Yes exactly, I also work the foot pedal. Awesome dude, I have respect for any tradesman that takes pride in their work! The best ones are the ones that can fix their mistakes or get the job done when things are not going perfectly. Like if the humidity is high or you have to stretch the paint and thin it more to finish a project,, that's all experience. Thats what makes a good tradesman to me..like I'm happy someone can make a nice weld in the classroom but can they do it overhead left handed standing on a bucket? Haha
Haha!! I could when I was younger, but now I cant see what I'm welding in that position...…. plus I'm afraid I'd fall off of the bucket and break something!! LOL
Awesome welds. To me that is some kind of an art and some of it should be displayed in an art gallery. I always admired my dad. He was a contractor installing and servicing heating systems. In Germany hot, forced air was and still is not common. We typically used hot water and radiators. The piping was steel and everything was gas fusion welded (not soldered, not crimped). In many cases installation was tight so he had to use a mirror to see while welding. Imagine that, you control the burner with one hand, the welding rod with the other and your hand/eye coordination is reversed thru the mirror. I have to admit though, that optically the welds have not been as nice as the welds in this thread, but still better than my conventional gas fusion welds without a mirror.
You da MAN!!!! Would you be interested in owning your own business building Oil Pans, Valve Covers, etc.?? (SRE Performance Fabrications Inc)
Ha thanks Steve! That would be amazing and a dream job. I would probably have to move back to America first though huh lol
HeavensDevil, ............... just a note on power units. I did recently purchase a "Green" Everlast power unit and so far, I have to say that "I love it!" The biggest advantage that I can see over the transformer style, is the amount of heat/warpage that I'm getting, (or not getting) in my products. Welding/fabricating valve covers and oil pans, require a nice fairly flat gasket surface when finished, and with the inverter type of welder, it's easier to accomplish without a lot of extra work. I replaced a Lincoln Precision Tig 275 unit. This is a great "workhorse" that I'll list "for sale" soon. My original choice was going to be a Miller Dynasty 400, but with a price tag that WAY EXCEEDS $20K, I simply couldn't justify it at this point. And I tend to agree that Fronius is probably the best out there!
I hear nothing but good things about Everlast Steve! I think it will serve you well for years to come. I've been using Fronius machines for years so pretty spoiled in that regard
Thank you sir. I recently turned 40 y/o and am having a bit of a midlife crisis, just have to keep reminding myself to stay humble,,,stay hungry..
I'm looking for some advice on welding sheet metal with a small flux core welder I picked up at Harbor Freight just to do a small repair on my core support. It is there better model which gets decent reviews online. I am using Yeswire .030 diameter. I can get good welds at the start but as I start to fill in between the short tack welds the quality goes away fast even though I am cleaning with a wire brush and cloth. Could the slag and powdery coating be getting between the panels? Should I be using some type of cleaner in the joint?
Thanks, I've been doing that but possibly not frequently enough. I will also try using brake cleaner when cooled every now and then. I couldn't justify spending the kind of coin needed for a decent welder for a one time job. You do get what you pay for. I may end up breaking out the torches before it's all said and done.
I am not familiar with your welding machine, however, if you are able to run a shielding gas with your flux core wire, it will turn out cleaner looking.
I ended up using my torches and finished up the job. It was probably half me and half the bad equipment, to be honest. I am a good welder with torches and decent with a stick or MIG (with gas). This was my first try at flex core wire. It will be my last
First, let me state that every welder develops their own welding technique that is unique to them and that technique produces the desired look or weld finish. When a weld is first started, their is less heat in the base metal. As the weld progresses along and heat build in the base metal, the color of the weld may change from a darker blue to a more yellow or straw color weld. This color is more visible when welding stainless steel. Some say that the yellow or straw color weld is the correct color and more desirable. The heat in the weld can be controlled a couple of different ways depending upon the welding process. If you are utilizing SMAW (stick) welding, the heat setting on the machine and the arc distance of the welding rod will change the heat in the weld and the look of the weld. If you are GTAW (also known as TIG welding) and you are operating a machine with a foot pedal control, you can increase the heat at the start of the weld and once the weld is flowing, you can back off the pedal to decrease the heat to maintain control of the weld. If the weld gets too hot, the color will be more white and the weld puddle will appear flatter and there may be weld splatter along the weld. Any weld can be applied too hot and when this happens, the base metal can become burnt and loose it’s strength. The welds that have been displayed or shown in this thread are excellent and those who have displayed their work have spent a lot of time practicing and developing their welding skills.
