What rod for zinc plated steel to H.R.S.?

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I plan to TIG these caster mounts to a hot rolled steel frame that I am building.What rod will give me the strongest welds?BTW, using 2% lanthanated tungsten and 100% AR.Thanks.
Reply:Take a flapper disc and remove the galvanizing where ever you're planning on welding to them (I'd just do across the two ends).  Other wise with TIG you're going to have a horrible mess no matter what rod you use.  Wouldn't hurt to take the mill scale off that hot rolled also.   If you want some clean pretty welds that's what you'll have to do.   That'll keep you from messing up the front end of your tig torch also.I see no reason to use any thing other than 70S-2.  You just have to get rid of the galvanizing and mill scale first.Last edited by HT2-4956; 03-28-2014 at 03:17 PM.
Reply:Agreed. Clean off mill scale and galvanizing where you are going to weld, then use regular steel filler er70s-6 or -2 is fine. Keep your face away when you weld, because the galvanizing will burn off from the surrounding areas. A 1/2" stitch weld at each corner would likely be overkill for that caster, it really doesn't take much.IAMAW Local 330Airco 300 AC/DC HeliwelderAirco Dip-Pak 200 with Profax spool gunPowr-Kraft AC225Everlast PowerArc 200stBuffalo Forge No.21 drill pressSpeedglas 9100xxAirco, Oxweld, Purox, Victor torchesLincoln Ranger 8
Reply:I forgot that I had a gallon of vinegar which has been sitting under my kitchen sink for a long time.  I took the wheels off, greased the crap out of the bearings, and now the galvanized parts are soaking.  Should have the zinc off in just a few hours.  Hoping the heavy grease will protect the steel bearings from getting corroded.
Reply:I agree I too would use 70s-6 or 2.
Reply:Avoid ER70-S6 if you can. It has higher silicon levels compared to ER70-S2 or S3 which can cause zinc to penetrate the weld metal and cause cracking.I don't believe you will have any problems in this particular application though.If you normally use a gas lens don't use it in this application as you will most likely mess it up.Zinc tends to "explode" and spit stuff back into your torch.
Reply:I'd use muriatic acid to remove the zinc, then it's perfectly weldable with anything like er70-s6... or just bolt the things on like they were intended.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:I'm worried that muriatic acid would damage the ball bearings even though I did my best to coat them with heavy grease. Hoping this is not the case with vinegar.
Reply:You should only need just enough acid to cover the base plate, right? No reason to strip it off all the way up to the bearings.
Reply:The vinegar was working, but being an impatient guy I went out and bought some muriatic.  It did a bang-up job of removing the galvanized, then I neutralized the parts in a bath of baking soda and water.  A bit of scrubbing with Dawn and a Scotch Brite pad and I am down to bare metal.  The grease protected the bearings, they look great and the grease stayed in place throughout the process. I had to use my parts cleaner & a brush to flush it out afterward.  Also had to dry the parts quickly else an orange haze of rust would begin to form on them.Problem solved and ready to weld:Thanks for the help and ideas guys.
Reply:Originally Posted by LuMaxThe vinegar was working, but being an impatient guy I went out and bought some muriatic.  It did a bang-up job of removing the galvanized, then I neutralized the parts in a bath of baking soda and water.  A bit of scrubbing with Dawn and a Scotch Brite pad and I am down to bare metal.  The grease protected the bearings, they look great and the grease stayed in place throughout the process. I had to use my parts cleaner & a brush to flush it out afterward.  Also had to dry the parts quickly else an orange haze of rust would begin to form on them.Problem solved and ready to weldThanks for the help and ideas guys.
Reply:Not perfect by any means, but I'm happy with them.Was only the third time I've used a TIG torch.
