[jbird1]

Hi I am John, been welding for fun for about 15 years. MIG on things like tractors, dozers and sprint cars. Software (cloud) engineer by trade, just getting started with TIG, Stick and Plasma cutting. Usual projects are fixing things I break on my hobby farm. Including rebuild loader mounts where TYM hosed up and mounted on transmission instead of the frame. Had not worked with 15mm steel plate before, Jody's tips on how to clean scale, proper current, weave technique so far as worked well. I did 5 test welds then used bandsaw to cut through the welds to evaluate weld quality. Weave really helped get deep penetration with tight welds, and found out from the videos I was using too high a gas flow. Reduced from 6-8 to 2-3 on flow meter made big difference welds are now very tight, zero bb's, required almost no clean up. I also clean welds on every pass, another good tip.

Tried some plasma cutting ran into some problems. At input pressure of 70 lbs, anything above this shuts the cutter down, this limits how deep we can cut. I was learning to cut mild steel plate that is 15 mm. Using 45 amps of the 50, 1 sec flow pre, 15 sec post and 65 psi airpressure, was difficult to get penetration, would do 2/3 then did not have enough poop to finish out the other side, the other problem was getting the arc to strike, very touchy. Must be missing a setting, My old plasma arc was very good at 1/16 standoff at 45 amps cutting 1/2 steel plate so need to learn how to make the Everlast PP 205S work as well.

The new 205S has pressure gage on front and better integration than previous 205 or 256. (its a 2013 model)

Tried some TIg work toasted a cup and rod. Had the + and - reversed so heat welding mild steel was building in the touch instead of the work. Was working 1/8 square tubing. Was trying 1.6 and 2.4mm thoriated, picked up 1.5% lanthinated, will try those today. Can't decide if 4T or pedal is best. will try both then update my journal on what worked best by type of work.

Still doing a lot of reading and viewing videos on welding. Also picked up the Lincoln Foundation books very nice.

Just finished welding table built from scrap from old metal barn that was wiped out by a tornado. Now have 9' bench that will hold 8000+ lbs, has integrated cutting area 24"x38" that I will fit a down draft power vent to the out side of the barn. Using discarded computer fans which are 100cfm each, 9 total gives 900 cfm.

Any thoughts on welding tractor frame upside down? Its 15mm plate that will have 15mm plate with loader mount bolted then edge welded along 375mm top and bottom. I have to Mig upside down the bottom because tractor is too big to flip over. will do usual prep work, bevel 1/8 in 45 degree for proper weldment. thinking 120amps, quick 1/2 welds, 45 degree torch angle to keep slag off MIG tip. Was also considering 7018 3/32 stick but that leaves ugly weld to clean up.

Appreciate any advise here.
John

[Otto Nobedder]

Hey, John, welcome aboard!

My preferences for MIG overhead are to "push", rather than "drag". When you "drag", the arc-force tends to build the puddle faster than I can control it, and I end up with dog-ticks and molten steel dripping on me.

I push at about 25-30*, not 45, for the gas coverage. At 45, the flow tends to draw air into the puddle.

I also increase the wire speed about 10% over what I'd use for that voltage in other positions... Seems to stabilize the puddle, and spatter is not an issue overhead, unless you weld in short sleeves. Sounds like you're well set up to run test plates to practice your technique before you make finished product, which is good.

Personally, I'd do this weld with 1/8" 7018, but I'm very comfortable using that rod overhead from welding heavy pipe. Consider a test plate or two with 7018 to see if you can make a bead you're comfartable with. Weld it hot, at the high end of the reccomendation for the rod (for 1/8", I'm about 118A), and push about 10-15*, running stringers or only a small weave.

Good luck,

Steve S

[Alexa]

"... Any thoughts on welding tractor frame upside down? Its 15mm plate that will have 15mm plate with loader mount bolted then edge welded along 375mm top and bottom. I have to Mig upside down the bottom because tractor is too big to flip over. will do usual prep work, bevel 1/8 in 45 degree for proper weldment. thinking 120amps, quick 1/2 welds, 45 degree torch angle to keep slag off MIG tip. Was also considering 7018 3/32 stick but that leaves ugly weld to clean up. ..."

===========

Jbird1.

I am trying to picture your joint configuration and the preparation of the bevels.
Please describe in more detail.

Tanks.
Alexa

[Otto Nobedder]

I'm reading it as a 15mm (just under 5/8") lap-joint, done overhead, so it's essentially a 4f position. (A 5/8" plate, bolted, then edge-welded, if I read it right.)

