Welder, Welding questions for log splitter

[Metals406]

We run a bunch of 400 amp MIGS in our shop, flux core wire. It is all structural fabrication, all AWS inspected, w/ near zero failures. A good MIG welder will stomp a stick welder into the ground w/ production rates. No slag clean-up either. Our welders run 120 lbs per day, sometimes more. Stick has its place, and it's not in a high production shop. We use them for tacking only.

Yup... Good exemplar post.

 

[timberwolf]

MIG rules in production and sheet steel, just keep pulling the trigger up, down (non procedure), sideways, no stopping to change rods, no chipping slag.

Invest in a good auto-darkening helmet

Good point from above, adjustable auto darkening helmet helped my welding more than any other single thing. If you can't see ****, you can't weld it worth ****.

Only problem with mig is it's just too easy. In a couple hours someone can pick up laying down a bead that looks good, but with no clue to the soundness of the weld or what is required technically for the weld joint.

 

[chub]

sae 200

If that 200 is in good shape I would say thats a very good deal, Its a great machine I think you will love it.

 

[gink595]

We run a bunch of 400 amp MIGS in our shop, flux core wire. It is all structural fabrication, all AWS inspected, w/ near zero failures. A good MIG welder will stomp a stick welder into the ground w/ production rates. No slag clean-up either. Our welders run 120 lbs per day, sometimes more. Stick has its place, and it's not in a high production shop. We use them for tacking only.

Same here, I work for a pre-engineered metal building manufacturer, everything we have is MIG, submerged arc or sheilded hollow core. Joint prep is most imporatant as is the right wires and sheilding gas mixes.

120lbs a day?? Each welder or combined? When I welded out in the shop each guy would use a 44lb. spool in 8 hrs. but that was .052. I know how much weld that is, we used 400 amp 25-30 volt and 400 IPM was the parameters we had to run.

 

[Spotted Owl]

Owl,

DC welding makes you trigger an arc from-to instead of alternating as in AC.

To explain,

DC- :current flows from - to +, with the ground clamp being + the arc goes to the workpiece and melts the workpiece more than it melts the rod.
Deep penetration and more weld per rod length.

DC +: rod attached to + , groundclamp to -, arc goes from workpiece to rod, melting the rod faster / more than the workpiece resulting in less penetration and more material deposit. used for thin materials, to avoid warping and heat sensitive combinations (eg 2 metal types with big expansion differences) to avoid internal stress build up.

It in other words gives you a heat direction : to or from rod. whereas the AC just alternates between rod and workpiece and leaves you with less control of the weld. Also voltage and current settings are different for DC and AC welding to get to similar results.

In the more complex welders (DC exists in both rod and wire welding) you can set timing of AC, dc+, dc- and in automated systems even the switching between the modes (strike arc in ac then switch to dc) etc

Thanks. Makes alot of sence.

One more question. I remember Dad and Gramps talking and some other old timers, about DC not working as well on some things, like drags, mower decks, feed rings, hay slides, chutes and other things. They all said that AC would work the best on some things like that. Supposedly, and I have never seen it myself but don't have the time they do/did, they would say that some metal and equipment would blow the rod back out of the weld. Like it would lay in and then just kinda fall back out and not stick at all. Does that make any sence to anyone?


Owl

 

[chub]

That is true when ever there is alot of friction on the metal, like you said a bailer ect. there is a chance of arc blow,another symptom is the weld will want to favor one side of the joint. And you are right switching to ac is the easiest solution.

 

[Spotted Owl]

That is true when ever there is alot of friction on the metal, like you said a bailer ect. there is a chance of arc blow,another symptom is the weld will want to favor one side of the joint. And you are right switching to ac is the easiest solution.

Just talked to Dad and asked him also. He said the same thing. He said that it's kinda like tring to weld magnets.

Thanks


Owl

 

[John D]

Welding a splitter,I used a lot of DC reverse, it really helped get good penetration,esp on some of the thick mounting pieces for the ram,and slide.I had some 3/4" and 1" thich stuff,a lot of time V ing it out,and welding it up with 7018 and 6011 on low stress stuff,preheated some of it as well,the heat was almost unbearable while welding it,but its solid and strong!

 

[spankrz]

it's a 220 volt machine.i'm not keen on 110v unless it's your only option.

i have welded everything from solid axle swaps on toyota trucks to trailer hitches on dump trucks.miller is a good machine as well.

this is a good welder, i have the 180. the entire line-up of lincoln feeders are nice, and i would reccomend them to anyone. no experience with a miller, but i have heard good things about them.

 

[fishercat]

yeah,i like it a lot.

this is a good welder, i have the 180. the entire line-up of lincoln feeders are nice, and i would reccomend them to anyone. no experience with a miller, but i have heard good things about them.

as a matter of fact,i am welding up a Kia Sportage frame tonight.no it's not mine and no i would not recommend them to anyone.what a POS.

 

[topofthehil]

a couple of things

there was mention of 60,000 (6013) vs 70,000 (7018) and that a good 6013 is better than a not so good 7018.
well, maybe and maybe not.
the first two digits are the tensile strength.
this is not such a big factor when the steel you are welding has a tensile strength of not more than 42,000.
they are both over kill when it comes to tensile strength.
something more important to look at is the impact strength and dynamic vs static loading.
7018 has much better properties in cold conditions than S-3 or S-6 solid wire or 6010, 6011, or 6013 stick.
it performs better on the critical moving parts such as the ram, guides and wedges.
also, my two cents on a couple of other comments.
unless you have an open root joint, there is no need to use a 6010 root and cover with 7018.
weld it all up with 7018 and be done with it.
if you can, use gas shielded FCAW ... not self shielded FCAW.
it costs more, but you get much better welds.
Garn uses Hobart Fabco 71 to weld their boilers.
it costs them more to do so, but the welds are far superior to their competitors solid wire welded boilers.
no cold lap welds in their boilers.

 

[loghog]

6011 electrodes

the 6011 rods are a fast freeze rod and are not ment to be used on high strength welds.7018 all the way

 

[Crazee Canuck]

7018

try using a 3/32 Dia rod when out of position, smaller puddle easier to control.

weld asmuch flat as you can. 7018 generally needs lots of heat so don't be scared of running hot and fast.

practice makes good welders, no other way to learn than to burn rod, if you bought your machine from a friend make him include some lessons.

ask around i am sure someone would come over for beers and show you a few things. even if you had to pay someone.

a welding course is a good idea.

 

[loghog]

wood splitter wedges

I have built 4 splitters and repaired several more.the best steel that i have found for wedges is AR- 400 hard plate.it is super tough and it's bending strength is 2 to 3 times more than mild steel,and it welds real well with7018 rods

 

[KD57]

120lbs a day?? Each welder or combined?

Combined, 3 welders, normal day. We did build some huge trusses several years ago and I myself put on a 66# spool at 5am, changed it out by noon, then ran almost all of the second one by 4pm. Now thats what you call keeping the hood down. lol. We were doing some huge full pen welds, back-gouging, and they were on beams w/ 1" flanges. I would weld for a solid hour and never take a step.