If its not too thin your simplest and cheapest option is to stick weld it. Takes a little getting used to but works well once you get the hang of it. My local store carries a product called Smoothcote 34. I know some people run Aluminum wire in MIG using a teflon liner. Keeping your cable length sho...

TIG is so sensitive to gas disturbance, double check that there are no fans on anywhere or breezes. One other thing to consider is how hot the metal you're welding on is getting. If the base metal starts getting really hot, it can stay hot enough to introduce impurities too long and you end up losin...

Unfortunately, I have some pretty applicable experience here... I had a bunch of peripheral nerve damage in both arms- paralysis in left wrist and finger extension as well as paralysis of my right shoulder. 0% ability to raise my right shoulder or my left hand/fingers. Happened right as I started my...

When you say you generously grind the porosity, do you mean you grind down to solid metal before running back over it? My experience is that it is very difficult and unreliable to try to burn out porosity by welding over it- even if contaminants have been cleaned out of the pores mechanically or che...

1/4 to 5/16 is good for d1.1, maybe closer to 5/16th for overhead just to give a little more room to move around and burn into the sides. I would stick with 1/8th inch electrodes unless you are required to use 3/32. Good luck

Thanks for the input, guys. CJ737- Seems like all I do is weld on dirty metal :D I can usually work around it pretty good but this one was humbling. Your advice is a good reminder though, especially when I get frustrated and just try to push through. Spartan- my hunch was just burn it out even more,...

I recently came across an issue new to me- wood dust impregnation in joints, and primarily lap joints. It wreaks havoc on my welds. Obviously, cleaning it out would solve the problem, but that is easier said than done. Example- repairing cracks in the liner of a loader bucket, I gouge the crack and ...

CJ7373- I was under the (incorrect?) impression that brazing was less tolerant to contamination, due to the lower heat input but I have never TIG brazed and don't know much about it. I thought that "preheating" along the joint with the TIG torch was allowing me to cook out impurities and t...

Is there a specific reason you want to TIG braze vs welding? In my very limited experience with cast AL, I found it helpful to preheat the joint with just the TIG torch and then be cautious about not putting too much heat into the part during welding. The preheat helps cook out impurities and gives ...

Hi, anyone out there have an LN-25 in good condition they are looking to get rid of? Im near Denver, CO.
Thanks

Superior- The situation is a little more informal than PQRs and engineers, etc. No chance I would get the job if I opened up that can of worms. I did manage to get a hold of a very reputable manufacturer who makes similar products and they had an informal procedure they shared with me: -Material is ...

Mike, I would guess that the 140 would be fine (never used that exact model though). Just bevel joints and do a few passes if its thick. That being said, if you want more power in an entry-level welder I would recommend buying a used "buzz-box" transformer welder such as a miller thunderbo...

Bap- really appreciate the help. My structural engineering friend recommended the Blodgett book but I have only recently committed to learning the theory behind welding, as opposed to just burning rods, and I have a lot of other books in-progress :D . Stiffener plates won't work because the shaft ac...

School is not required to certify in the US. If you are just starting out, I would consider having fewer certifications (probably just 3g-4g for whichever process you use more) due to the cost and the fact that few clients will ask anything other than a yes or no "are you certified?" and m...

Bughunter- This is a repair of an existing in-service part by adding a new section (1/2 new 1/2 old). You're description of annealed vs hardened 4140 is very helpful. Bap- I ordered a copy, hasn't come just yet. Doing a V groove definitely sounds easier but I am concerned that it won't work well mai...

Hi, I have a project where I need to splice weld a 3"x3" solid bar of 4140 steel (basically a butt joint). This is a kelly bar shaft for a caisson drill- subjected to lots of torque as well as axial compression and tension. What I haven't been able to decide on is what joint geometry would...