I am still pretty new to welding and fabrication. I am doing this as a hobbyist, building stuff for myself and friends/family. Even so, I have found that I have severely cut down on the time it takes for me to fabricate something by making some adjustments to how I approach a project.My presumption is that lot of other people have come across their own time savers when executing a project from the conceptual phase down to the fabrication and welding phase. I WANT TO KNOW YOUR TIME SAVERSJust to start on some of the things I found:Square tubing 45° miter joints (for a 90°) are a pain in the *** to cut and weld compared to straight cuts. Just get some end caps for those 90°s. I imagine they would be easier/faster with better cutting equipment.Making end caps takes time. Buying end caps is actually quite cheap and saves a LOT of timeCut and clean all steel for the project up front before tacking/welding. Some pieces might want to wait until everything is together for final dimensions but most don't need to be.Having a welding table large enough to fit the majority of the project on helpsFor Tig... Tig Button makes me a lot more productive. I don't have to kick around a pedal or figure out how to run the wires around the table when I move to a new position. Tacking goes at least 3x faster since I am moving around from tack to tack. Also, out of position welds are just as easy as overhead welds.I have started to get pretty lax around removing mill scale at locations of welds and I know it doesn't make as good of a weld but it certainly saves some time.
Reply:Have multiple angle grinders, with a different type of wheel for each of it's uses. E.G. a grinder wheel, wire wheel, wire cup brush, flap disc, cut off wheel. That way you don't need to spend time changing them out depending on which one you need to use at the time. Just pick up the one with the wheel on it you need to use and keep going. You can waste a lot of time during a day's work swapping out grinder wheels on only one angle grinder, so have several of them.
Reply:Along with the above suggestions, clamps, never seem to have enough. Vice grips and c-clamps. Bob
Reply:Those Magswitches sure help make life easy. Their sale on the RIDGID Boomerangle was taken advantage of by many here. They still have them on clearance and definitley worth the money. https://mag-tools.com/collections/cl...mm-boomerangleHaving an assortment of jigs for bending and forming helps me with my artwork projects save time for sure. The BESSEY welding clamps paid for themself on a gate job I had for local horse farm. Not cheap but can be a real timesaver for sure. I bought a Dynabrade band sander that a member here , '' TACKIT '' talked about years ago. It's electric and takes a 1/2'' x 18'' belt. That is another tool that's great. Easy and quick belt changing too. There are a variety of belt grit and contact arms avaiable. It's a definitely a must have tool for me. A Starrett auto center punch is another along with a carbide tip scribe. A 6'' double square is another helpful aid.
Reply:1.Square tubing 45° miter joints (for a 90°) are a pain in the *** to cut and weld compared to straight cuts. Just get some end caps for those 90°s. I imagine they would be easier/faster with better cutting equipment.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauHave multiple angle grinders, with a different type of wheel for each of it's uses. E.G. a grinder wheel, wire wheel, wire cup brush, flap disc, cut off wheel. That way you don't need to spend time changing them out depending on which one you need to use at the time. Just pick up the one with the wheel on it you need to use and keep going. You can waste a lot of time during a day's work swapping out grinder wheels on only one angle grinder, so have several of them.
Reply:Originally Posted by HT2-4956I'm all for being just as efficient and time saving as possible when building things but I can't abide that. Doing that on most things is a horrible look IMO that says it was done by an amateur fabricator. As far as needing "better" cutting equipment to quickly and accurately cut 45s.... your standard 14" abrasive chop saw is fully cable of doing that pretty efficiently. You just have to get your "sawing" station set up right.
Reply:biggest time saver is planning ahead, making a cut list , and a well thought out planGeneral Contractor Commercial Industrial & Custom ResidentialSpecializing in all things Metal
Reply:Originally Posted by nollijSetting up the abrasive saw to cut 45°s takes a few minutes, then setting it back to 90° takes another few minutes (angle markings on saw are a bit off so I have to use my square to set it up). Then, have to do 45° cuts followed by 90° cuts. Takes a bit of extra time for something that I really don't value. Also, makes it so I can't have the wife do the cutting. She can do straight cuts, no need to rock the boat on that one.When I get my cold saw setup, those cutting angles will take a lot less time to setup but I still might not change my mind about whether they are worth the time.
Reply:Those 5 p's. PrePlanning Prevents Poor Performance. I think that's what it is.
