Patch panel welding

[77scottsdale1]

is it ok to weld my patch panels in with a stick welder, and if so what rod should I use?

 

[Honky Kong jr]

is it ok to weld my patch panels in with a stick welder, and if so what rod should I use?

You can be t it will suck. Turn your arc force and heat way down or you will blow threw in a hurry. Something smaller then 1/8” rod 7018 or 6011 should work. Good luck. Stick is not the optimum for sheet metal.

 

[77scottsdale1]

Would I be better off investing in a mig welder?

 

[SDJunkMan]

I love my mig, but then I suck at stick welding. Still have to be careful with the heat, best to practice on an old panel first to get it dialed in. Some of the small 110 volt migs are supposed to be OK for welding body panels.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Would I be better off investing in a mig welder?

Yes. If your just starting out an inverted based machine is the way to go. They usually have a set and forget panel thickness dial. You pick your thickness and wire size and it figures it out for you. I think the settings are a bit conservative, but I’ve been welding a long ass time. Lol

 

[Jrgunn5150]

Would I be better off investing in a mig welder?

Absolutely, unfortunately Harbor Freight has discontinued all their budget machines. The best entry one currently imo is the Hobart Handler 140 now.

 

[77scottsdale1]

Ok, I have access to a Miller at school just a hassle to trailer it there

 

[hatzie]

Stick on sheet metal is miserable to do even on DC and you want a smaller size SMAW (Stick) power supply to handle the lower amperage in a stable fashion. You'd be better off to buy an air cooled TIG torch and attach it to your SMAW welder box with the Argon gas on a valve as a scratch start TIG or just do it the old-school way with Oxy Acetylene and filler rod. I learned to gas weld first. It made TIG very easy to learn.

MIG welders are odd ducks. They are not continuous amperage power supplies like SMAW and TIG. MIG is continuous voltage. One large size does not fit all. Dragging the medium size miller home and expecting to weld sheet metal is not going to work out well if you aren't an experienced welder.
The smaller MIG welders have a smaller work envelope. The smaller name brand (Miller, Hobart, Lincoln) units also tend to be more stable at lower arc voltage when compared to the larger name brand units and most of the smaller cheaper Asian units. This is why the smaller name brand units are well liked for sheet metal work.
The bigger units and the cheap small Asian units tend to be less stable at lower arc voltage but a good welder can compensate... A newbie... Not so much. You'll want to limit the variables while you learn then learn to compensate for miserable equipment.
I recommend the smallest name brand 220v or largest 115v MIG units for newbies getting into sheet metal. Many of them in this class can be wired for either.

Lincoln used to sell smaller units like my 2007 Lincoln SP175-Plus with infinitely variable arc voltage rather than the stepped taps you find on the Borg store units. Taps or infinite is personal preference. The number of voltage taps are personal preference too but I'd lean toward applying Mores Law... More is better.

Stay away from flux core only welders. All MIG welders can use flux core wire but you want inert gas capability.
For a small welder on sheet metal straight Ar for most mild carbon steel sheet or Ar/CO2 75%/25% mix for heavier sheet metal is probably what you want to use. Straight CO2 tends to run hotter than Ar/CO2 mix and straight Ar tends to run colder.

 

[hatzie]

You can be t it will suck. Turn your arc force and heat way down or you will blow threw in a hurry. Something smaller then 1/8” rod 7018 or 6011 should work. Good luck. Stick is not the optimum for sheet metal.

I think He's talking about one of these good old fashioned AC FARM Welders...
The Copper and Iron multi-tap transformer Forney C-5 is a heckuva nice smooth AC SMAW farm welder. I have one.

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Not one of these modern inverter boxes...

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[Honky Kong jr]

I think He's talking about one of these good old fashioned AC FARM Welders...
The Copper and Iron multi-tap transformer Forney C-5 is a heckuva nice smooth AC SMAW farm welder. I have one.

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Not one of these modern inverter boxes...

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My metal melting equipment

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[shiftpro]

My metal melting equipment

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Your aluminum body spacer is nice, but 2" too tall. Shame...

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Your aluminum body spacer is nice, but 2" too tall. Shame...

I needed it for my exhaust.

 

[shiftpro]

I needed it for my exhaust.

Oh of course. I'll write you up a waiver. I am flexible if for a good cause.

 

[Honky Kong jr]

Oh of course. I'll write you up a waiver. I am flexible if for a good cause.

Awsome

 

[peats]

i use a miller 140 auto set mig. it works well on sheet metal. eastwood also sells a reasonably priced 120 volt mig and they put them on sale from time to time.