All things welding

rjaym said:
I’m using a 10x Lupe and proper lighting to inspect - but would like to etch it - are field kits ( aka cheap) inspection / etch kits available?
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You can use any of these: hydrochloric acid, ammonium persulfate, nitric acid, or iodine, and potassium iodide

1. Sand the cross-section of the weld to a uniform 600-grit finish (I use 220 grit sandpaper), before etching. Mirror polish the surface if possible. The finer the finish, the more details you will see.
2. Apply this chemical with cotton swabs. Allow it to stand for a few seconds to minutes.
3. Once the weld is visible, rinse it with water to stop the reaction.
 
rjaym said:
View attachment 530308
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Assuming same settings for both welds?

On the left
If no weaving: you need to increase volts OR move faster.
If you weaved: you spent too much time in the middle.

The right looks good. The gap is because you welded the Left side first and it pulled the plate over creating a gap at the root.

If you need more coupons you could cut the plate off just outside the weld & reuse them. Or you can keep putting welds down until you fill it up. Like this

Screenshot_20240527-211719.png
 
AirborneTexasRanger said:
Assuming same settings for both welds?

On the left
If no weaving: you need to increase volts OR move faster.
If you weaved: you spent too much time in the middle.

The right looks good. The gap is because you welded the Left side first and it pulled the plate over creating a gap at the root.

If you need more coupons you could cut the plate off just outside the weld & reuse them. Or you can keep putting welds down until you fill it up. Like this

View attachment 530334
Click to expand...

That ain’t goin’ nowhere…
 
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How many of you have heard of spark testing? Essentially this is comparing how ferrous metals spark when you grind on them. I find this helpful to tell the difference between high carbon steel & low carbon steel (mild steel) as well as cast steel & cast iron. This is important because those metals weld differently.

Low carbon steel - long straw colored streaks with a minimal bursts

High carbon steel - short straw colored streaks with lots of bursts

Cast steel - very similar to low carbon steel but more yellow & hardly any bursts.

Cast iron - short red streaks with bursts.

 
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Since there is a bunch of welding knowledge watching this thread, a couple of recent trail repairs in Moab triggered a thought.

I carry 6013 and 6011 rod in a few sizes up to 1/8. And I always reach for the 6013. I always thought that was a decent rod for general mild steel repairs and fab work with the stick welder - but my info may be decades old.

IMG_3199.jpeg


So my question is: is my rod choice a good one, or should I be carrying others?’
 
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Trying to weld vertical up with the new welder. These are just quick "U's". If I go slower, the puddle just builds on itself.

This was an inside weld, just trying something in what I would call a confined space
20240625_193522.jpg


This one I think came out "ok". Maybe too fast?
20240625_192307.jpg


Again, too fast? I see a lot of undercutting
20240625_193014.jpg
 
tworley said:
Trying to weld vertical up with the new welder. These are just quick "U's". If I go slower, the puddle just builds on itself.

This was an inside weld, just trying something in what I would call a confined space
View attachment 537940

This one I think came out "ok". Maybe too fast?
View attachment 537939

Again, too fast? I see a lot of undercutting
View attachment 537941
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Travel speed is not too fast. If you've got undercut along the sides but convexity in the middle then you're spending too much time in the middle & not enough time on the sides. The last picture looks good.
 
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This is 1/4". Using .30 wire. I think it would be better if I upped to .35 wire? Horizontal weld. The right hand side was done a couple weeks ago. The shiny left was just minutes ago.
20240625_195259.jpg
 
Talk to me about welding exhaust tubing.

I have a walker quiet flow muffler which is 100% "stainless steel" but I can't find anywhere that they specify what series. I assume that means it's probably the lowest, least expensive (whatever that is) or they'd be advertising it.

The tubing is aluminized so I have one joint going stainless to aluminized and another that is aluminized to aluminized. They have the u-bolt clamps but they tend to spin when I hit a hard bump and allow the exhaust to rest against the right rear shock body. Obviously the ends are expanded to fit together so it'll be a lap weld, not a butt weld, which should work in my favor.

I've read to clean the ends with muriatic acid to have clean steel, which I plan to do. I'm going to position everything and mark with a scribe, then pull all of it off to weld on the table. What else do I need to know? Can I do this flux core with Lincoln self-shield wire (NR211MP) or is that going to be a problem with the stainless muffler outlet? Being as thin as it is, 030 makes sense here, no reason to step it up to 035?
 
freedom_in_4low said:
Talk to me about welding exhaust tubing.

I have a walker quiet flow muffler which is 100% "stainless steel" but I can't find anywhere that they specify what series. I assume that means it's probably the lowest, least expensive (whatever that is) or they'd be advertising it.

The tubing is aluminized so I have one joint going stainless to aluminized and another that is aluminized to aluminized. They have the u-bolt clamps but they tend to spin when I hit a hard bump and allow the exhaust to rest against the right rear shock body. Obviously the ends are expanded to fit together so it'll be a lap weld, not a butt weld, which should work in my favor.

I've read to clean the ends with muriatic acid to have clean steel, which I plan to do. I'm going to position everything and mark with a scribe, then pull all of it off to weld on the table. What else do I need to know? Can I do this flux core with Lincoln self-shield wire (NR211MP) or is that going to be a problem with the stainless muffler outlet? Being as thin as it is, 030 makes sense here, no reason to step it up to 035?
Click to expand...

No expert, but I’d go smaller than 0.030
 
freedom_in_4low said:
Talk to me about welding exhaust tubing.

I have a walker quiet flow muffler which is 100% "stainless steel" but I can't find anywhere that they specify what series. I assume that means it's probably the lowest, least expensive (whatever that is) or they'd be advertising it.

The tubing is aluminized so I have one joint going stainless to aluminized and another that is aluminized to aluminized. They have the u-bolt clamps but they tend to spin when I hit a hard bump and allow the exhaust to rest against the right rear shock body. Obviously the ends are expanded to fit together so it'll be a lap weld, not a butt weld, which should work in my favor.

I've read to clean the ends with muriatic acid to have clean steel, which I plan to do. I'm going to position everything and mark with a scribe, then pull all of it off to weld on the table. What else do I need to know? Can I do this flux core with Lincoln self-shield wire (NR211MP) or is that going to be a problem with the stainless muffler outlet? Being as thin as it is, 030 makes sense here, no reason to step it up to 035?
Click to expand...

For a lap weld that wire in that size will be fine.

Personally whenever I weld exhaust behind the cats with either aluminized or stainless or whatever, I never change wire or gas. I just don't care enough & I don't want to keep different spools or gas just for welding those materials because I don't weld them enough. Also it's not structural, it just has to hold itself together. I always take a flap disc to the weld mainly to see if I have complete fusion along the entire length of the joint & because the welds usually look like shit because I'm not good at welding very thin metal yet.
 
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