All things welding

Apparition said:
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I started building my HP30, finally. While welding in the mini-skids and BMB elevated sway bar link brackets, a question I’ve had before re-presented itself:
What is the best technique/setting for welding pieces of different thicknesses?
For example: the Currie mini-skids are 1/4” while the stock LCA brackets are 1/8”. I split the difference and used the setting for 3/16” on my Miller multimatic 220. I also tried to spend a little more time on the thicker side or angle the gun slightly towards the thicker side to put more heat there. Here’s one before wire brush so you can see the heat:
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And after wire brush that shows the welds better:
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I forgot and left it at 3/16” settings for the skid to axle tube, which is also 1/4”🙄

These welds obviously aren’t real crucial. The skids on my old axle were among my first welds and they have survived a lot of rocks but still I wonder what those with experience say?
 
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Woodrow said:
What is the best technique/setting for welding pieces of different thicknesses?
For example: the Currie mini-skids are 1/4” while the stock LCA brackets are 1/8”. I split the difference and used the setting for 3/16” on my Miller multimatic 220. I also tried to spent a little more time on the thicker side or angle the gun slightly towards the thicker side to put more heat there.
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The preferred method is to set the machine up for the thicker metal. Point your gun at the thicker side & wash onto the thinner piece quickly then back onto thicker piece. If you can, look at the back side of the weld to verify penetration.

Reason: if you don't have enough "heat" then you wont get enough penetration into the thicker piece to do you any good.
 
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AirborneTexasRanger said:
The preferred method is to set the machine up for the thicker metal. Point your gun at the thicker side & wash onto the thinner piece quickly then back onto thicker piece. If you can, look at the back side of the weld to verify penetration.

Reason: if you don't have enough "heat" then you wont get enough penetration into the thicker piece to do you any good.
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Thx. That makes sense and more or less less follows what I was trying to do. My concerns were too cold on thick side as you said and burn through on thin side. When I burn in the Currie passenger side UCA bracket "tombstone", I'll turn up the settings some (although that thing is about an inch thick vs the 1/8" or stock bracket lower).
 
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Woodrow said:
Thx. That makes sense and more or less less follows what I was trying to do. My concerns were too cold on thick side as you said and burn through on thin side. When I burn in the Currie passenger side UCA bracket "tombstone", I'll turn up the settings some (although that thing is about an inch thick vs the 1/8" or stock bracket lower).
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My mom asked me to weld an umbrella stand that the threads had been ruined on so the tube was wobbly. It was like, 16ga tube to 3/8" plate. Worst looking weld I've ever done. Doesn't help to be working with a $90 flux core welder that only has 2 voltage settings but it was very difficult finding a combination that didnt burn through the tube but gave me any confidence whatsoever on the heavy side.

So far so good after 6 weeks, but the worst that can happen if the weld fails is the umbrella is loose on the base again like it was before I did anything.
 
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freedom_in_4low said:
My mom asked me to weld an umbrella stand that the threads had been ruined on so the tube was wobbly. It was like, 16ga tube to 3/8" plate. Worst looking weld I've ever done. Doesn't help to be working with a $90 flux core welder that only has 2 voltage settings but it was very difficult finding a combination that didnt burn through the tube but gave me any confidence whatsoever on the heavy side.

So far so good after 6 weeks, but the worst that can happen if the weld fails is the umbrella is loose on the base again like it was before I did anything.
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Thats a perfect project to learn on. Interesting problem, low consequences for failure.
 
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Here's a trick you can easily do with TIG on a root pass (initial weld in the deepest part of the joint). If you don't get full penetration, you can weld a hot pass over the root. Meaning turn the amps up about 5-10 & make another weld on top of the root using a bit less filler metal. The root & hot pass will melt together then the puddle pushes deeper into the joint. Now you have complete joint penetration.

You can do the same thing with stick welding & a 6010 rod & a lot of practice. I've heard of people doing this with MIG but I've never tried it myself.

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been on a 120v 90 amp flux core craftsman for 20 years. just got a 120-220 multi process.
don't have 220 in my garage but do have a companion 3600 running watt generator.

the welder has an adapter for 110 standard female to TT6-50P male plug
generator has an L14-30R female outlet

can i just get a 110 female to L14-30R male adapter to run the new welder, or is there much more involved ???

the 3 wire vs 4 wire thing is where i'm at a loss. definitely not an electrician ...
 
It would work if you can get an adapter that transfers the 4 wire into a 3 wire without giving up any voltage. Otherwise it might not be effective.

Edit: Also not an electrician
 
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Tob said:
@AirborneTexasRanger I’ll be doing a complete rewire of my 60 year old shop pretty soon. I want to add a branch circuit for MIG welding for when I eventually learn and acquire the equipment to do so. Is a 240V 30A receptacle all I need?
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I just ran a subpanel in my garage. I brought the 240 out of the wall that fed the dryer to a 30A breaker in the sub panel, then ran that to a 220 plug by the machines. I also split that 240 into multiple 15A 110 breakers to feed both garage walls and a pull down extension cord.
 
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Tob said:
@AirborneTexasRanger I’ll be doing a complete rewire of my 60 year old shop pretty soon. I want to add a branch circuit for MIG welding for when I eventually learn and acquire the equipment to do so. Is a 240V 30A receptacle all I need?
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It would be better to have it on a dedicated breaker. The amp rating depends on the machine manufacturers recommendations.
 
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Dev said:
I just ran a subpanel in my garage. I brought the 240 out of the wall that fed the dryer to a 30A breaker in the sub panel, then ran that to a 220 plug by the machines. I also split that 240 into multiple 15A 110 breakers to feed both garage walls and a pull down extension cord.
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I did a similar thing. I wired the sub panel to the main panel because I have my air compressor wired in to the sub panel as well.
 
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