Steve S

[jbird1]

thanks gents, yes 4f position. I am considering MIG at 30 degrees vs 45, flow @10, 110 amps negative electrode, DC. Grind 22.5 degree bevel on each side of joint, plate is already bolted with 6 16mm 2.0 three 55mm bolts torqued to 85 ft lbs. Root pass using 1/2" wide weave, in 1 inch runs to keep warp down and keep weld solid, will probably do three passes on top. using 035 wire E70S2.

The other alternative is 3/32 7018 stick, 100 amps, negative electrode, DC, same prep, no weave, in 1 in runs.

Since this is a tractor loader it gets very heavy shock loads from all three directions. So weld must be very solid, have good penetration, and no cracks or weaknesses. The materials are 2x stronger than thicker the original mount with multiple stringers on long axis to distribute the loads and double the load capacity. Normally you could mount the plate with just the bolts but since these actually are the engine mounting bolts we are welding the 15mm plate on top of the 15mm existing frame effectively creating a 30mm wide frame member that the loader mount is attached to. Engine mount bolts are first tightened to correct torque settings, then weld 4F then 1f sections and 2 3f vertical 120mm runs.

At least that is the plan. Mig wise that is what I have done the most, I do stick but still a beginner usually have arc strike problems, although 205S has a dig setting I am playing with to see if I can do better.

thanks to all for the advice,
J

[BenJackson]

Tried some plasma cutting ran into some problems. At input pressure of 70 lbs, anything above this shuts the cutter down, this limits how deep we can cut. I was learning to cut mild steel plate that is 15 mm. Using 45 amps of the 50, 1 sec flow pre, 15 sec post and 65 psi airpressure, was difficult to get penetration, would do 2/3 then did not have enough poop to finish out the other side, the other problem was getting the arc to strike, very touchy. Must be missing a setting, My old plasma arc was very good at 1/16 standoff at 45 amps cutting 1/2 steel plate so need to learn how to make the Everlast PP 205S work as well.

I've not noticed an overpressure cutoff. I think my compressor is set to 100-110 and after the regulator at the welder the front panel reads about 85 when not cutting and drops to 65 when air is flowing. Unfortunately there's no "flow test" button, but you can crank preflow so you can hit the trigger with no arc.

What do you mean by "getting the arc to strike"? It's a pilot arc so it will strike with the gun pointed in the air. It will even cut sheet metal with no ground (ask me how I know but you can definitely see and hear the difference when it senses the arc connect through the ground on the workpiece.

Tried some TIg work toasted a cup and rod.

Best thing I did on the TIG side was buy another torch (CK130 with superflex cable). The WP26 is huge and the lead is not very flexible. I'd put it on par with the whip on my MIG welder...

[Mike]

Welcome to the forum.

[jbird1]

Thanks to everyone for great suggestions and Jody's tips as well. Just finished new loader mount on the tractor. Was a bear because the new one is twice as heavy as the old and has proper physics in the design. I used 110amps, DC negative electrode, S70E-2 0.35 wire at speed of 6-7 depending on depth of weld. Used Steel mix 25/75 CO2+Argon.

Thanks to the tips I was able to successfully do bunch of 3/8" x 1" welds in 4F position, 30 degree worked pretty well, still got some slag in MIG cup but keeping the weld time to 20-30 sec kept that to a minimum. I increased the gas flow to 8 from 6 for 4F that seemed to keep the welds very clean. The 1 and 2F welds were prefect. Now that area of the frame and loader mount are stronger than the rest of the tractor.

Loader works very smoothly even at idle now. Next weekend it gets painted matching gray.

Got started on my CASE 450 dozer, refaced bull gear with Mig. Weld is harder than the steel but they are pretty close. Next will be regrinding the teeth faces. Used 140amps and Jodys tacking technique. It does a clean small bead on damaged areas of the teeth. I preheated to 500F. Very nice results will take couple of hours to reface but that is much cheaper than a new gear that cost $980. Looking forward to picking up my final drive parts next week after I get back from Round Rock TX.

The other thing we learned was value of right grinding wheels. Dewalt is definitely better than the rest, Jody was spot on. My loader mount looks like it was chromed.

Next weekend we learn to TIG. Had to MIG to get critical equipment back up, but this should be fun.

All the best,

[Alexa]

Jbird1.

Tanks for the update.

Alexa