Welding Tips and Tricks

I can see it now!

Need it welded? Call "Bag-Lady Welding!"

Everything you'll ever need, on a buggy!



Seriously, that's a brilliant re-purpose.

Steve S

Here is my first addition to the look what I did thread.





It is a frame for a 6.2kW solar array. It was entirely built out of 2x3x11ga tubing and is designed to stand up to the annual 80 mph winds of Wyoming. Nothing crazy exciting on the fab/welding side, but still the largest thing I have ever built. Here are the final results:



Thanks for looking.

R.J.

Nothing like starting small, eh R.J?



Nice work.


Kym

Looks good just starting to see a lot of those pop up around here.

My first TIG root pass.

Not bad, according to the instructor.

(1/2" plate, 1/8" open root, 150A, WC17 Flex torch, gas lens w/12 cup, 1/8" 2% Thoriated)

Nice and neat, Rocket.

Your sig made me Google 'friction stir welding' which, in turn, gave me a nosebleed.



Kym

MosquitoMoto wrote:Nice and neat, Rocket.

Your sig made me Google 'friction stir welding' which, in turn, gave me a nosebleed.



Kym

It was a 37.5degree bevel cut on each side (more room to practice and nail down technique) with a free style weave. I did not walk the cup...yet. I prefer to learn the hard way first to get it out of the way.

Nosebleed?

RocketSurgeon wrote:

MosquitoMoto wrote:Nice and neat, Rocket.

Your sig made me Google 'friction stir welding' which, in turn, gave me a nosebleed.



Kym

It was a 37.5degree bevel cut on each side (more room to practice and nail down technique) with a free style weave. I did not walk the cup...yet. I prefer to learn the hard way first to get it out of the way.

Nosebleed?

Nosebleed as in 'this technical stuff is making me feel dizzy!'


Kym

MosquitoMoto wrote:
Nosebleed as in 'this technical stuff is making me feel dizzy!'


Kym

That's how I felt when I got into aerospace. I felt like my brain was going to turn into a puddle of goo from the massive amounts of technical info, policies and procedures.

Then came the tolerances of the build. I think that's when my eye started twitching.

Poland308 wrote:Looks good just starting to see a lot of those pop up around here.

Thanks. The are becoming much more cost effective rapidly. My neighbor installed them 8 years ago and per watt we paid 10% of what he did. In just 8 years. Also, 90% of the system was manufactured in the US or Canada.

My first alumimium project. It's a outside "Instrument panel" for my brother's boat. All though, there wont be any gauges there, just a steering wheel.

I enjoyed working with alu, but maaan i had problems with the welding machine. Sometimes the machine just didnt weld.. The arc was there, but no heat envolving. And sometimes the arc wandered all up in the torch.. I dipped the tungsten often so maybe it was due to contamination. Sorry for the bad engrish

I made this watts system for a pretty big diesel coach {21000 EW}. Think home on wheels... Guy was looking to get most of the steering issues resolved. Said that it was somewhat of a fight in crosswinds,passing other road tractors and sway issues. I told him that I had the software to lay out all this to work with the chassis and could make and install it. Odd lot of molly tube,1- 1/2 x 1/4 sq tube , 3/16,1/4, 1/2" plate, rods ends and the like hardware. He specified it be a bolt on item...complied most of the way on that. He is a happy camper now...no pun intended. I know it was overbuilt, but covered more than problems he was looking to cure- plus he's just a good guy and friend. Home on meds after operation today...just wanted to share. Job done last fall. pix out of order...sorry

Genny moved out to get up into the hole to get all the pieces in place. Done deal here with all the goodies installed. Has a few long road trips on it and is doing it's job as reported. The suspension on these are axles/wheels mounted onto an "H" frame and suspended via airbags to the frame. Seems a lot of these could be made a little better for as much as they charge to drive off in one. Underneath these trucks are busier than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs with hydraulics, plumbing, pneumatic and electrical items.

Hope you recovered well after the op, Jack.

Some nice work on show here. Can you tell us more about the welding processes used?


Kym

I take it the principle is to eliminate toe-steer by fixing the axle rigidly from transverse motion?

Nicely done.

Steve S

Actually the trailing arms and bags are all that the front end was riding on. It was tracking all on its play in the sway bar link bushings...I know they were screaming for a break! All mig welded with Millermatic 250...Tig on the .120" round link bars" rod ends.
BTW Thanks for moving this post fast !

This sort of work is great testimony to the faith you have in your skills - to send someone down the road supported by your work, secure in the knowledge they will be not only happier with their handling but safe, too.

I look forward to the day when I am confident enough to weld functional parts such as these. Well done.


Kym

It's not like that at all...just a supportive roll. Not anywhere near the thoughts I have about my airplane stuff. That work is coming near to finished project after 6 years. Learned a lot...even after getting signed off to fly some years ago. I will post a link to the website that will have a detailed story with pics of that adventure after it has flown. I am still learning how to weld...what was I thinking? Thanks for boosting me on a tough day.

Moving the post so fast was just a coincidence of timing. I apparently logged on just after you'd PMd me, as I'd replied and moved the post before my email alert told me I had a PM.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:Kym,

It's a stereotype that moviegoers recognize. While much of rural America owns clothes dryers, and will use them, we will also gladly use solar power. This is perceived by the "upwardly mobile" as penny-pinching, and thus a sign of poverty.

I'd estimate less then 10% of us regularly dry clothes on the line anymore, as the automatic dryer has become so common. So it's easy for the other 90% to see the image of clothes on a line as a representation of "I can't afford a dryer".

A mistaken notion, but then, the filmmaker does not show a man in his Khakis and Polo shirt gathering clothes from the line.

Steve S

Drying cloths outside is very common in China

jumpinjackflash wrote:It's not like that at all...just a supportive roll. Not anywhere near the thoughts I have about my airplane stuff. That work is coming near to finished project after 6 years. Learned a lot...even after getting signed off to fly some years ago. I will post a link to the website that will have a detailed story with pics of that adventure after it has flown. I am still learning how to weld...what was I thinking? Thanks for boosting me on a tough day.

I look forward to seeing the aircraft stuff online and to seeing your creation get off the ground.

My Dad is a home aircraft builder who has built two planes - a Rutan Long Ez and a Van's Aircraft RV6. So I have more than a passing interest in flight.


Kym

I make shooting targets with ar500 gongs for extra money I figured I would give out the idea to fellow welders. I sell these at the local gun shows.

Another picture of the target and stand.

Do you use hardened plate for the target?

Oops didn't scroll down far enough I see the ar now.