Welding Tips and Tricks

Judging from the youtube comments, I shocked some folks by beating the bike frame with a hammer.

So,.here is a little explanation on the bike frame welding video.
Mike Zanconato of Zanconato custom cycles supplied the frame kit and the tubing kit was never intended to be used for a real bike....it was cut with the intention of being used in a video...and thats all.

So I figured since I wasnt going to do anything with the frame, I might as well issue a beat down on it to test out the 2 different welding rods. Thought we all might learn something.

Problem is, I didnt really explain all that in the video and the sledgehammer in the parking lot caught a few people off guard.

If you havent seen the yet, here is the link
http://www.weldingtipsandtricks.com/tig ... -bike.html

Jody

Hey, at least they're paying attention!

AND,

They're not afraid to ask questions.

Well it was kind of fun to watch that how you mashed the crap out of the bike frame with that slegdehammer:D

Btw. Why did you use ER70S-2? Why not ER70S-6 for example?

I like the destructive testing - not everyone will have the opportunity to test their welds with a sledgehammer

Hey,

plus it was no different to anyother distructive test. Only the test method was different. I am a big fan of the BFH becase it shows in real world situations that normal people can understand, how strong and or weak welds are.

Markus, it is my belief that the S2? wire is used where the steels are nice and clean. The S6 has more elements in it to "scavenge" impurities from welds on less clean steel.
(I may be wrong)

Mick

Hi Mick

Used google's search and found some stuff from herehttp://www.aircraftmaterialsuk.com/data ... 70S-6.html

So it does what you said Mick, but doesn't make sense to me Why les alloyed wire can produce cleaner weld? In the description is said
that s-6 contais more silicon, but is that the whole truth?


And screenshots:

Hey,

The silicon content is as far as ive ever delved into it. The more silicon in tje rod/wire attracts and removes more crud from the molten pool. Thats the brown glassy stuff on the solidified weld.

Other brains maybe able to break it down a bit better for you.

Mick

Markus wrote:Well it was kind of fun to watch that how you mashed the crap out of the bike frame with that slegdehammer:D

Btw. Why did you use ER70S-2? Why not ER70S-6 for example?

The main reason I used ER70S-2 along with Weldmold 880 is that Mike Zanconato supplied small diameters of both for me to compare to let him know what I thought.
ER70s-6 is used commonly for mig wire. I have not experimented much with it for Tig except when I run out of tig wire and then use some ER70s-6 from a spool of mig wire.

Usually, when I tig weld steel, If there is mill scale, I clean it off to bright metal...so I dont figure I need the extra silicon as a deoxidizer.

this has got me to thinking though. I might just do some tests to see if there is a benefit.

jody

Jody,

I've used -s6 mig wire as filler several times, and it's coming up again. The circumstance is when I cut open a previous repair weld in vacuum service. I only use -s6 for the root, and it may not be necessary, but I cannot easily judge the quality of the previous repair. I've encountered TIG root, FCAW out, with inclusions near the original root, where the -s6 may help me scavenge the impurities.

I prefer TIG root (-s6), TIG fill (-s2), regardless, then may choose TIG out or MIG out at my discretion.

In my experience, the "glass" from the silicon will be discolored brown to nearly black where there are impurities in the weld, and a khaki color in clean metal. Of course, this adds the complication of completely cleaning the slag from the joint with each pass, but my work must be helium-tight at full vacuum.

I look forward to the results of your analysis.

Steve S

Hi

Nice to hear Jody. Reason why I have used s6 is that on heat transfer pipes (S235) s2 leaves weld pool really dirty. Even after cleaning of that mill scale from inside and outside of the pipe. Gonna take some pics next week and post on here. I could also do some test joints and check them with microscope at the school, just for curiousity

It seemed pretty obvious to me what Jody was doing with the hammer. Plus, the real frames are gas-purged, that point was made several times.

Nils wrote:It seemed pretty obvious to me what Jody was doing with the hammer. Plus, the real frames are gas-purged, that point was made several times.

I was an avid mountain biker but we moved and the closest trail is 30 minutes away; I was 5 minutes from the trails. A lot of people are building their own bike frames using lugs, propane torch, and brazing rods. Bikes take a good bit of abuse especially mountain bikes. Considering the thickness of the tubing that was welded the sledge hammer test was impressive. High end factory bikes are notorious for breaking welds all the time. Building bikes is something I would like to do as a hobby, but it's more difficult than it sounds.

Welcome,

As I said I like the hammer test. It shows if you are on the right track. If you want to build bikes, even as a hobby, go for it. Being a biker yourself , you know what is availible, know what people offer. You could build a couple and ask people to ride the hell out of them for a while, and see if anything needs changing. And go from there.

Mick

hahaha love the part where you beat the frame with a hammer
but question - did you do this vid before you wrote your bit on welding certification or did you write it first and then decide to give it a go?
random question.

Peter.

"Even for the guys that welded the bicycle you bought at Wal-Mart. (btw… Walmart sucks). Welding certification testing should not always have to be a complicated process. For instance, the welder who welds the Wal-Mart bikes maybe makes a couple of welds under direct supervision of a qualified welding inspector. Then the frame is taken out back and has the shit beat out of it with a sledge hammer.

What better test for a Wal-Mart bike? "