Reply:Little bit overkill, but they wont fall of!!!Just a couple welders, big hammers, grinders, and torches.Work will free you.Men in dirty jeans built this country, while men in clean suits have destroyed it. Trump/Carson 2016-2024
Reply:I found out the hard way that s6 and zinc don't mix. The extra silicon will cause the spitting and explosions of the puddle that have been mentioned. I've tig'd alot of zinc coated parts and won't touch it with s6 ever again. I removed what I can with grinders but didn't get it all. Acid is just too much for most applications. S2 runs much better. I've even used it a couple of times with any attempt at removing the zinc and it just works better.NickESAB CaddyTig 2200iPowermax 45MM140 (Sold)
Reply:Thanks Snuffy.  In the future I will avoid zinc plated stuff if I can, but the vinegar trick will work great when I'm not in a hurry, and muriatic acid for when I am. Heavy rubber gloves and a face shield in a well ventilated area did the trick.  Baking soda in water neutralizes the acid in a couple of seconds. No issues at all when I welded it, but will remember S2 for next time.This roller base is going to last me a very, very long time, hence the sturdy build.
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Reply:First guy ever to take my advise on the muriatic acid? lol good job.It literally takes less than a minute to 100% de-galvanize stuff. You only need a little cup to dip a bolt in or whatever hardware you need to weld.You could have wrapped the swivel joint with electrical tape to seal it, then dipped the base plate in acid only deep enough to etch it.The only real consideration with it is that the fumes will condense and settle on everything in the area, so always do this outside. It will etch your tools or anything else that's metallic. It also removes surface rust in seconds. Other than the fumes it's not even a very nasty acid, it barely hurts if you get it on your skin, just rinse it off...Last edited by MikeGyver; 04-02-2014 at 03:13 AM.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverFirst guy ever to take my advise on the muriatic acid? lol good job.It literally takes less than a minute to 100% de-galvanize stuff. You only need a little cup to dip a bolt in or whatever hardware you need to weld.You could have wrapped the swivel joint with electrical tape to seal it, then dipped the base plate in acid only deep enough to etch it.The only real consideration with it is that the fumes will condense and settle on everything in the area, so always do this outside. It will etch your tools or anything else that's metallic. It also removes surface rust in seconds. Other than the fumes it's not even a very nasty acid, it barely hurts if you get it on your skin, just rinse it off...
Reply:I've always used silicon bronze, or stainless steel (pulsed) filler, without any prep. Galvanized/ zinc spitting is eliminated. I like the acid prep idea though. I'll have to try that.http://www.facebook.com/LockhartMetalArthttp://www.facebook.com/pages/Grumpy...44306259043484
Reply:Originally Posted by grumpycricketI've always used silicon bronze, or stainless steel (pulsed) filler, without any prep. Galvanized/ zinc spitting is eliminated. I like the acid prep idea though. I'll have to try that.
Reply:I like how you made rollers for your tool box, but left extra room for the tank to be mounted. I also love the strap you made to put your little miller on the top of your box. Do you have more pics to share of the setup?Miller Maxstar 200 SDPiperliner #10 Gold
Reply:Thanks guys.Smilexelectric, see THIS thread.
Reply:Looks good, but why not just bolt them on?
Reply:I never knew that about the acid! Learn something every day.Miller trailblazer301gLincoln sa200Miller251Miller spectrum 625Victor oxy-acc2002 Chevy duramax 3500 dually 4x4
Reply:Just FYI, even the neutralized acid will still contain the zinc you removed and could be illegal to dispose of down the drain...not to mention build up over time if you do it enough.Originally Posted by kazlxLooks good, but why not just bolt them on?
Reply:I've been putting things like that into my brass cleaner for brass for my reloading.  Throw it in there and let it run a few hours and take it out and it's spotless. Just make sure to throw the media out after your doneMiller 350PMiller 30AHobart trekHTP Invertig 221
Reply:Originally Posted by SnuffyAnd it will also turn aluminum into grey goop.
Reply:Originally Posted by grumpycricketI've always used silicon bronze, or stainless steel (pulsed) filler, without any prep. Galvanized/ zinc spitting is eliminated. I like the acid prep idea though. I'll have to try that.
Reply:The reason I wanted to weld them on is that if I had bolted them into place, the legs of the press would only be resting on the bolts heads and would sag in the middle due to the weight of the press.  Now the entire length of the press base legs are supported and they are flat.