Got my welder — with a catch

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rydr1 said:
highship said:
Never mind the welder, look how long that cats legs are!
He (or she) lays on the back of the couch and the legs stick out from under the box. WOW!

Man I noticed that too! :lol:
lincoln_welder_03.jpg





Back on topic, I have to get a welder. :oops:
HAHAHAHAHAHA, somebody been photoshoppin' here!
 
yeah I have slowly been working on it. I have not added much content for ages, but I'm now starting to get some more info up.
 
Also there are LOTS of welding how to videos on youtube that can be very useful. However there is really no substitute for getting out there and doing it. Just watch your heat settings and take your time. I learned taking two pieces of scrap steel and placing one in the vice and welding the other to it, then smack it with a 5 pound sledge. If the weld breaks do it again. If it holds and you bend the steel or break the vise you're ready to weld.
 
outskirtscustoms said:
Also there are LOTS of welding how to videos on youtube that can be very useful. However there is really no substitute for getting out there and doing it. Just watch your heat settings and take your time. I learned taking two pieces of scrap steel and placing one in the vice and welding the other to it, then smack it with a 5 pound sledge. If the weld breaks do it again. If it holds and you bend the steel or break the vise you're ready to weld.
The, "FPS," test, I love it!
 
i agree 100% with outskirt ....videos r kinda nice for a little info ....starting and welding is the only way 2 get good !!!! practice practice ....start on scrap flat steel ...work on ur beeds n penatration ...then weld some butt welds ...once u get those figured out ...start on some round stuff ...welding bike frame is tricky ...kinda thin ...cut up a few old bikes and just weld some stuff u will get the hang of it man .....GL
 
I too started with scrap steel, with the same welder as you I just clamped all sorts of metal together, thick to thick, thin to thin, thick to thin, and welded, burned holes and learned how to fill them back in. The hardest part for me was getting over just how violent it looks through the welding shield, it would cause me to hurry up, so just taking time and realizing that it is supposed to be a big molten, popping, crackling, buzzing, flaming thing and just going with it.

Work on making welds that you trust, then figure out how to make them pretty.
 
My welds are never pretty. But they are always strong. I only have flux-core, no gas. Also no heat setting to speak of, just low and high. I make mine pretty with a grinder or a flapper wheel. If you have detailed heat settings, try between 40-60 amps, depending on the actual thickness of the frame steel .Bike frames are thin, as stated above, so 40-50 is a good start . If you aren't burning holes try 60 and see how that goes. Start lower and work up until the welds are strongest. I test my welds in different ways. Hammer, 4x4, if it's a length of steel I put it on two blocks with the weld in the center and step on it, then jump on it. I just make sure that steel is REALLY melted together good and solid, then clean it a bit with the grinder and check for pin-sized holes or any weaknesses. Assuming all is well, I use the flapper wheel to make it look like it was never welded (if that is the desired effect). Any tubes that will be under stress can be helped by inserting a sleeve into the tubes for strength. Old seatposts are great to cut up for sleeves.
 
54shadow said:
"Big molten, popping, crackling, buzzing, flaming thing," that description sounds like controlled chaos, I can't wait!
Once you get to welding, you will learn to develop an "ear" as well as an eye for what is correct and what is not...there is a definite difference in sound when the wire speed and amperage are correct. More of a smooth hiss than the popping. That is what you are aiming for...flux core typically has more weld splatter than a mig system so invest in wire wheels, wire brushes and a sharp metal chisel to knock splatter and beads off.
 


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