Coat hanger wire

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Notsooldordum said this in a thread, "I've been welding aluminum with old coat hanger wire. But it's not a good color match and does rust. I'll give stainless a try." Somebody else.... I think it was whtbaron in a different thread said this, "Some guys still think you should be able to weld with coat hangers. That never was a very predictable way of making a joint, and they don't make coat hangers like they used too... " --What's the deal on coat hanger wire? What process are people welding with coat hanger wire using? Just curious.MM 211Smith Tru Lite O/A set, Thanks Bob!Lincoln AC-225--But you must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium- Ursula K. Le Guin
Reply:TIG./GTAW.But I wouldn't use it on ally. In fact, GTAW rods aren't all that expensive, I wouldn't use coat hangers at all.
Reply:Used to use it with O/A to weld up exhaust piping.Gotta remove the protective coating off the wire for best results though. MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:EQ, it was just a joke. Back in the day, some people used coat hangers or baling wire for oxy/acetylene welding.  Weld up an exhaust pipe or fix a crack in a mower deck, that sort of thing."USMCPOP" First-born son: KIA  Iraq 1/26/05Syncrowave 250 w/ Coolmate 3Dialarc 250, Idealarc 250SP-175 +Firepower TIG 160S (gave the TA 161 STL to the son)Lincwelder AC180C (1952)Victor & Smith O/A torchesMiller spot welder
Reply:I don't recall ever seeing an aluminum coat hanger So I don't understand how someone, except maybe in jest, could say they welded aluminum w/ steel wire. I've O/A welded lots of exhaust systems w/ coat hanger wire and had no weld failures. This was well before I purchased my mig. This statement will probably get the flame throwers fired up but I can't care less. We all well know the line about opinions.                                                 MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:In the mid to late 1970's used to use coat hangers a lot to gas weld rips, tears, and non structural items onto automobiles and what are now antique trucks. It was decent quality wire in those days and the coating came right off with heat and a cotton rag.SlobPurveyor of intimate unparalleled knowledge of nothing about everything.Oh yeah, also an unabashed internet "Troll" too.....
Reply:Yes but back in the day Coat Hangers were made of better material.  JohnSent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by johnrbauerYes but back in the day Coat Hangers were made of better material.  JohnSent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
Reply:I have welded with coat hangers and an OA torch, in years past and will do it again if I need to for non critical stuff.
Reply:Gotcha. As always.... many thanks guys. MM 211Smith Tru Lite O/A set, Thanks Bob!Lincoln AC-225--But you must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium- Ursula K. Le Guin
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumGotcha. As always.... many thanks guys.
Reply:Used to be coat hangers with a cardboard tube across the bottom, and with thinner wire, cheaper than the all metal hangers, but, the wire was better metal in the cheapies. Those were the ones to use. And not as much paint to burn off with the oxy welding!-c-What is the sound of one knee jerking?
Reply:Hiya Bist!!!! I've tried stick welding twice in October.... I had a real hard time getting going... the rod kept sticking. The more the rod stuck... the more my neighbor laughed. The more he laughed.... the more I laughed. He switched stick machines on me and switched the rod I was using to no avail.... I kept getting stuck yet he could stick weld effortlessly using any machine and any rod.... and he hadn't welded professionally in over 5 years. It ended up being a laugh session NOT an Arc101 lesson. I think I better hold off trying to O/A weld with metal coat hangers until I can get the hang of stick welding but.... thanks for the metal v plastic coat hanger tip. Very invaluable tip... yes indeedy. --cornemuse> I'm looking at a white metal coat hanger and a brown metal coat hanger for pants that has the cardboard tube and you're right.... there is a difference.The metal for the pants hanger is slightly thicker.MM 211Smith Tru Lite O/A set, Thanks Bob!Lincoln AC-225--But you must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium- Ursula K. Le Guin
Reply:The old man my father was close hunting and fishing buddy with ran a garage. He did everything with oxy/acetylene and either coat hangers, or for smaller "Rod" he'd use hay baler wire. Most of my acetylene welding was on 20-16 gauge steel plate. I couldn't find baler wire that wasn't very rusty. Coat hangers were too big for my needs. I always used copper coated steel with very good results. Very similar to the ER70S2 we TIG with.To prevent sticking weld with two hands. Hold the rod near its tip at first. your glove will protect you for a while. When you start to feel heat, move to the stinger. You'll be surprised how much better arc length control you'll have. To start, you want the flux to tickle the work. It ain't a match you're striking.Last edited by Willie B; 12-04-2015 at 12:22 PM.An optimist is usually wrong, and when the unexpected happens is unprepared. A pessimist is usually right, when wrong, is delighted, and well prepared.
