Learning to weld

[Bernie]

I know it's not technically bushcraft, but this DIY section seems a good place to make my ignorance public.

I used to be able to braze wire when I was a kid with a torch on a large camping gas bottle. But now all I have is one of those little blowtorches that seems to only be capable of crème brulé.

I see arc welding, gasless mig and tig and I have no idea what would be suitable for the odd project where I want to join some bits of metal.

I'm sure there are at least a few fellow crafter's here who know about these things and can either explain it to me or point me at a source of information explaining the different types (which is good for what) and which would be good for the odd project.

Am I being too ambitious?

[BJ]

Hi Bernie, if you are only doing occasional welding a small arc welding set would be the most cost efficient. this type of welding uses a rod coated with flux and is good for most things,( especially with contact rods for a beginner to learn with). A mig set will use a continuous wire feed and requires a gas shield and is used for everything from car repairs to heavy fabrications. A tig set uses a filler rod in an arc and is used primarily for aluminium etc and is expensive to buy.
If you do get an arc welding set the inverter models are lighter and better than a transformer type but they do cost a bit more.
I think with a little practice using an arc set is fairly easy and you can weld most things including cast iron with the right rods and technique. I used to have an old stubs welding book from years ago, I will try to find it out for you. It is a good basic book with the techniques for differing types of material,rods and positions.

[Big T]

Depends on what type of thing you want to weld, and the thickness! If you only want to weld carbon based steel (mild steel) then the best options are ARC and MIG. Arc has been decribed above, MIG works on the same principle but will be able to weld much thinner materal and is generally easier to pick up for the novice. However if you decide to go for MIG then I wouldnt bother with the "Gasless" welding sets that use flux covered wire, they are very much "micky mouse" (In my experience) Machine Mart do a semi decent welding set range under the "Clarke" brand name. The only drawback against these sets is that you will probably end up using the disposable gas bottles which dont tend to last very long! As far as gas goes, the only other option is to open an account with BOC or simmilar where you rent a bottle on a yearly basis and exchange them for a fee when they are empty. An ARC set is much cheaper to buy and the rods arnt very expensive but unless you are welding anything much above 1.5mm and are fairly competant then you will be blasting holes in everything instead of welding it! If you want to weld Aluminum then unless you spend a few grand on a TIG set then forget it, some people say its possible to weld aluminum with a MIg (and in therory it is, with the correct gas) it is very much a last resort and very difficult to achieve. If you could post the kind of things you want to weld then im sure we can be a little more specific on advice!

Regards,

Anthony.

[Ashley Cawley]

Nice to see more DIY going on .. I thought of you Anthony when I saw this one.

What you thinking of welding Bernie?

[Bernie]

Sorry for not having said what I intend to weld. Although it's hard to imagine the future, I was thinking of rods for a tripod, or angle iron for the odd box like project. I can't see me doing a lot of it because I prefer to work with wood, but there are times when metal is just better for the job. One instance in particular recently was when I wanted to make a bolt by welding a nut on a thread. I tried to braze it, but had trouble getting the 8mm threaded rod and nut hot enough to take the brazing rod.

It does sound like an arc welder is the best option. I've heard it's difficult to do well, but I guess practice is the key to success.

Besides the light from the arc and hot splatter, are there other dangers to consider?

[Big T]

Arc should do you fine for that kind of stuff mate. it sounds like you wont be doing long runs of weld so that makes it a little easier! Dont be afraid to whack the amps up to ensure you get good penetration on your welds and be sure to prep the steel well before you try and weld it, the cleaner you get it the better! Invest in a chipping hammer to chip the slag off after you have completed a weld, and be carefull as sometimes the slag will ping off as its cooling and can get you in the eye! You will prob also find that if the steel isnt really clean or your rods are damp then the rods will stick to the materal you are welding, causing the rod to glow red hot and may trip your fuse board or blow the fuse in the plug. If / when the rod sticks it can be quite alarming and hard to get off, if you try and pull it off then it will usually crack the flux coating off of the rod and it will not weld properly due to the impurities in the air getting to the weld. Best thing to do is to just squeeze the handles of the electrode holder together so that it detatches the electrode, wait for it to cool and then remove it from the workpiece, trim the end off the electrode and start again! Its very important to keep the electrodes dry to try and stop them sticking, it can really try your patience if they keep sticking! Once you have some heat in the electrode it will be fine though. Things to consider are;

