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Welcome to welding forum*sticky*

Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 7:32 am
by allsierra123
First I would like to welcome everyone to The STF Welding and Fabrication Learning Center. Anyone interested in better understanding the welding process will benefit from this Forum. By using this forum your message will reach a greater number of people. That way you can benefit from the knowledge of many people and the discussions can be beneficial to all. Feel free to use this forum to ask questions, express your opinion, and spread relevant information.
The material thickness that you most often weld will not only determine the process that you choose; it will also determine the voltage of the unit you need. For instance, if you plan to weld over 1/8" material the majority of the time using a MIG process, it is recommended that you invest in a 230v system. The higher amperage range of this machine can better handle your welding needs in a single pass and you won't have to waste time with second or third passes. Examples of heavy materials can be such things as frames to tool benches or maybe even a fence.
Which MIG welder should I buy?
If most of your welding will be performed on material less than 1/8" thick, a 115v MIG machine is probably your best bet for economic reasons. For flux-cored welding, an 115v machine will generally allow you weld material up to ¼". An 115v unit is less expensive and will well suit your needs. When choosing a machine, look also at the amperage ratings of the machine - you don't want to overburden a machine by continuously welding at amperage higher than what is recommended.
The material thickness that you most often weld will not only determine the process that you choose; it will also determine the voltage of the unit you need. For instance, if you plan to weld over 1/8" material the majority of the time using a MIG process, it is recommended that you invest in a 230v system. The higher amperage range of this machine can better handle your welding needs in a single pass and you won't have to waste time with second or third passes.
Video Store
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpfUEIc4XNg Bring it on
http://www.okanagan.bc.ca/AssetFactory.aspx?did=32
http://weldingvideos.net/Portals/592/tigweld.avi
http://weldingvideos.net/Portals/592/rootpass.avi
Welding mistakes

Some of the most basic and frequent mistakes in (mainly MIG, since it is the most relevant for most readers) welding, from our experience and after extensive research, are the following:
1) Not cleaning the parts and weld surfaces properly. As most experienced welders say, this is a very frequent beginner mistake. Any paint, dirt, and similar materials can lead to problems and a bad weld as a result.
2) Using the wrong kind of gas for gas welding. Many people will opt for cheap gas, which is however sometimes not a good idea. While simple CO2 is cheap, a mixed gas will often produce better results while MIG welding.
3) Wrong polarity. This can produce a bad-looking weld bead.
4) Wrong contact tips sizes.
5) Inadequate travel speed, i.e. going too fast or too slow.
6) Insufficient shielding - e.g. not blocking the wind while welding.
7) Welding too cool on a massive piece of material, which results in a lack of fusion.
Under buying, i.e. picking a too small welding machine for the material thickness required.
9) Not maintaining the wire feeder's wear components, like liners, contact tips, and other parts.
10) Mismatched filler material, i.e. not having the right tensile strength.

Tubing bend calculator
http://www.sheetmetalguy.com/bend-calculator.htm
http://www.sheetmetalguy.com/
http://www.sheetmetalguy.com/bending-definitions.htm
Welding Process Technologies
Welding process and consumable selection is typically made based upon the base metal thickness and base metal composition.

Process Selection:
» Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
» Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG)
» Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG)
» Laser Beam Welding (LBW)
» Plasma Arc Welding (PAW)
» Resistance Welding
» Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
» Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)

Cutting Process Technologies
The fuel gas cost typically represents less than 20 percent of total cutting cost. Factors such as labor and overhead rate, fuel gas heat-transfer properties, flame temperatures, oxygen consumption, distribution method, safe operating pressures, gas withdrawal capacity and handling should be evaluated when choosing the most economical fuel gas for any cutting operation.

Process Selection:
» Laser Beam Cutting (LBC)
» Oxyfuel Cutting
» Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC)
Shielding Gases
Argon and other shielding gas mixtures are used during the welding process to shield welds as they solidify, preventing oxidation. These gases significantly improve quality, reduce waste, boost productivity and decrease fumes.
» Gases for Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
» Gases for Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
» Gases for Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
» Gases for Laser Beam Welding (LBC)
» Gases for Plasma Arc Welding (PAW)

Cutting Gases
» Gases for Laser Beam Cutting (LBC)
» Gases for Oxyfuel Cutting
» Gases for Plasma Arc Cutting (PAC)

tube specs
There are welders, and there are dobbers
WELDING EQUIPMENT & PROCESSES
GENERAL WELDING-TOPICS
HOW to Do It WELL
FILLER METALS
SHORT ITEMS


Learn to Weld with a Mig
Put that stick down and pick up that gun.

