Welder World Blog

Archive for January, 2011

Lighting the torch & setting the flame: (FIRST, put on gloves, goggles, long pants, etc!)

1) Turn on the “gas” tank valve about 1/2 turn (believe me that’s plenty)(set the gas at 10-12 PSI).
2) Open the O2 (oxygen) tank valve nearly all the way. (set the O2 cutting pressure to about 40 PSI, via the twist knob at the O2 gauges).
3) With your striker (lighter) in one hand, crack open the acetylene valve on the torch handle & light it. (red hose).
4) Open the acetylene more till the flame separates from the tip, then back it off till it “re-attaches”. (that’s the max you can get from the tip you’re using).
5) Now open the O2 on the torch handle till the blue flames are short & bright. (green hose)
6) Then push on the long high pressure valve on the handle &  re-adjust the O2 valve on the handle till the blue flames are clear & bright.
7) You’re THERE!

Check to see that all the holes in the tip end are allowing full flow. If not, shut it off & clean the tips.

To shut the torch off: close the “gas” valve on the torch handle, then the O2 valve. Then I usually crack the high pressure valve (on the handle) to blow out any gas left.

Using the cutting torch:
1) Look around to see where your sparks will be going & protect stuff or move it, if needed.
2) See that the piece you cut off has a safe place to drop. (If you catch it you will want to put it down right away).
3) Now, put the tip of the blue flames on an edge of the material & let it get red hot (or start sparking).
4) Then push the cutting valve & slowly start moving in the direction you want to cut.
5) The thickness of the piece will determine how fast you move. But keep moving fast enough so that the sparks are flying at least straight down, or actually angled slightly ahead of the tip.
6) If you go too slow, the molten metal won’t clear out & will tend to still hold the pieces together at the end of the cut.
7) Going too fast will cause the sparks to lag behind the cutting tip, & not cut through good enough.
Note that I tend to very slightly angle the flame & tip in the direction of the cut. For me this helps to pre-heat the metal & keep the sparks angled slightly forward.

Once you’ve practiced a few times, the cuts will look pretty decent.
* You will then be able to think more about using various ways to help you steady your hands & use guides.
* Using 2 hands is a common practice of the pros.
* Using a heavy bar as a guide is a quick way to help you make a straight cut.
* Also using clamps on various other straight edges, like angle iron or channel, can help too.

Other torch and cutting tips:

1) For long cuts on plate steel you may need to use a clamp across the beginning of your cut to  hold things in place more firmly.
2) I use a torch many times to cut heavy material instead of a band saw, then do some grinding to dress it up.
3) Use a chalk line to mark really long cuts.
4) A regular cutting tip can also be used for heating smaller jobs, just keep away from the cutting valve.
5) When you get better at the “trigger control” of the cutting valve, you can use it to gouge out cracks for better penetration.
6) You will need to get a O2 bottle that is at least 1/2 again as tall as the acetylene bottle because you will be using MUCH more O2 versus gas.
7) On thicker materials you can use your torch to bevel the edges for better penetration (versus grinding).
Lots of popping sounds & splatter likely means that your tip is too close to or touching the molten metal (or your tip orifices are plugged, or BOTH).
9) Make sure when you have your tanks off, that the gauges read ZERO! (example: if the O2 reads 20 when it’s off, then when you set the 40 PSI cutting pressure, you really only have 20 PSI that you’re cutting with! This happened to me).
10) When you need to cut off just the weld of a job, it takes a CAREFUL touch of the cutting valve & you need to watch for where the pieces join each other & try to not cut into the pieces you’re trying to save.

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Does your speedometer weave all over the place, or under read following a change of tyres/wheel diameter? If so, there are companies out there that can take gauges that look like they’ve spent the last millennium submerged in a peat bog, strip them down to their component parts, clean and re-work anything as required, and return it to you in tip-top condition.

As with these examples of car components, there are restorers out there who can handle the most derelict of interior trim, woodwork, engine, brake component or bodywork and breathe new life into it. It all depends how far you want to go in restoring your chosen classic – these services don’t come cheap, usually being a much specialised art, so the cost of contracting out work to these classic specialists must always be borne in mind.

How Much Restoration?

