At Home In The Woods

[radioman]

First off -- you are doing good in learning to weld. I think you are not looking close enough. You have to "see" the puddle. you can see the puddle wobble through the dark lens off to one side. Are you pulling or pushing the weld? Second - I think everyone is being a little too cautious about burning wood table. I hate welding outside since a slight wind really blows away the gas pocket from the flux when welding making it look like a cold bead.

What I did was I stopped at a nearby lighting store that sells wire and picked up the empty wooden reels and use that as my table. If I can- I elevate pieces with bricks or scrap metal. I could've use a single piece of 2'X2' patio block on top for slag to fall on, but the wooden reels is free for taking and can get more if it get ruined. I have two of these "tables" left outside all the time and it been 3 years still holding. One for welding and projects and another for small gas engine fill up table like weedeater and chainsaw. Makes things easier on my back.
The propane torch - I have similar model but it doesnt have the yellow knob and love it.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Obed. I have heard one constant complaint about the harbor freight welder and it is about the wire they provide. I hear changing out to another brand produces significantly better welds.

 

[dstig1]

MAPP would be a lot better for soldering copper with the new lead-free solders required these days. The lead containing stuff melted so low that it was easy to work with, but the newer stuff melts higher and a propane torch (of the same type you showed, Obed) is just not enough BTUs to get it going quickly. MAPP or a large propane torch would be a lot better. I now have my old propane, a MAPP torch (the style with a hose that goes from the tank to the tip for flexibility) and an Oxy-propane setup that I use with a grill tank (cutting or heating). That gives me a lot of options for the task at hand. Every one has it's plusses and minuses...

I'm not sure if a small MAPP torch will have enough BTUs to heat 1/2" steel enough for bending, but it might. There is a lot of mass there... In any case it is a good item to have on hand and fairly cheap to do so.

 

[Obed]

First off -- you are doing good in learning to weld. I think you are not looking close enough. You have to "see" the puddle. you can see the puddle wobble through the dark lens off to one side. Are you pulling or pushing the weld?

radioman,
Yes, I could see the puddle. I didn't know if I should be able to see anything else. I was imagining drawing a line on the metal and trying to weld a bead on the line. I can't imagine being able to see the drawn line. Is that possible?

I am pulling the weld.
Obed

 

[Diamondpilot]

Personally I like to "push a weld". I find I do a much nicer job, especially with mt Hobart 187 I use for 99% of the stuff I do.

Chris

 

[tommu56]

I wouldn't heat it a good size adjustable wrench and a cheater pipe would get it straight enough (your not building a watch here my grandpa would say). Then grind take crack out some and weld it up smothe out the sides and put the pin in.

 

[Ted Summey]

Either way, pushing or pulling, you should weave back and forth along your line. Your weave can be slight but it will help. For practice purposes you might use a soap stone to mark your line. It will provide a white line o follow. You should be able to see it once your arc is struck.

 

[clemsonfor]

Oxy cetaline torch is the best and HF sells little kits I think, second you may try those MAPP tanks like some said? I would put as much heat as you can in that area then just beat it, like was mentioned your not doing finish work here, beat it close then weld and then bolt the pin in then weld the verticle to the horizontal piece for more strength.

 

[clemsonfor]

You should be able to see, how close is your face to the weld? Mine is usually within 2 feet of what I am working on,. I have splatter on my hood from working in tight spots. And yes you really need to go back n forth, or make tiny figure 8's or circles as you work to get good penetration in a spot and cover it well, all while not burning through one spot.

 

[dave1949]

This welding and metal working reminds me of a fellow back in the 1960's who had all the work he could handle fixing and rebuilding stuff. It was mostly agricultural equipment from area farms. If the problem was more than simple welding, grinding and hammering, you took it to this guy.

His shop had welding equipment, electric arc and gas, a metal lathe, drill press, forge, and who knows what all. It was dark and filled with tools. He could fix anything metal.

I suppose that is a dying breed.