but the other half would kill me.
Given my current employment status I am having to make use of what I have. I would love to go out and spend some money on new tools but the other half would kill me.
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
Agree - I think for a newbie your welds are good considering it's a gasless welder. If you use gas you'll find it even easier - although more expensive of course.
My experience is that Argon gives the best results on thin sheet, pure CO2 is fine, especially for big fat welds. Trouble is, by nature Argon doesn't compress nearly as well as CO2, therefore you get less in a bottle and it turns out more expensive. Because of this I rarely use pure Argon, but use Argon/CO2 mix, which is a good compromise. I use bottles of CO2 for "red-neck engineering" work (for example on the weekend I was welding up some Crittall window frames) and I use the mix for thin sheet steel type work. All depends on the cost issue though, and the whole debate about renting re-fillable cylinders versus throw-away bottles etc.
Cheers!
My experience is that Argon gives the best results on thin sheet, pure CO2 is fine, especially for big fat welds. Trouble is, by nature Argon doesn't compress nearly as well as CO2, therefore you get less in a bottle and it turns out more expensive. Because of this I rarely use pure Argon, but use Argon/CO2 mix, which is a good compromise. I use bottles of CO2 for "red-neck engineering" work (for example on the weekend I was welding up some Crittall window frames) and I use the mix for thin sheet steel type work. All depends on the cost issue though, and the whole debate about renting re-fillable cylinders versus throw-away bottles etc.
Cheers!
Some people are like Slinkies - they serve no useful purpose, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them downstairs.
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
I have 2 full sized boc argonshield bottles......one I found in the Thames at low tide, the other I paid an £80 deposit for 13 years ago. It costs me £45 to exchange them at my local scrap weigh in place. Full sized bottle so far has done around 30 continuous hours on the victor, and around the same on the G39.
And you dont need to spend cash for welder.....you can make a tig out of scrap and the cost of an aircooled tig torch......you probably have every thing in your garage to make one
And you dont need to spend cash for welder.....you can make a tig out of scrap and the cost of an aircooled tig torch......you probably have every thing in your garage to make one
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tractorman
- Posts: 1399
- Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2011 11:22 am
- Location: Wigton, Cumbria
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
I still have an acetylene bottle rented from BOC, I got the rental bill yesterday - £86.72! That's obviously a year's rental. I can buy a bottle (from the place that does Hobbyweld gas) for £160ish, it's half the size of the BOC bottle, but I don't use a lot of acetylene and it would last me for a year or so. The reason I haven't swapped my BOC bottle for a bought one is that the BOC one is nearly full!
Having bought a cylinder of Hobbyweld oxygen, I think I've saved money already - I think that the BOC oxygen was slightly cheaper than the acetylene, but still more than buying a cylinder of Hobbyweld stuff (even if - as the BOC man said - there is less gas in it ).
Unlike Luxobarge, I am using the 15% Hobbyweld argon mix for everything and it is fine for me. However, I believe the 5% is better for thin metal: most of my welding is on 3mm+ at the moment, so I haven't really had the opportunity to test it on thin stuff.
There is an advantage with the smaller bottles - I can carry the dashed things about and put them in the car without giving myself a hernia! It may be different if I was using the welder every day, but the smaller bottles work out best for me!
Although it won't matter for some, remember that the BOC rental includes "inspection fees" for insurance purposes. I don't know if breathing in a lot of argon is particularly harmful, but I would bet that the insurance people would have a field day if there was an incident and an old cylinder was around (even if it wasn't an explosive or flammable gas)!
Having bought a cylinder of Hobbyweld oxygen, I think I've saved money already - I think that the BOC oxygen was slightly cheaper than the acetylene, but still more than buying a cylinder of Hobbyweld stuff (even if - as the BOC man said - there is less gas in it ).
Unlike Luxobarge, I am using the 15% Hobbyweld argon mix for everything and it is fine for me. However, I believe the 5% is better for thin metal: most of my welding is on 3mm+ at the moment, so I haven't really had the opportunity to test it on thin stuff.
There is an advantage with the smaller bottles - I can carry the dashed things about and put them in the car without giving myself a hernia! It may be different if I was using the welder every day, but the smaller bottles work out best for me!
Although it won't matter for some, remember that the BOC rental includes "inspection fees" for insurance purposes. I don't know if breathing in a lot of argon is particularly harmful, but I would bet that the insurance people would have a field day if there was an incident and an old cylinder was around (even if it wasn't an explosive or flammable gas)!
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
That's all well and good but you should hear the moaning I got for spending £10 on steel!
"You shouldn't be spending any money on cars until you start a new job" etc.
Other than being spattery the gasless appears to be joining metal together OK. It can't be any worse than the rust holes that were there before hand
On the test welds I have done when breaking them apart the metal goes before the welds do so they can't be too bad.
I am just making up a panel to weld in to the car (I really NEED more 1mm discs but ordering delivery from screwfix for "next day" has been 3 days so far (don't tell the gf!)) so I'm sure I will be making more mess / setting fire to more things shortly.
"You shouldn't be spending any money on cars until you start a new job" etc.
Other than being spattery the gasless appears to be joining metal together OK. It can't be any worse than the rust holes that were there before hand
On the test welds I have done when breaking them apart the metal goes before the welds do so they can't be too bad.
I am just making up a panel to weld in to the car (I really NEED more 1mm discs but ordering delivery from screwfix for "next day" has been 3 days so far (don't tell the gf!)) so I'm sure I will be making more mess / setting fire to more things shortly.
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
I buy my 1mm 4.5" disks from a guy on egay....I buy 600 at a time for £199.....work out that way at 30p each
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
I bet you went through most of those cutting the top from 2 cars!
They arrived at about 4:00. Not exactly an early delivery but they are here now. Remaining crusty metal removed from the panel I am working on at present. I now have a Weetabix patch in place. Pics in the range rover thread shortly
They arrived at about 4:00. Not exactly an early delivery but they are here now. Remaining crusty metal removed from the panel I am working on at present. I now have a Weetabix patch in place. Pics in the range rover thread shortly
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
Only went through 3 parting the 2 cars......they are more for trimming once every things going back together
Re: How do you "test" a weld?
Just to add a note, if you are tired and not concentrating, welding with your grinding safety goggles on rather than a face mask is REALLY bright! I have never seen anything that white before. fortunately only for a split second before I realised so I hope no damage done.
Also, under seal burns really well!
Also, under seal burns really well!
Understeer: when you hit the wall with the front of the car.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.
Oversteer: when you hit the wall with the back of the car.
Horsepower: how fast you hit the wall.
Torque: how far you take the wall with you.