In many cases, the renovation of an old body shell will be the deciding factor in assessing how viable it really is to give the work to a professional restoration company. Despite being a fairly cheap car, the Mini for example actually has quite a complicated structure, so unless it is historically significant, or being subject to a cost-no-object restoration, tread very carefully before committing to a professional restoration. A compromise can often be reached whereby the owner does as much preparation work as possible to keep the final costs down to reasonable levels, so it’s worth having a chat with the body shop first.

Spending £3000 having a classic Mk2 Jaguar shell renovated may make some sense, as the finished article in good order could be worth anywhere between £10-20k when finished, but spending that much on a classic Mini (or any other cheaper car, say a Hillman Imp or an old Escort) may be less of a good choice.

Most restoration shops pitch at owners with more widely available cars, such as MGs, Triumphs, and Austin Healeys where the finished article may well be worth anything between £10-15k, and therefore worth spending a few quid on. The advantage with the more popular marques of classic is that body panels can often be acquired from specialist suppliers, saving money in the long run as there is no need to call upon bespoke builders of bodywork panels, with the time and cost involved that having one-off panels made will bring. However if you just want your car restoring to a solid usable condition, you’ll find many regular garages either have a guy in there handy with a Mig welder, or know someone who is.

At the bottom of the scale are the outfits, often one-man bands working from the back of a Mk3 Escort van, that will patch up your classic for the price of a cup of tea, and some beer money. The final finish will be left to you, the owner, but with repairs that are fairly workmanlike with little finesse or care; the end result will always be a compromise and should only really be called upon when money is tight.

Restoration Project Budgeting

As already mentioned, your budget is key to how far to go employing professionals to do up your car. Whereas compromises cannot really be taken with safety issues, such as the brakes and suspension, the renovation of the body shell and interior really comes down to how mad you want to go, and what you plan to do with the car once finished.

If the classic car is a family heirloom, or being restored for keeps with no view to re-sale in the near future, then throwing a good pile of money at it is probably a good way to ensure its future health (so long as it is maintained properly afterwards!). However most people do not have a bottomless pit of cash, so as always, a balance has to be found.

The more you can do yourself the better, as not only will you save money (hopefully), but you’ll learn a lot more about the vehicle than had you just sent it off to the restoration shop, without seeing it again till it rumbles into your garage, glistening and restored.

Finding a Trustworthy Company

Once you’ve decided to have work done on your  classic, how do you find a trustworthy company to restore it? With tales around of old cars being left with restoration shops, only for the company to go bust and bailiffs re-possessing everything, including your car, it is well worth taking time to identify a suitable business or individual to deal with.

Recommendations can be found in classic car magazines and by word of mouth, which is probably one of the best ways to go. Get talking to people at local shows, and see which local companies get recommended by owners who have used them before. Try to find a company that is well established, and looks like it has invested in good premises and has a reputation to protect – they are far less likely to mess you about than someone who can only be contacted on a mobile, and who works out of a unit rented weekly. That’s not to say that all coachwork restorers who have a mobile number only are sharks, but it’s one of several things to bear in mind should the worst happen, and you find yourself trying to contact the owner quickly.

With the classic car in the restoration shop, keep close contact with progress and ask to be contacted should anything unforeseen come along, that will require extra funding to fix. After all you may want to reconsider the rebuild of your Ford Pop if it turns out the chassis is terminally corroded and will cost thousands of pounds to renovate (maybe it’s better to find a better chassis instead!).

Before work commences it might also be worth drawing up a schedule of the work you want doing, and getting the garage owner to agree to it and sign the papers too – this will also help if you need to reclaim anything that’s rightfully yours should something go wrong.

MIG welding is one of the simplest ways of welding, but it does need a good practice to perform such kind of welding. With the perfect tool and the requisite experience you could carry out the best quality welds with the help of MIG welding machines.

Usages of MIG Welding Machines

MIG welding is typically used to join aluminum and other metal sheets basically softer metals. MIG welding is used where high diffusion power is not required and the sheets to weld are of around one eight of an inch thickness. If you are working on thicker sheets it is advisable to go ion for the system that can support 230 volts. If commercial project of welding is your cup of tea, then you much take help of a plant with high amps somewhere more than 200 amps.

MIG goes to explain metal inert gas welding. The name is lifted from the welding that is done using inert gas as a shield to protect the weld pool and it also works as a flux for the welding goal.

When doing stick welding, the flux is there on the stick or the filler rod, under these circumstances the shield comes in the form of inert gas.

