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Hobbyist welder

Jimmy_Pop

Jimmy_Pop

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2002
2,030
0
Phoenix, Az USA
I've been having fun lately making metal poster beds. I've started making a jig. The first jig i have completed is for the frame that connects the headboard and footboard. Turned out nice and square.

I still cant figure out how to get good, square mitre cuts with a basic chop saw. any tips ? I find myself grinding uneven cuts down and filling gaps elsewhere. Even when i apply a small amount of pressure to the chopsaw, it's like the saw blade cuts longer on the bottom. Im using normal metal chop saw wheels from Home Depot and 2" square tubing, 11 ga.









Someday, I'd like to be able to do art like this guy. Awesome! and for $3700, it better be.
 
Ciaran

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
Nice! What kind of welder are you using? And post a few close up shots of your welds. :thumb: Welding is fun!
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
Jimmy_Pop said:
Even when i apply a small amount of pressure to the chopsaw...
Click to expand...

That may be your problem right there. Let the abrasive wheel do the work. Slow and low, that is the tem-po.
 
Curb Hucker

Curb Hucker

I am an idiot
Feb 4, 2004
3,661
0
Sleeping in my Kenworth
Joel

Make a jig for cutting. Get a couple of pieces of 3/8" angle iron and weld them to a plate. vise the plate to your workbench, and the piece of metal youre cutting to the jig, then use the jig to make you cut straight. Thats what ive been doing with all of my welding projects.
 
maxyedor

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
A DeWalt chop saw should do the trick, also if you bevel the edges with a grinder, make sure not to grind them out of square: I used to do that alot. That bed would be ultra bitchin' with a nice patina on it.
 
brungeman

brungeman

I give a shirt
Jan 17, 2006
5,170
0
da Burgh
if your talking about a cutoff blade (abrasive disk) in my experience, you will have a slight curve to the cut in most cases, and it really is pronounced if you put preasure on the saw. the beds you are making are great, and your fixture is fantastic and well thought out. if you are planning on building these for sale... I would suggest a possible upgrade in the saw unit (maybe a portaband or something like this http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1010) or get yourself a belt/disk sander with a table that has a slot for a miter guage like this http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1183

just a few suggestions, but I love what you are doing, keep it up!!!
 
Jimmy_Pop

Jimmy_Pop

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2002
2,030
0
Phoenix, Az USA
H8R said:
What process? MIG?

What about one of these?


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=37151
Click to expand...
damn, those are cheap. i never even considered those cause i assumed they were big bucks. I know you get what you pay for and im not sure that would end up being a POS after a year ??? I could probably spend more and get something middle of the road that would serve my demands well and do ALOT better than a chop saw.
thanks for that tip.

yeah, mig. Its a small Millermatic 110v. I dont have any pics of the welds. they range from pretty to pretty gross depending on hand/body position.

Im not really following you Don. It is the chop saw blade that is deflecting, not the tubing moving out of position.
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
brungeman said:
if your talking about a cutoff blade (abrasive disk) in my experience, you will have a slight curve to the cut in most cases, and it really is pronounced if you put preasure on the saw. the beds you are making are great, and your fixture is fantastic and well thought out. if you are planning on building these for sale... I would suggest a possible upgrade in the saw unit (maybe a portaband or something like this http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1010) or get yourself a belt/disk sander with a table that has a slot for a miter guage like this http://www.grizzly.com/products/G1183

just a few suggestions, but I love what you are doing, keep it up!!!
Click to expand...
:stupid:

The Grizzly stuff is a few clicks up from Harbor Fright on the quality scale.

Meh, unless you spend serious coin it's all Chinese made crappola in the end. Expect a very finite lifespan.

Craig's List is a rockin place to look for machines like this.
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
Jimmy_Pop said:
d
yeah, mig. Its a small Millermatic 110v. I dont have any pics of the welds. they range from pretty to pretty gross depending on hand/body position.
Click to expand...

LOL, my MIG beads looked like blackened chewing gum at first. :rolleyes:


I am looking at the Miller Maxstar 150 STH with this year's tax refund.

Don't tell my wife.:help:


:D
 
VooDoo

VooDoo

asshat
Dec 21, 2001
142
0
Toronto
I have a dewalt one and the cuts are good but pretty rough.
better than the older rigid one (just cause it has a carbide blade and spins slower so there's less dust)
Harbor freight stuff is ok at best, if you want to get perfect cuts, you're gonna have to go for a nicer bandsaw than that. I have a Jet one and it cuts perfect, but i don't know if they sell in the states...
 
Jimmy_Pop

Jimmy_Pop

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2002
2,030
0
Phoenix, Az USA
Westy said:
Where did you get the steel and how much does it cost?
Click to expand...
I get the steel at the local steel yard. they also have a great "scrap" pile with cool stuff. (plate steel, round tubing, and other odd ball stuff)

I'm about out of my 2" stock and will be going again Friday afterwork. I really cant remember what i paid. Seems like it was $1.20 - $1.50 per foot.

Thanks guys for the kind works and helpful information.
 
amateur

amateur

Turbo Monkey
Apr 18, 2002
1,019
0
Orange County
You're never going to get perfect cuts with a chop saw. Use the 45* setting is you have one, if not make a jig and just hold the metal in tight. Make another jig to weld in and just expect to have to fill some small gaps.

