OP
All things welding
- Thread starter AirborneTexasRanger
- Start date
What do you guys like for weld-through primer? I’m seeing stuff from ~$12/can on up to $40/can for the 3M stuff. I’ll pay for the good stuff if it’s worth it but I have no idea. I appreciate all your advice.
OP
Do you recommend welding directly over the weld through primer, or clean it off? I've done it both ways, and always have trouble getting a good arc unless I grind it off at the point of the weld.
OP
I typically only use weld through primer on areas that wont be accessible after welding like the back side of a plate or the inside of a tube. I always prefer clean metal.
If I end up welding through the primer I will establish a good puddle before I start to move (which you should be doing anyway). Usually this allows the leading edge of the puddle to burn away some of the primer. So yes I try to get clean metal to weld it.
That's with MIG, with TIG I never use primer
If I end up welding through the primer I will establish a good puddle before I start to move (which you should be doing anyway). Usually this allows the leading edge of the puddle to burn away some of the primer. So yes I try to get clean metal to weld it.
That's with MIG, with TIG I never use primer
Last edited:
OP
Something that I'd like to discuss is weld quality. I've seen a lot of welds on various structures that seriously make me question it's integrity. Some of those welds are on build threads in this forum. I'm not saying that every one is a bad welder, but part of learning is recognizing your mistakes.
I weld quite often, probably every weekend & even I sometimes put down a shitty weld. Instead of just looking at it and saying I'll do better next time, I grab a grinder, remove the weld & try again. Especially if it is something my kids safety depends on. I find that this is good practice because you can try to make corrections with nearly identical variables. Also learning to repair welds is an important part of fabricating. Inspecting welds takes time to learn also, but an easy trick you can do is spray some flat primer over your welds & trust me those defects will jump right out at you. You can also use a flashlight pointing at the weld from different directions & look for shadows.
I weld quite often, probably every weekend & even I sometimes put down a shitty weld. Instead of just looking at it and saying I'll do better next time, I grab a grinder, remove the weld & try again. Especially if it is something my kids safety depends on. I find that this is good practice because you can try to make corrections with nearly identical variables. Also learning to repair welds is an important part of fabricating. Inspecting welds takes time to learn also, but an easy trick you can do is spray some flat primer over your welds & trust me those defects will jump right out at you. You can also use a flashlight pointing at the weld from different directions & look for shadows.
I’d be interested to see some pics of bad welds with flat primer or a flashlight on them if you would be able to point out what to look for that indicates it’s bad!
OP
Valuable insights! Thanks for taking the time to annotate and post those 
Good news / bad news. I got 2 cans of steel-it from Amazon today and they came like this with the nozzles out, caps off and one cap broken.
The good news is Amazon let me keep the cans and refunded me the $70.
Do you think I’ll be able to insert these nozzles without wasting all the steel-it and still be able to use these? I’d hate to waste them.
The good news is Amazon let me keep the cans and refunded me the $70.
Do you think I’ll be able to insert these nozzles without wasting all the steel-it and still be able to use these? I’d hate to waste them.
Nozzles on spray cans are easily removed and replaced. In fact, I routinely remove a nozzle after spraying, soak it in acetone, and then spray it clear with a compressed air blow nozzle so that it's good-to-go next time I spray. I wouldn't have bothered going for a refund for those cans.
well dang - I’ve had nozzles come out and never successfully gotten them back in before without spraying all over. So I didn’t know this was common.
I’ll see if I can get these working. Might have just got myself 2 free cans of steel it with just a broken cap! If so I’ll feel a little guilty … might have to call Amazon back and pay again.
I’ll see if I can get these working. Might have just got myself 2 free cans of steel it with just a broken cap! If so I’ll feel a little guilty … might have to call Amazon back and pay again.
I’ve had them break off with the stem flush with the can before, and it’s not a simple “put it back on” situation. Maybe that’s what you’ve experienced?
Gunnersmate
TJ Enthusiast
OP
Finally got some hood time with the new torch. So far I'm loving the rotating head. Also tested out the tube notcher, should have brought that years ago.
What notcher did you get?
I bought a Harbor Freight one in the late 90s. Gave it away after one project.
The JMR I bought right after was almost a weeks pay back then
. And I still have it. JMR is all I have ever used in my shop or anyone elses.
I do a lot of parts where there are lefts and rights, and two different angles on one notch. I love it because its extremely rigid, and angles and setups are very easily repeatable.
I bought a Harbor Freight one in the late 90s. Gave it away after one project.
The JMR I bought right after was almost a weeks pay back then
. And I still have it. JMR is all I have ever used in my shop or anyone elses.I do a lot of parts where there are lefts and rights, and two different angles on one notch. I love it because its extremely rigid, and angles and setups are very easily repeatable.
OP
What notcher did you get?
I bought a Harbor Freight one in the late 90s. Gave it away after one project.
The JMR I bought right after was almost a weeks pay back then
I do a lot of parts where there are lefts and rights, and two different angles on one notch. I love it because its extremely rigid, and angles and setups are very easily repeatable.
View attachment 521377
View attachment 521378
View attachment 521379
I bought the HF one because I've never used one before. It seems to get the job done for simple joints.