Reply:We broke a track chain on an old caterpillar up on a side hill in the early 70's. Hit up the local farmers for oxy-acet tanks and a coat hanger for a temporary repair. We heated and beat the link back together and my brother welded the link with the coat hanger on the premise of grinding it out and arcing it when we got it back to the shop. Which never happened as 30 years later when it was sold it was still holding!That just don't make coat hangers as good as those anymore!
Reply:I was referring to O/A welding in the post the OP quoted me in as well. As noted above, if you got lucky you had a good weld. If you got a crappy hanger, you got a poor weld. Like Willy, I liked to use the copper coated steel rod so I knew what I was working with. It's probably been over 25 yrs since I've done any O/A welding, but all this talk and my (relatively) new torch set is making me want to get back into it. It would be interesting if someone who could test coupons would do a few in different hangers and the proper rods to see what the difference in weld strength really is.250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:When I was a apprentice with 597 in 1970, there were shops that had OLDTIMERS that were gas welders. They could do a 6'' pipe weld as fast as some guys doing stick.  There were simply amazing ! The beauty of the welds would make many welds look sick today.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauIf you use them, make sure they are the metal coat hangers, not the plastic ones, they don't work so good.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauIf you use them, make sure they are the metal coat hangers, not the plastic ones, they don't work so good.
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1When I was a apprentice with 597 in 1970, there were shops that had OLDTIMERS that were gas welders. They could do a 6'' pipe weld as fast as some guys doing stick.  There were simply amazing ! The beauty of the welds would make many welds look sick today.
Reply:Originally Posted by whtbaronI was referring to O/A welding in the post the OP quoted me in as well. As noted above, if you got lucky you had a good weld. If you got a crappy hanger, you got a poor weld. Like Willy, I liked to use the copper coated steel rod so I knew what I was working with. It's probably been over 25 yrs since I've done any O/A welding, but all this talk and my (relatively) new torch set is making me want to get back into it. It would be interesting if someone who could test coupons would do a few in different hangers and the proper rods to see what the difference in weld strength really is.
Reply:Originally Posted by EquilibriumHiya Bist!!!! I've tried stick welding twice in October.... I had a real hard time getting going... the rod kept sticking. The more the rod stuck... the more my neighbor laughed. . I think I better hold off trying to O/A weld with metal coat hangers until I can get the hang of stick welding but.... thanks for the metal v plastic coat hanger tip. Very invaluable tip... yes indeedy. --cornemuse> I'm looking at a white metal coat hanger and a brown metal coat hanger for pants that has the cardboard tube and you're right.... there is a difference.The metal for the pants hanger is slightly thicker.
Reply:Originally Posted by drujininWe broke a track chain on an old caterpillar up on a side hill in the early 70's. Hit up the local farmers for oxy-acet tanks and a coat hanger for a temporary repair. We heated and beat the link back together and my brother welded the link with the coat hanger on the premise of grinding it out and arcing it when we got it back to the shop. Which never happened as 30 years later when it was sold it was still holding!That just don't make coat hangers as good as those anymore!
Reply:LOL...gotta like a well hung weld...250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauIf you use them, make sure they are the metal coat hangers, not the plastic ones, they don't work so good.whtbaron> "One of my instructors often told us it was like knitting, just add fire and rods instead of those dangerous pointy needles." Now that.... made me laugh. I'm game... I'll add trying to my 2016 Welding To-Do list.MM 211Smith Tru Lite O/A set, Thanks Bob!Lincoln AC-225--But you must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium- Ursula K. Le Guin
Reply:Smilexelectric, "Crap maybe I should worry about that pipe that had to x ray then."As long as it's plastic pipe, you should be good.Last edited by whtbaron; 12-05-2015 at 01:30 PM.250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC StickF-225 amp Forney AC Stick230 amp Sears AC StickLincoln 180C MIGVictor Medalist 350 O/ACut 50 PlasmaLes
Reply:Don't know why anyone would go all the way to the house for a coat hanger when there is bailin wire hanging all over the place. ")"The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyDon't know why anyone would go all the way to the house for a coat hanger when there is bailin wire hanging all over the place. ")
Reply:Originally Posted by 12V71... We hauled out 26 tons of wadded up baling wire alone. Mostly rust flakes by that time...
Reply:If you roll the coat hanger with wet newspaper, then let it dry, you can "Arc" weld with it.
Reply:I am looking at building a 15 Ton trailer to pull behind my Ford Focus. So would a coat hanger with the coating renewed be better then a Horrible Frieght 90A mig. I think a few bed rails and a JB weld I would be good to go 75 mph down the xway hauling 2 skid loaders. The focus is only rates at 800 lbs. I think I can push it just a little bit farther.