How to Buy One

It has been often felt that welding plants are a bit expensive and establishing welding equipment for personal use is something too expensive and out of reach of an individual. This is not the truth though. One can buy a MIG welding machine for a couple of hundred dollars, if one is going to use this welding equipment not that frequently then it is better to go for some better welding machines and may be better in use and less expensive and also and my may become the neighborhood favorite.

Guidelines to Use

When performing welding with a MIG welding machine, and if wire feeder is used for filler wire, then the end result will be something identical to an alligator clip, and this is to be brought near to the welding zone. For thicker substances which are closer to your plant, you can do a bit of pre heating. Pre heating should be limited to 250 degree F only when you are using the less important plant that is not suitable for business purpose.

If you are going to use the welding equipment in your house hold socket, one important point that you must consider is that modify the rating of your fuse, or else you will be at the risk of blowing your fuse every often. You can also learn that by experience.

If you are trying the MIG welding machine for the first time without refereeing any guide, you are more prone to dig a hole in your sheet/weld job. But have patience, don’t give up, with a few more holes, you are likely to turn to be a better welder than when you started off first.

Using welding machines is not a big deal to get panic, and by apply right strategy, advises and referring the manuals and guidelines provided, it is quite easy to perform it on your own.

In this article, we are going to see all about tig welders, but not its process and uses. We will see how to set up, buy and choose this welding machine. Find out a welding supply stores who are specialized in dealing with this machine and look out some classifieds so that you can have an overview on the details of its sale and information about it. Don’t ever go to welding product shop without knowing any information about the products that you are going to buy because some dealers may try to cheat you. So know the history and uses of tig welding machine through internet and through eBay. Visit some online retailer shops and ask your queries to them and they will clarify all your doubts regarding the welding products.

Decide the manufacturer of tig welders and select the manufacturers who are best in dealing with these products. Next we are going to discuss on how to choose a tig welding machine. You need to familiarize yourself so that you can choose the quality ones that are capable of working with different gases. The welder you choose and metal type should match and it should be strong enough to weld materials that are hard and thick. Plug in requirements are there and different machines require different plug in set up and select a machine based on your work type so that you can easily accommodate it. Duty cycle requirement is very essential and many of you are not aware about duty cycles. It is nothing, but indicates how long the machine can operate without overheating during frequent intervals.

There are different power tig series are available and while choosing it give importance to features and most of the types comes with features such as high frequency arc, automatic fans, digital settings and more. Select a manufacturer who can give you the quality welding machine with years of warranty because the machine without any warranty is not good to select. Next we will see how to set up a tog welding machine. It is very easy to set up and only few steps are required to set up a machine. First, plug the torch, gas and regulator hose at the required spots and screw the label connectors on the unit. How your work table is connected, in a similar way, your grounding clamp should be connected to a grounding object.

Grind the tungsten wire and connect it to torch and tungsten should be spaced in such a way that it is placed in quarter inch gap out of the front end of the torch. Now you have set up the entire tig welder in a decent way, just plug the machine to electrical outlet and turn it on and start to work. First weld any waste material so that you can know how the machine is working and this step is applicable to all welding machines. Have a quality tig welding machine and make your work easier.

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Aluminum Welding is by far the best practice for Tig Welding. Get better at tig welding by practicing stacking beads on 11 ga aluminum sheet metal

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Latest technology has upgraded the mobile phones with all modern features. Blackberry always try its level best to satisfy its customers. The Blackberry 9800 Torch is the latest handset from the family of Blackberry which is known for its consistent work.

This smart handset comes in with a 3.2 inches high resolution colored TFT capacitive touch screen display, full QWERTY keypad for smooth typing and optical track pad.

It has amazing camera of 5 mega pixel and also having Geo-tagging, continuous auto focus, image stabilization, high resolution and LED flash to capture high quality photographs and high definition video recording.

It  has internal memory of 4 GB, 512 MB RAM and 512 MB ROM and  can be expanded up to 32 GB using micro SD memory slot cards.

Blackberry torch is a smartphone with excellent performance. The mobile phones comes in with Wi-Fi and allows you to browse fast speed internet.

The Blackberry Torch 9800 has many nice connectivity options like Bluetooth, GPRS, EDGE, USB interface for data transfer with fast speed.

The Blackberry torch 9800  endorse both 2G GSM network as well as 3G HSDPA  and HSUPA frequency band, and can easily switch between various frequency bands to provide world wide roaming to its device users.

