Pelican Parts Forums - welding speech

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Ahh, I missed the other thread.....listen to Moses:D

I just got my first MIG recently. I hope it doesn't fail on me before I master my technique.

Once I get going, I sometimes lose track of what I'm doing. I stop frequently to check the guide, which can be frustrating.

I always wear my helmet, boots and big rubber gloves. I look silly, but better than being injured.

I love the term "full penatration" when discussing welds.

there was plenty of welding in "Iron Man" Robert Downey Jr is an artist in this dept.. I suggest watching that movie and taking notes.. You'll soon be an expert..

Quote:

Originally Posted by URY914 (Post 3998590)

I love the term "full penatration" when discussing welds.

I need to amend my original suggestion to ramble on and on about full penetration butt welds. :eek:

JB Weld or other epoxies are not a substitute for a good MIG weld.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KaptKaos (Post 3998662)

JB Weld or other epoxies are not a substitute for a good MIG weld.

For some of us they are even better imo. If a JB Weld breaks, you don't lose half your $tuff either :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar (Post 3998157)

I have been bushwhacked into giving two welding speeches in the space of the next two weeks. One guy is my brother, the serious machinist, who is MIG-ging for the fourth time, and the other is a good friend who has decided to MIG for the third time.

I thought the theme of my speeches should be "how to make this weld last" - so it occurred to me to tap the Pelican brain trust on this subject.

There are many happily MIG-ged Pelicans out there - and I would love to have your secrets, tips and advice.

I look forward to your comments - no matter how silly these may be.

By way of incentive I promise to post a copy of my speech to each person that replies - and you will then have a nice canned welding speech for future occasions.

Many thanks in advance...

Gogar

The way this is written, it sounds as if you're going to give a "speech" to one person each for a total of 2 speeches.

Whatever, in welding school, the instructor was more interested in the backside for what he always called "pen," for penetration. So, I welded as much for the backside as I did the front. If the back is nicely fused, the weld will last.

That having been said, you talk about weld failure as if it's always th welder's fault. In my mind it isn't. Depending on the application, welds may have to be post heat treated or protected properly, i.e., plating. Let's consider the whole picture here.

Huh?

Keep them together...

Whooooshhhh!! That's the sound of this going completely over my head.

"Or maybe this is a tongue-n-cheek post that I fell for." --911pcars
good one, Gogar.

i've been quietly watching this thread, jeremy....i bow to your wit :)

The problem with both MIG and Tig is the incredible amount of gas involved.

Three words..... Penetration without undercutting.

Lots of different situations/materials/joints/heat treat etc, but in general if a weld truly has to be as strong as the parent material, it has to fully penetrate. It is truly very easy for anyone to learn to put down a "pretty" looking bead with mig, but as others have implied above, a pretty bead laying on the surface of a joint means nothing in regard to strength of the weld.

Fortunately most guys mig welding in their garages are welding relatively thin materials where penetration is easily achieved and the items they are welding (auto body sheet metal) often are not stressed components.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar (Post 3998508)

Thanks for the advice, you guys! Especially Moses, and Kurt. You guys always know what's best.

I guess I'm just a little apprehensive, you know; I think I read somewhere that over 50% of MIG welds in the US eventually fail.

For Sherwood:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/414269-wedding-speech.html

Yep. Duh. I saw the two posts sequenced on the forum list and assumed your welding one was first posted, but I faked left and backtracked at the end of my retort to cover the butt of my inquiries..... but it probably wasn't that obvious.

That post should have been obvious coming from the Gogar.

Sherwood