Reply:Old barbed wire also works.Was watching one of those Alaskan shows the other day and it showed some old home movies and the guy was using it.Last edited by In Utopia; 12-06-2015 at 07:45 AM.
Reply:Do the barbs give it some muscle?
Reply:Originally Posted by In UtopiaOld barbed wire also works
Reply:Never seen old barbed wire with any coating other than rust.
Reply:As for old days using wire coat hangers, you CAN do that. But that was when men were men and coat hangers were steel. But really man, buy some rod so you know what your getting.As for the aluminum coat hangers, I ACTUALLY HAVE LOADS OF THEM!! My wife's grandfather used to run the local anodize plating company. WAAAAAY back in the last millennium, he had a job come in from the local vo-tech school. The Kids made some tooling in metal shop and produced a thousand or so of these really heavy duty roll formed and twisted ALUMINUM rod coat hangers. They had him anodize them all kinds of colors. Being that I and my youngest son (9) are the ones in the family line who LOVE all of Grandpap's TREASURES; his piles of random mismatched tools, thing-o-mo bobs, junk yard contraptions, home made garden/farm inventions and other "junk" as the rest of the relatives call it, HE GIVE IT ALL TO ME. YEA!!!! The kids gave him a few dozen as payment, and he still had them some 60 years later. Now they are in my closet.As far as plastic coat hangers... I ACTUALLY WELD WITH THOSE sometimes. I find myself doing a lot of plastic welding. Just because it's cheap plastic made crap and broken, why throw it away when I can crack open the plastic welder and fix it. Yeah the color usually never matches, but hey; waste not, want not.Yup, Owen and I are carrying on Grandpap's torch! My family calls my son the junk man, he has ideas for every scrap thing how he can use it. He even wants to save piles of saw dust. That he squeezes together with some glue to make tiny hay bales for LEGO people!XRyan
Reply:Coat hanger and barbed wire are over the hill; too tough to find good quality now.Y'all gotta get with modern times - wire bale/handle from 5-gallon bucket. Attached ImagesLast edited by denrep; 12-12-2015 at 07:17 AM.
Reply:Awesome signature In the beginning there was a stage, and it was formless and void, and darkness was on the face of the actors. And the stage manager said, 'Light cue one, go.' And there was light, and She saw that it was good.
Reply:Why thank you Wiley Welding!!! Awesome avatar you've got and an interesting signature line yourself!!! A very warm welcome to you.... nice having another female in the threads!!! I think I read you were a MIG welder like me. Us lowly "glue gunners" gotta stick together. MM 211Smith Tru Lite O/A set, Thanks Bob!Lincoln AC-225--But you must not change one thing, one pebble, one grain of sand, until you know what good and evil will follow on that act. The world is in balance, in Equilibrium- Ursula K. Le Guin
Reply:Thanks! I love seeing people's eyes get bigger when I tell them I weld. Most of what I've done has been MIG, which I love, but I have my own little flux core machine now and it's not super different. You just have to brush off the slag when you're done. Nice to meet you! In the beginning there was a stage, and it was formless and void, and darkness was on the face of the actors. And the stage manager said, 'Light cue one, go.' And there was light, and She saw that it was good.
Reply:This coat hanger works really nice it seems but a lot of work if you need for anything other than emergency
Reply:I've told this story before, but a friend of mine went to welding school and ended up welding for Kaiser Steel.In school, the instructor gave the class bare coat hangers and told them to arc weld with them. He said, "If you can arc weld with coat hangers you can weld with anything".I tried it without success.Lincoln AC buzzboxLincoln AC/DC buzzboxHobart 125EZ (110V flux-core)Everlast PA200 (stick)Everlast PA300 (stick)Everlast PP70 (plasma cutter)O/A outfitSeveral Metabo, Bosch, HF grinders set up differentlyMisc tools
Reply:Originally Posted by xryanAs far as plastic coat hangers... I ACTUALLY WELD WITH THOSE sometimes. I find myself doing a lot of plastic welding. Just because it's cheap plastic made crap and broken, why throw it away when I can crack open the plastic welder and fix it. Yeah the color usually never matches, but hey; waste not, want not.
Reply:In the past I have ran out of filler on a job so i cut strips of aluminum off of some plate stock and used the strips as filler. Gotta get the job done.12v battery, jumper cables, and a 6013.I only have a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/VPT/244788508917829
Reply:Originally Posted by Bob E.What kind of plastic do they make those from? I've never seen any that were labeled.