You can discover these blackberry torch deals on various web portals  within few clicks on Internet. And find best deal for you.

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Blackberry torch 9800 O2 contract deals are good deals. So Folks don’t waste your precious time, utilize it by making smart choice and surprise your friends and loved one’s with this amazing handset.

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Looking for a relatively cheap steel product with a number of applications? Look no further than your favourite mild steel supplier, who would be able to fulfil your every need.

Mild steel is a type of low carbon steel with good strength that can be bent, worked or welded into an endless variety of shapes. As it is relatively cheap with material qualities that are acceptable for a number of different applications, it is the most common form of steel. If needed, surface hardness can be increased through carburizing. This is a heat treatment process that results in the surface having a higher carbon content than the inside of the steel product.

Mild steel is used in a number of different products, including cars and ships, building materials and even some pots and pans. It is also often used when large quantities of steel are needed, for example in construction.

As the carbon content of steel rises, the metal becomes harder and stronger, but also less ductile and more difficult to weld. Generally, steel with a higher carbon content also has a lower temperature resistance. If you need the steel to be workable, you have to buy a product with a lower carbon content.

As mild steel consist of a variety of low carbon steel products, mild steel suppliers would be able to advise on the right product for your needs. The composition of the product – the percentage carbon, manganese and silicon – included in the steel has an effect on the strength and hardness of the product, which in turns have an impact on how it can be used.

Mild steel suppliers may also stock products with a lead or sulphur content, which leaves you with a free cutting mild steel that can easily be cut with automated machines.

Gas Welding is alive and well!
* If you want to create artistic projects, many people will choose gas welding exclusively.
* At some point, most arc welders will want to, or NEED to use gas welding. I’ll help you get started. Then YOU need lots of practice!

Seriously, practice is CRITICAL for running great beads.
* If you’re doing artistic stuff, you’ll want it to LOOK great.
* Eye-hand coordination gets tougher because you’re doing more multi-tasking then arc welding.
Being able to DIRECTLY be shown details about how to do special jobs like gas welding is the BEST way to get started. (By WATCHING some else gas weld).

Here’s the “scoop” for this article:
1) I’ll give you a brief introduction to the gas welding world…
2) Then I’ll hit on some safety tips…
3) Next the equipment itself…
4) Getting started:
* The flame.
* Adjustments.
* Angles.
5) Filler rod, tacking, the puddle, problem solving.
6) Brazing Tips.

INTRO:
* Gas welding in this page refers to oxygen-acetylene welding of metals.
* Your are actually WELDING two pieces of metal together, wheras brazing doesn’t melt the parent material, just the material used to join the pieces.
* The torch itself needs to be able to melt the metals being used: filler rod, & “parent metals”.
* Having an oxygen-acetylene torch around enables you to not only WELD, but also to cut the materials, heat & bend materials, & loosen tight-fitting materials via heating.
* Safety is paramount! You are working with extremely hot & potentially explosive materials!

SAFETY STUFF:
SERIOUSLY gas welding can really be fun, interesting, & profitable!
BUT:
* The tuned gas flame can exceed 6,000 F.
* Un-protected eyes can be fatigued & permanently harmed in a short time.
* The acetylene tank could explode under certain conditions: dropping, in a fire, from an arc or torch flame penetrating the casing, etc.
* The oxygen tank starts with 2000 PSI & can literally go like a rocket if the top valve assembly breaks off.
* Hitting something already burning with the high pressure torch valve can really accelerate the fire.

So, be careful!

GETTING STARTED:

The Flame:
* Set the gas and oxygen pressures MUCH lower than for cutting.
* Some gas setting charts call for the 02 & gas pressures to be the same as the tip size being used: tip size 1 = 1 PSI for gas & O2.
* Tip size 5 = 5 PSI for gas & O2, etc.
* I simplify things even farther! I just set both pressures at 10 PSI then crack the valves open at the torch handle to where I need them to be. Just start EASY & work them up to the capabilities of the tip. (or just do it as above).
* Also, tip sizes vary for the size metal being welded: Tip size 1 = 1/16″ metal and tip size 5 = 1/4″ as examples.
* It really isn’t hard to figure out if the tip your using is too small or too big for the job. (Too small won’t get everything hot enough, & too large will tend to blow everything away).
* Crack open the gas & light it right away.
* Crank up the gas till it separates from the tip then back it off.
* Hit the O2 until the blue flame first gets short & bright. This is a “neutral flame”, used for most jobs.