Reply:Multiple angle grinders is very important. A horizontal Band- saw like a Harbor Freight is cheap and a great time savor. It can cut and you do your lay outs and tack up. Clamps like these https://www.summitracing.com/parts/v...5150/overview/ are nice once you drill the tablehttps://www.summitracing.com/parts/v...5-sw/overview/https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vtr-wac35d/overview/https://www.summitracing.com/parts/vtr-lf-2/overview/I weld on the weekends, I seem to do a lot of cutting and lay out on Saturday and weld on Sunday. Saw runs a bunch on Saturday.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Originally Posted by ReebsA horizontal Band- saw like a Harbor Freight is cheap and a great time savor. It can cut and you do your lay outs and tack up.
Reply:Ironworker. Old mechanical one. Operating at cycle per second. A good plan. I suspect that would be a time saver. I tend to think and fabricate.My saw rarely sees 45 degrees. I am a coper. As far as time saver when building framing, coping allows cutting multiple parts (internal as well as end parts) the same length. 45s have their place usually relegated to cosmetics.
Reply:Everything I touch seems to be at a 45These are the trick but hard on the wallet. You need a FLAT work surface too.Gary did something cool with these fixtures---vid below
Reply:Fireball tools monster and mega squares,with the tabs....amazing time saversMiller Multimatic 255
Reply:I got two of these. Real timeservers when a slight tweaking is in order. https://trustycook.com/product/sledge-hammer-model-14/Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonI got two of these. Real timeservers when a slight tweaking is in order. https://trustycook.com/product/sledge-hammer-model-14/
Reply:I glad they offer free shipping for their $168 dead blow.
Reply:It's a HOBBY don't worry about time. Like you say your new to welding take your time and learn it well.
Reply:Originally Posted by flushcutI glad they offer free shipping for their $168 dead blow.
Reply:C clamps take so long. I found out harbor freight carrys besy clamps. I buy one about every time im in there. Rage metal cutting saw is on my list to. Not as heavy duty as the metal only saws but lots of quick adjustment.I dont do the cap thing 45 all corners https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F272756192268
Reply:Originally Posted by evanC clamps take so long. I found out harbor freight carrys besy clamps. I buy one about every time im in there.
Reply:Originally Posted by nollijI have enough F-Clamps and a big pile of C-Clamps but I never use the C-Clamps. I don't know a situation I would use them over the F-Clamps and the F-Clamps are much faster to use.I'll have to keep my eye open for grinders at auctions or maybe just buy 3 or so new ones (assuming: cutting wheel, grinder, flap wheel, and wire brush). Any preference on hand grinders? I have a Dewalt 13A one right now but I seem to see a lot of Metabo W9-115 at fab shop auctions.r.
Reply:Originally Posted by eeapoIt's a HOBBY don't worry about time. Like you say your new to welding take your time and learn it well.
Reply:I will say that I work faster, more accurately and a lot more effortlessly now that I am running a Lincoln 3350 4C hood. I am able to see like never before. I have cataracts, and a bunch of other eye issues, so YMMV. But for me, it was like WOW!!Miller Multimatic 255Originally Posted by shovelonI know, right? I have 3.
Reply:Here is something I picked up on the board. HUGE time saver. I cut a bunch of 45 degree angles. this just clamps to the vice and sets the angle at 45Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:The above picture is terrible I will take another soon.Dave ReberWadsworth Ohio
Reply:Originally Posted by flushcutIs there gold or something in those?
Reply:Originally Posted by ReebsHere is something I picked up on the board. HUGE time saver. I cut a bunch of 45 degree angles. this just clamps to the vice and sets the angle at 45
Reply:When cutting 45°s to make a 90°, or any angle actually, I usually over cut the angle by a degree or two so I can tack the outside and still move it a bit to square it. Has been working good for me for decades and makes fit up much easier. Of course you need to watch your final angle to make sure it stays right, but even a perfect 45 will pull when welded.JonYeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Originally Posted by ReebsHere is something I picked up on the board. HUGE time saver. I cut a bunch of 45 degree angles. this just clamps to the vice and sets the angle at 45
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ecades ago I got to talk to an estimator who had worked for one of the largest structural steel fabricators in the area. He told me that 75 % of any job is handling. Welding time was minimal but what really ate up the dollars was unloading the steel stacking it after cutting. Moving it to the fab area moving it for welding. Moving it for clean and paint then organizing it for shipping. The low hanging fruit is easily picked by careful planning.
Reply:Originally Posted by ReebsHere is something I picked up on the board. HUGE time saver. I cut a bunch of 45 degree angles. this just clamps to the vice and sets the angle at 45
Reply:a FLAT tableSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