As for why it takes longer to finish a cut, it's because you're cutting along the length of the tube, not just the thickness of the walls. Trying to do mitre cut with a band saw isn't going to be easy, but you'll get cleaner cuts than with a chop saw. If you use a bench grinder to clean up your cuts, it's a little easier to keep things square too.

Milwaukee makes a chopsaw with a metal blade which gives awesome cuts, but the blades are super expensive.
 
jebfour

jebfour

Turbo Monkey
Jun 19, 2003
2,132
1,510
CLT, NC
Well, now that there is a welding thread...

I have seen some plastic "carts" to roll around welders and "stuff"

I have a small Lincoln wire welder with and acetylene bottle, and assorted other crap. Anyone have any links to a cheap "cart"?
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
jeb4 said:
Well, now that there is a welding thread...

I have seen some plastic "carts" to roll around welders and "stuff"

I have a small Lincoln wire welder with and acetylene bottle, and assorted other crap. Anyone have any links to a cheap "cart"?
Click to expand...

http://store.weldingdepot.com/cgi/weldingdepot/CC-MIG.html

http://store.cyberweld.com/rungearrac.html

http://store.cyberweld.com/smalrungearr.html

SUPER CHEAP:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90305
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=131
 
amateur

amateur

Turbo Monkey
Apr 18, 2002
1,019
0
Orange County
jeb4 said:
Well, now that there is a welding thread...

I have seen some plastic "carts" to roll around welders and "stuff"

I have a small Lincoln wire welder with and acetylene bottle, and assorted other crap. Anyone have any links to a cheap "cart"?
Click to expand...
A couple of my more ghetto friends have just just the fronts off shopping carts. You could easily make your own too, but I've had nothing but good experiences with Cyberweld.
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
brungeman said:
I hope the acetylene bottle isn't attached to your welder!!! :help: that could be explosive!!! :)
Click to expand...

Wait...I just caught that too...


I hope he meant argon or C02!
 
jebfour

jebfour

Turbo Monkey
Jun 19, 2003
2,132
1,510
CLT, NC
My bad, it's C02. The acetylene bottle is on the other side of the garage (I promise).....that's what typing when you are half asleep will get you....
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
jeb4 said:
My bad, it's C02. The acetylene bottle is on the other side of the garage (I promise).....that's what typing when you are half asleep will get you....
Click to expand...

Imagine putting an acetylene line into the mig gun and pulling the trigger?


:help:
 
biker3

biker3

Turbo Monkey
Jan 27, 2004
1,491
0
American by birth, Southern by the grace of god
Ahh, Cmon Joel, Mig welding is for weenies, its too easy. True Texans choose arc, that's the real quality hahaha. Nice looking stuff though, what have you been up to? Riding much? Sorry to jack the thread but have you heard anything about the races this year? The weather is starting to warm up and we really need to get on it regardless.
 
maxyedor

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
jeb4 said:
Well, now that there is a welding thread...

I have seen some plastic "carts" to roll around welders and "stuff"

I have a small Lincoln wire welder with and acetylene bottle, and assorted other crap. Anyone have any links to a cheap "cart"?
Click to expand...
Just go buy a pile of 16ga. 1"x1" tubinge som 16ga sheet and some wheels and weld your own. You get exactly what you want that way. Mine cost about $20 in steel $20 for the wheels, the good locking type, and another $40 for powdercoating, lincoln electric red no less. You could rattle can paint the thing and save some cash. In the end if you do it right you get a cart that fits your needs exactly and you should be able to rest a truck on top of it.
 
H8R

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
maxyedor said:
Just go buy a pile of 16ga. 1"x1" tubinge som 16ga sheet and some wheels and weld your own. You get exactly what you want that way. Mine cost about $20 in steel $20 for the wheels, the good locking type, and another $40 for powdercoating, lincoln electric red no less. You could rattle can paint the thing and save some cash. In the end if you do it right you get a cart that fits your needs exactly and you should be able to rest a truck on top of it.
Click to expand...
$80 for the $30 cart. Brilliant!


:)
 
ioscope

ioscope

Turbo Monkey
Jul 3, 2004
2,002
0
Vashon, WA
I weld everyday. TIG wire feed and SMAW/arc. I hate arc. TIG is fun but I am not the best. And I have gotten pretty good at wire feed.
 
ioscope

ioscope

Turbo Monkey
Jul 3, 2004
2,002
0
Vashon, WA
I don't see why a system is "for mexicans" if it is more efficient, pollutes less, is easier to learn, more versatile, faster... What's more, you are a racist.
 
buildyourown

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
4,832
0
South Seattle
When it comes to saws, you absolutely get what you pay for. That Harbor Freight band saw won't get you any farther than a cheap chop saw. You need to spend a grand to get a horizontal band saw that will cut straight. Good band saws are expensive and very heavy. ie, bad for home shops.

I seen great results from a regular $180 8" woodworking chop saw. Change the blade and your good to go. The sparks will melt the plastic gaurd so use caution. Probably your best bang for you buck.

For welding: Stick is for farm/truck repair. If someone is going to see your welds, Tig is the only choice.

For jigs: If your only making a few assemblies, great jigs can be made in no time with some MDF and a brad nailer. MDF is actually quite resistant to catching on fire.
 
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