Note that the torch tip & the filler rod should be about at a 45 degree angle.
*Too steep can make the penetration too deep & not pre-heat / too shallow can cause too little penetration.

Let’s do it:
* Starting out, it can give you good practice to just put the flame on metal without a filler rod. This helps you get used to the process without worrying about the filler rod too.
* Heat the metal till there’s a puddle, then begin moving the flame to create a bead.
* Get the blue part of the flame nearly touching the metal.
* Move in a circular or semi-circular fashion to make it into a bead.
* Aim the flame in the direction you’re trying to make the bead. (forehand welding).
* Don’t get ahead of the bead or it can make it not hot enough at the puddle.
* Do this for a few times before using a filler rod.

Introduce a filler rod: (usually the same diameter as the pieces that are being welded).
* start the same way as above and keep the rod at a 45 degree angle also.
* Dip the rod in the puddle frequently, but try not to heat the rod with the flame. (heat the puddle, not the rod).
* Practice running straight beads then work up to following curved paths. (some schools have you write your name with a gas welding bead).

THEN PRACTICE till you can run decent looking beads.

Note that you should be tacking pieces together at least at both ends of where you’re welding, to prevent moving of the gap.

Problem solving:
* Your flame is fluctuating: gas pressure or supply may be low.
* Popping sound: Hot tip, plugged tip, pressure too high.
* Flame stops: 02 pressure high.
* Whistling noise & the flame backs up into the torch: (backfire), 02 or gas too low, the tip is clogged or dirty, or the tip touched the puddle.

BRAZING:
* Many things are similar about gas welding and brazing: but remember that with brazing you aren’t melting the parent metal, just the brazing material (such as brass).
* The brass and the parent metal MUST be clean and hot enough for there to be a good joint. (Use flux! In a can, or coated rods).
* Think of soldering, if you don’t get everything hot enough, it might come apart (or not be a good electrical connection).

Now GET BUSY PRACTICING!

This was a just a BRIEF description of the gas welding process.

Good luck to all you ladies & gents!

Arc welding is commonly used because of the low cost and is normally the first type of welding apprentices learn. Arc welding uses an electrical current between an electrode and the welding material to melt the metal and create the weld. The area being welded is sometimes protected by semi-inert gas or filler material. Arc welding is a simple welding method that can be used by almost any weldor, and it can be used on nearly any type of metal. There are more technologically advanced methods of welding, but arc welding is easiest and to perform arc welding, arc welder is used.

Welding equipment that performs this type of welding is called as arc welders. Arc welders are machines that create an electrical current in the shape of an arc. This current can reach thousands of degrees in temperature, and it melts any type of metal. While arc welding may not be as common now as it used to be due to new forms of welding, it has a variety of uses and Arc welders used to be expensive tools that were available only to large companies or top tradesmen. Over the years, however, arc welders have become much more affordable. Smaller tradesmen and hobbyists can now enjoy the convenience of having their own arc welder. Whether you want to fix metal items around the house or restore a classic car, an arc welder can make the job easier.

Choose a gas-metal arc welder if you plan to use your arc welder for indoor projects and choose a flux-core arc welder, if you plan to use a welder for outdoor projects. Make sure the arc welder you choose has a trigger mechanism. An arc welder without a trigger mechanism has a constant live torch, which can be dangerous, especially when working indoors. Consider the amount of amperage you need your arc welder to have. This depends on the metal you’re working with. Generally speaking, for a 2 mm piece of steel, you will need a 90-amp arc welder. For a 5 mm piece of steel, you will need a 180-amp welder, and for thinner metals, you will need about a 25-amp welder.

It’s very important that you should know how to weld using arc welder. When you weld, your practice area should be outdoors without any flammable materials nearby. Secure the practice steel to a work platform, attach the ground to the steel and place the welding rod in the other clamp. Put on your protective equipment, especially the helmet. Looking at the arc unprotected can instantly cause permanent eye damage. Turn the welder on and set it to about 80 amps and touch the electrode to the steel and pull it back slightly. Break it loose and try again if it sticks. Increase the amperage if it continues to stick and feed the electrode into the arc to maintain it.

Once you become proficient to know how to weld at this, you may advance to welding two pieces of metal together. Look for an arc welder at a store approved by the American Welding Society. Search in the internet search engines and you will be provided with a list of welding stores that sell each type of arc welder.

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