http://www.weldingengineer.com/Mig%2006.JPG

http://www.weldingengineer.com/weld%204.gif


http://www.weldingengineer.com/1mig.htm

Welding Dictionary
http://www.millerwelds.com/education/dictionary.html


http://www.millerwelds.com/education/basicMIG/index.htm
http://www.millerwelds.com/education/te ... /MIG_tips/
http://www.markwoodhead.com/html/buggy_gallery.html
http://www.hobartwelders.com/images/diagram7.jpg
http://metalshapers.org/101/jkelly/index.html

http://www.aussieweld.com.au/arcwelding/page1/page1.htm

http://www.dualshieldx.com/home.cfm?gcl ... SgodNEGfxQ
Basic Welding symbols
http://www.welding-technology-machines. ... ymbols.htm

Basic Weld Symbols - The basic symbols used to represent various types of welds are given below in fig:

Fillet Square Butt Single V-Butt Double V-Butt

Single U-Butt Double U-Butt Single Bevel Butt Double Bevel Butt

Single J-Butt Double J-Butt Stud Edge

Plug Sealing Run Backing Strip

Spot Seam Stitch Projection

Flash Butt Resistance Butt
Four common categories of products are used for most cleaning operations. Each of these cleaners exhibits different cleaning characteristics:
1. Alkaline cleaners have a pH solution above 7.0. They are used primarily to remove organic soils such as oils, greases, and fats. They are used commonly in industrial manufacturing plants because of their broad cleaning capabilities, excellent detergency, and low cost.
2. Acids have a pH solution below 7.0 They are used primarily to remove rust, tarnish, and oxide films.
3. Solvents dissolve organic soils. Environmental regulations, newer technologies, and cost have restricted the widespread use of these products.
4. Emulsion cleaners could fall in the general class of solvent cleaners, but because of their function and performance, they are considered a separate category. They flush away soils and oils from processed tube and pipe and can provide a barrier film with excellent rust protection.
Metal cleaners vary greatly, depending on the function of the cleaner and the cleanness standards required. Answering the following questions will facilitate the selection of the proper cleaner.

http://www.thefabricator.com/Articles/P ... 1/fig1.gif

http://www.thefabricator.com/Buyers-Gui ... -Guide.cfm

http://www.thefabricator.com/TubePipeFa ... chCell.cfm

http://www.millerwelds.com/education/vi ... matic.html

http://www.arncotech.com/sub_techinfo/t ... ooting.asp


http://sweethaven02.com/ConstructTech/W ... ig0712.gif

Welding mistakes

Some of the most basic and frequent mistakes in (mainly MIG, since it is the most relevant for most readers) welding, from our experience and after extensive research, are the following:
1) Not cleaning the parts and weld surfaces properly. As most experienced welders say, this is a very frequent beginner mistake. Any paint, dirt, and similar materials can lead to problems and a bad weld as a result.
2) Using the wrong kind of gas for gas welding. Many people will opt for cheap gas, which is however sometimes not a good idea. While simple CO2 is cheap, a mixed gas will often produce better results while MIG welding.
3) Wrong polarity. This can produce a bad-looking weld bead.
4) Wrong contact tip sizes.
5) Inadequate travel speed, i.e. going too fast or too slow.
6) Insufficient shielding - e.g. not blocking the wind while welding.
7) Welding too cool on a massive piece of material, which results in a lack of fusion.
Under buying, i.e. picking a too small welding machine for the material thickness required.
9) Not maintaining the wire feeders wear components, like liners, contact tips, and other parts.
10) Mismatched filler material, i.e. not having the right tensile strength.

A BASIC COURSE IN TECHNO-WELDING




Mig Welding Tutorial



MIG Welding Techniques: Learn How to MIG Weld
20 Steps to Welding Bliss
DIY MIG Welding

Wire Cleaner
This handy gadget clamps onto your wire feed and cleans the wire before it enters the gun. Increases liner life, prevents bird's nesting, keeps welds clean. Wire Cleaner
This handy gadget clamps onto your wire feed and cleans the wire before it enters the gun. Increases liner life, prevents bird's nesting, keeps welds clean. http://www.htpweld.com/products/accesso ... leaner.jpg

HTP Shrinking Attachment
A must for bodywork, this incredible accessory screws into your swan neck. Use this tool to relieve stresses in dented automotive panels after shaping and dolly hammer work. This clean, safe electric heat alternated with cooling of the panel will bring the molecules of steel back into shape as before the damage occurred. Pays for itself in just one small job. Other brand welders can be fitted, too. Call our free hotline, 1-800-USA-WELD now. We'll let you know if your MIG can accept this great tool.
http://www.htpweld.com/products/accesso ... chment.jpg


