Welding Tips and Tricks

I am trying to weld a 1/8" thick 2" square tube to 1/4" plate. What amps etc is needed?

Tig ? Stick? Or mig?

125

syncrowave 200. I have a miller 212 with spool if that would be better

How much stress will be on these parts? Are they foot pads on legs or just a cap for looks?

Good Morning,
This will be a platform for an anchor winch on my 23' Majek. Would it be better to use the spool gun?

Dude.....please.
Is this steel? Aluminum?
If it's steel, I'd use bare wire mig.
Aluminum, go for your syncrowave with AC tig.
But if you have to ask how many amps to use, you probably shouldn't be welding it in the first place.

Louie1961 wrote:125

How can you say that? We don't know the material type or welding process.

Sorry that I did not say that the metal is aluminum .
To AKweldshop I did not wake up one morning and know how to weld like you must have.
That is why the forum is here.

wish i could weld wrote:Sorry that I did not say that the metal is aluminum .
To AKweldshop I did not wake up one morning and know how to weld like you must have.
That is why the forum is here.

That was not what I was getting at.
My point is that you need to actually practice welding a few joints, and get your settings dialed in.
Before you weld on an actual project.
No two guys weld the same.

wish i could weld wrote: To AKweldshop I did not wake up one morning and know how to weld like you must have.
That is why the forum is here.

You are using vinegar to find free answers to your questions. AK's points are all valid in view of the little information provided by you in your question. The last piece of information you revealed was that this fixture is going to have some load on it and therefore could be repercussions if the weld failed. This means that these welds should be done by an experienced welder not a novice, so his advice might just save your butt if you take it.

You can be assured AK's first weld was not a load service weld, he would have sweated many long hours on a bench with practice coupons just like you should be doing.

Try using some honey next time (and lots more information and even pics to help us help you), you might get more response. We like to keep this forum a friendly place, even though we rib each other often its mostly in good humour after we get to know each other.

wish i could weld wrote:I am trying to weld a 1/8" thick 2" square tube to 1/4" plate. What amps etc is needed?

The more information you provide, the more specific the answers can be.

At a bare minimum, we need the material to be welded, the position it's to be welded in, and the process you intend to weld with. The more specific you can be on the material (alloy), the better. It helps to know what options you have on hand (rods for a stick-weld, tungsten type and size for TIG, etc.)

Even with all the information, there's not "one" answer, as there are many ways to accomplish the same thing.

Steve S

I'll also add, that since there's no video to discuss, this topic does not belong in "Video Discussion". I will move it to "General Shop Talk".

Steve S

Louie1961 wrote:
125

How can you say that? We don't know the material type or welding process.

Exactly. That was my point. It was a "tongue in cheek" answer. The OP's question was unanswerable, so I gave him a ridiculous answer

I would be useing 150 amps 3/32 stick ac tig with Argon.

TwentyFourSeven wrote:I would be useing 150 amps 3/32 stick ac tig with Argon.

150 amps for 1/4" aluminum? Maybe you and the OP should team up and start a welding business with all your knowledge?

soutthpaw wrote:

TwentyFourSeven wrote:I would be useing 150 amps 3/32 stick ac tig with Argon.

150 amps for 1/4" aluminum? Maybe you and the OP should team up and start a welding business with all your knowledge?

Wow you are so cool because you can belittle people.

Everybody take a neutral corner! John, I want to explain that most old people are offended by being called Dude. I can't explain it, I just bristle up.

Sometimes beginners need to learn how to weld, and need to learn how to talk about it. Lots of us have no experience talking, or asking questions. In my case, exposure to knowledgeable welders is very limited. I can talk to my family, the subject better not be welding, I see the eyes glaze over.