Clean work area, free from combustables (paint cans, rags etc)
Good ventilation as the fumes given off can make you feel queasy
Dont weld anything galvanized unless you have burnt the galvanizing off in a very well ventilated area (prefurably outside)
Be prepared to get burnt! The sparks given off can travel a long way and WILL burn through clothing and WILL end up down your neck!

Get yourself some offcuts from a steel factory and just have a go mate, it aint that hard, just requires a little patience!

Forgot to say....when you arc weld you want to "pull" the rod across the workpiece, dont "push" it. If you push it then you will be trying to weld over the slag left behind from the weld, this will not give you a good weld due to the slag inclusion.

[Bernie]

Thanks for all the great tips. I'm watching this video and to be honest, it's almost putting me off because it seems so complicated.



I'll keep watching and learning because, although I prefer brazing, I think arc welding would be quicker and would let me weld things like gas bottles so I can make a fire pit or stove.

I think I should ask around my area to see if anyone does this and wouldn't mind letting me watch or have a go before I waste money on the wrong type of welder. Adding up all the things I'd need really is making it look like I'd be better off buying a fire pit, but I think the driving force here is that I want the ability to do these things myself.

Thank you so much Big T and BJ for the advice.

[Big T]

No worries mate, gd luck with whatever you decide! I'm sure you will pick it up ok, sometimes if you research it too much or watch too many video's you can convince yourself that something that is relatively straightforward is way beyond your ability! Trust me, most people who ask about welding pick it up just fine by getting a cheap welder, some off cuts and having a go! All the best mate!

[Fraser]

Arc should do you fine for that kind of stuff mate. it sounds like you wont be doing long runs of weld so that makes it a little easier! Dont be afraid to whack the amps up to ensure you get good penetration on your welds and be sure to prep the steel well before you try and weld it, the cleaner you get it the better! Invest in a chipping hammer to chip the slag off after you have completed a weld, and be carefull as sometimes the slag will ping off as its cooling and can get you in the eye! You will prob also find that if the steel isnt really clean or your rods are damp then the rods will stick to the materal you are welding, causing the rod to glow red hot and may trip your fuse board or blow the fuse in the plug. If / when the rod sticks it can be quite alarming and hard to get off, if you try and pull it off then it will usually crack the flux coating off of the rod and it will not weld properly due to the impurities in the air getting to the weld. Best thing to do is to just squeeze the handles of the electrode holder together so that it detatches the electrode, wait for it to cool and then remove it from the workpiece, trim the end off the electrode and start again! Its very important to keep the electrodes dry to try and stop them sticking, it can really try your patience if they keep sticking! Once you have some heat in the electrode it will be fine though. Things to consider are;

Clean work area, free from combustables (paint cans, rags etc)
Good ventilation as the fumes given off can make you feel queasy
Dont weld anything galvanized unless you have burnt the galvanizing off in a very well ventilated area (prefurably outside)
Be prepared to get burnt! The sparks given off can travel a long way and WILL burn through clothing and WILL end up down your neck!

Get yourself some offcuts from a steel factory and just have a go mate, it aint that hard, just requires a little patience!

Forgot to say....when you arc weld you want to "pull" the rod across the workpiece, dont "push" it. If you push it then you will be trying to weld over the slag left behind from the weld, this will not give you a good weld due to the slag inclusion.

Bang on advice.
From a welding inspector

[Big T]

Thanks mate! My old man was a welder for 40 plus years, Lloyds registered etc and he taught me at a young age!