Nozzle Reamer
The only tool specially designed to clean build-up and slag from inside the welding nozzle. Scraping blades expand inside the nozzle and remove build-up. Frequent use can help extend the life of your nozzles.
http://www.htpweld.com/products/accesso ... reamer.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/photos ... /33836.gif
8'' MIG WELDING PLIERS
8 TOOLS IN ONE
4-1. JOINT TYPES
Welds are made at the junction of the various pieces that make up the weldment. The junctions of parts, or joints, are defined as the location where two or more members are to be joined. Parts being joined to produce the weldment may be in the form of rolled plate, sheet, shapes, pipes, castings, forgings, or billets. The five basic types of welding joints are listed below.

a. B, Butt Joint. A joint between two members lying approximately in the same plane.
b. C, Corner Joint. A joint between two members located approximately at right angles to each other in the form of an angle.
c. E, Edge Joint. A joint between the edges of two or more parallel or mainly parallel members.
d. L, Lap Joint. A joint between two overlapping members.
e. T, Tee Joint. A joint between two members located approximately at right angles to each other in the form of a T.
4-2. WELD JOINTS
In order to produce weldments , it is necessary to combine the joint types with weld types to produce weld joints for joining the separate members. Each weld type cannot always be combined with each joint type to make a weld joint. Table 4-1 shows the welds applicable to the basic joints.

http://www.mydiscounttools.com/ESTORE/I ... tab4-1.gif
1) GET IT CLEAN... Take off as much grease, rust and paint as you can. It makes for a cleaner, stronger weld, and reduces the amount of crap going into your lungs.

2) CHANGE YOUR COVER PLATE... I can't tell you how many good welders don't realize how bad they weld when they can't see what they're doing. You can get away with cleaning a cover plate a few times, but it becomes scratched, and bends light, making it hard to get a focus on your weld. Saves on headaches, too.

3) TACK EVERYTHING... In my years as a welder, I've violated this rule from time to time, and usually end up cutting things apart. Tack the entire project. Check it over for form, fit and function, THEN weld it off.

4) LEAVE A GAP... Hold a little bit of a gap between pieces. About 1/2 the thickness of the material is my rule. This gives you a nice 100% weld and in cases of thinner material, eliminates the need for beveling.

5) TACK IT CROOKED... Hold the piece you are tacking at a slight angle away from the side you're tacking. When the tack cools, it will pull the piece straight. Also leaving a nice gap, which as mentioned above, is a good thing.

6) NEVER RE-HEAT A TACK... If you are about to weld something with any weight or pressure on it, after you've tacked it, start your weld someplace besides on a tack. Once that tack becomes molten again, it's not holding anything. Start your weld to where it will be cooling at it's tail before you run onto a tack.

7) DON'T WELD TOO COLD... Many people worry about burn-through, so they turn their amperage too low. Speed is the key. Regulate your weld by where it goes and how fast, not by the amperage. In most cases, you can set your machine to weld 3/8" material and rip the knobs off.

TRIGGER YOUR WELD... If you're using a wire-feed, you can weld very thin, rusty material if you trigger your welder. I like to leave my wire speed a little high, and each time I "zap", a little ball forms on the end of my wire. Before this ball is cool, I zap again. Keep hitting your own weld, and let it "build" and "flow" onto new thinner material. After you're done, you can go over the weld, again.

9) KEEP YOUR HEAT ON THE HEAVY PIECE... If you're welding a thick piece to a thin one, concentrate your heat on the heavy piece and, either, "whip" onto the thin piece, or in cases of extreme difference, just let the weld push and penetrate into the thin one.

