Light Metal Welding Discussion

[Irishman999]

So was that his welder? Can you tell me anything about it, was it a stick welder?

Not a stick welder, ARC welders dont really seem to have a place in automotive fabrication. Only times I have used a stick welder were in outdoor industrial applications. We had a big gas powered welder/generator on our county rig for repairing cattle guards in the feild, when it came to building a cattle guard or a material screen we did it in a shop with a big 220V mig.

The one my buddy had was one of the big 220v miller wire feeds on a roll around cart, it could be turned down and used for body panels or exhaust or run higher for fabricating the bigger stuff he was working on.

Dont worry about adjusting heat or wire speed, you catch on quick to that. Wirefeeds are incredibly easy to figure out, the worse you can do is pop a bunch of holes in a piece of body panel or exhaust pipe, other than that you can have it adjusted the other way have have clumps of ****** looking popcorn where you want your weld. Get a 4 inch grinder with your welder and just **** around with it, you will catch on quick.

I've got this welder that I've used for all my body work so far... and since I can't afford gas for it all my welding has been done with flux-core wire...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00920569000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

I use the method that Irishman999 mentioned to weld the panels in...

I have used the **** out of my dads little lincoln weldpack 110 wire feed with both gas and fluxcore. Fluxcore actually worked better out of it than the gas! I used fluxcore to build this Jeep bumper out of 1/8th in plate.

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So far we have used the bumper to push cars around and my Dad has used the D rings quite a bit and all is holding together well.

Any small 110 welder you find should work, even the harbor freight ones that cant use gas.

 

[Joeairforce]

Ok, Do all the wire feeds do that both ways or is there feature/spec should I look for?

Yes

 

[89Suburban]

If the wire burns back to the tip turn the wire feed up or turn the voltage down. Also they make a product to prevent debris from sticking to the nozzle, "nozzle dip" comes in a white plastic container.

See, I never heard of that before, thanks.

Get a Hobart 140 you'll be very happy with it, I love mine.

3 for the Hobart.

Not a stick welder, ARC welders dont really seem to have a place in automotive fabrication. Only times I have used a stick welder were in outdoor industrial applications. We had a big gas powered welder/generator on our county rig for repairing cattle guards in the feild, when it came to building a cattle guard or a material screen we did it in a shop with a big 220V mig.

The one my buddy had was one of the big 220v miller wire feeds on a roll around cart, it could be turned down and used for body panels or exhaust or run higher for fabricating the bigger stuff he was working on.

Dont worry about adjusting heat or wire speed, you catch on quick to that. Wirefeeds are incredibly easy to figure out, the worse you can do is pop a bunch of holes in a piece of body panel or exhaust pipe, other than that you can have it adjusted the other way have have clumps of ****** looking popcorn where you want your weld. Get a 4 inch grinder with your welder and just **** around with it, you will catch on quick.




I have used the **** out of my dads little lincoln weldpack 110 wire feed with both gas and fluxcore. Fluxcore actually worked better out of it than the gas! I used fluxcore to build this Jeep bumper out of 1/8th in plate.

You must be registered for see images attach

So far we have used the bumper to push cars around and my Dad has used the D rings quite a bit and all is holding together well.

Any small 110 welder you find should work, even the harbor freight ones that cant use gas.

Great info. Keep it coming!

 

[davbell22602]

Yes

Thanks

 

[sean1960]

Just a reminder, when using (gasless) flux-cored wire the polarity of the welder needs to be - to the wire (the torch) and + to the clamp. When using gas shielded wire (solid wire) the torch is + and the clamp is -. When in doubt check with wire manufacture for the proper polarity for the wire you are using.

 

[Mr Clean]

I have a Hobart 140 and love mine. I bought it just for body work.

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This is some of the work I've done with it.

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I skinned the tail gate, and put the license plate box in.

 

[davbell22602]

I have a Hobart 140 and love mine. I bought it just for body work.

You must be registered for see images attach

This is some of the work I've done with it.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

I skinned the tail gate, and put the license plate box in.

That license plate box on your tailgate is bad ass.

 

[Mr Clean]

That license plate box on your tailgate is bad ass.

Thanks Dave, I've been thinking about putting it on my DD.

 

[89Suburban]

So nobody here ever braze/welded body panels with a torch and stick?

 

[oneluckypops]

So nobody here ever braze/welded body panels with a torch and stick?

doubtfull. Body panels today wont take the flame and heat from a torch. They will warp all to hell

 

[foamypirate]

So nobody here ever braze/welded body panels with a torch and stick?

In my book, the only time a torch should touch sheet metal is if you are trying to shrink it to fix an oil-canning panel or similar repair.

Another vote for the Hobart here, I've heard nothing but good things. I had my eye on one, but I'm planning to go with a Millermatic 211 Auto-Set MVP (Miller equivalent to the Hobart Handler 210 MVP). Both Hobart and Miller are owned by ITW (Illinois Tool Works). In fact, most Hobart MIG welders come with a Miller gun, and Miller welders come with Hobart wire!

 

[crazy4offroad]

The PO of my truck's cab brazed in floorboards. I hate it, the brazing does not conduct electricity so when I went to weld a little on the floorboards it took me a while to figure out why I wasn't getting an arc lol.

 

[89Suburban]

doubtfull. Body panels today wont take the flame and heat from a torch. They will warp all to hell

I am just talking about a small propane torch, you still think? My granpop did it and it came out real nice, but apparently that is the only example I can find of it.

 

[Beatdown Z]

Fluxcore actually worked better out of it than the gas!

Did you check the polarity? Read quote below.

Just a reminder, when using (gasless) flux-cored wire the polarity of the welder needs to be - to the wire (the torch) and + to the clamp. When using gas shielded wire (solid wire) the torch is + and the clamp is -. When in doubt check with wire manufacture for the proper polarity for the wire you are using.

 

[Beatdown Z]

I have a Lincoln 175 HD. It's a 220V welder and it works great as long as the polarity is set right. When I first got it I didn't know much and wound up using solid wire w/shielding gas with the wrong polarity. It did work, but after watching some youtube vids and reading various websites, I found out the polarity was reversed. It worked so much better after I fixed that little issue.