10) NEVER WELD ACROSS A LOAD BEARING MEMBER... Always weld along the length, and NEVER across a stressed member. That weld becomes a breaking point. You'll see what I mean, when you come to it. The traction bar supports on the Graffiti coupe might be in violation of this rule.
11. Keep your welding wire and electrodes in a heated box to prevent moisture from getting into the flux and the formation of rust on the surfaces. A bulb in an old microwave or fridge works well.
12. Use a copper or brass backup plate when welding thin material to soak up the heat and give the weld something to rest against.
13. When welding close to painted or chromed surfaces. Use an antisplatter compound or simple Vaseline to protect those areas.
14. Remove the battery cables when welding on a vehicle. It just may save your electrical system.
15. If you encounter problems with the weld not going where you intended or excessive splatter because of magnetic or polarized forces, move your ground to an opposite location or literally wrap the ground wire around the part to be welded.
16. Safety concerns: weld splatter can and will fly and settle in many areas. Be sure that all flammables are far away. Don't weld on or near a gas tank without either removing it or/and filling it with water.
(17) Bondo is a very poor conductor of electricity.
(1 Don't lend any more tools to the buddy who borrowed your welder and brought it back with an empty gas bottle and no wire. Make sure you retain this in your memory to your dying day.
19) Just because it ain't still red, don't mean it ain't still hot.
20.Dont keep welding when you get tired, it becomes so much easier the next day to finish.
21.You can never have enough clamps for the job.
23.when using an arc welder on thinner panels try using the 'special' terminal , (less burn through)
24) when doing a large amount of (Arc or Mig) welding in one sitting use your gloves, long sleeves, a full face shield instead of goggles or you'll get a nice sunburn on any bare skin...Trust me...
but this is coming from a guy who's been know to wear flip-flops when welding...
Sometimes the best and fastest way to remove sheet metal for repairs or modification is with the cutting torch,
keep the flame directed away from the area you are keeping and leave about an inch extra material,
this is where most of the distortion will happen, trim the cut edge with snips to remove the distortion, rework with hammer/dolly and file for that perfect fit and weld your new material on as in my earlier post.
This is more of a Common Sense tip but and as stupid as this sounds:
If you wear contact lenses take them off, I've read and have been told (I have nurses in the family) of cases where they are not taken out and people weld with them and they melt in your eye because of accidental contact with metal and the stick/wire spark.
Welding and grinding sparks will pit automotive glass coatings. Cover any nearby glass when using the welder or grinder. Nothing like finding your new windshield is trashed by all those little sparks you thought were just bouncing off it from that grinder 10 ft away.
when widening or narrowing or reversing rims, mount them on a spindle with a gauge set up made of heavy wire or scrap metal so as you skip weld you can turn the wheel to check for true. If you have a friend with a drum/rotor lathe, chuck the wheel you are working on in it, to check for true. Tack it in four spots, check it again, then start to skip weld it.


GET CLOSE... I keep my head (eyes) within a foot, or so, of the weld. Seeing what your doing is half the battle. This is especially true with TIG.

STRIKE YOUR ARC RIGHT AWAY... You see a lot of rookies flop their helmet down and get nice and comfortable, before they strike their arc. By that time, your eyes are in the dark, inside your helmet, and have also lost their focus on your weld area. Strike your arc as soon as your helmet drops. This is something nobody teaches, and I can't believe I skipped it on my first list. Try it.
Use a chunk of aluminum for a heat sink and its possible to fill large holes by backing the hole up with the aluminum and filling it with your M.I.G.
The molten wire won't stick to the aluminum, but will fill the hole or gap quite nicely.
When making plug welds,
make the hole big enough to be able to start the weld on the parent metal, get a puddle going and then weld around the hole.
when tacking with a wire feed,
position the wire where you want the tack,
shield the area with a gloved hand,
close your eyes and make your tack.
Here's a good short read on welding by our own John Kelly. http://www.type2.com/library/body/wlsh.htm Checkout his website www.ghiaspecialties.com to see some of his metalwork. Especially his hand formed metal Ghia flares.
http://www.type2.com/library/body/wlsh.htm
There are welders, and there are dobbers
It's easy to be a dobber. It takes work, study, and skill to be a welder. That's why welders sometimes are referred to as craftsmen, technicians, and even artists.
Your Weld Is Your Signature The more you burn, the more you'll learn
"Under the Hood"
Q: What does 'Fahrvergnuegen' mean (current commercial jingle in NA)?
A: Fahrvergnuegen (with ue=u") means 'pleasure of driving', and VW claims
it can only be experienced in a VW. I think most of us could find
similar pleasure in a 911 Turbo, though .

Welding heat chart
http://sweethaven02.com/ConstructTech/W ... ig0712.gif
http://64.78.42.182/sweethaven/BldgCons ... 7&modNum=3

Re: Welcome to welding forum*sticky*

Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2011 2:03 pm
by cape cod dave
THis deserves a sticky status a lot of good info!!

introduction of saw process and welding fluxes

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 1:32 am
by charliehill
http://www.ylflux.com/saw_flux.html
in this page, you can find many things about SAW.
the types of welding fluxes, the application, the advantages and disadvantages, etc.

Re: Welcome to welding forum*sticky*

Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:35 am
by Dale M.
Where has this been hiding for so long (check the date) ....Unfortunately some of the links in initial post are no longer valid....

Another web site and/or Youtube page for welding is http://weldingtipsandtricks.com on the web, or search Youtube for "weldingtipsandtricks".... This guy is awsome...

If you welding/cutting(plasma) machine is a Hobart, and you are interested with their product line or welding/cutting processes help look to their help web page... http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/

Dale