Welding on a Brake Drum

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I have a Brake drum from a big truck, that I would like to use for a base. I have 1/8 or 3/16 plate to use as my base for my 3x3 x1/8  vert. post for a grinder. What would be the best way to weld on the brake drum  ??
Reply:I like your idea. I have a brake job for my sister comingup soon, now I know what I can do with one of the drums.I hope you get some more input on this so I can apply it too.
Reply:The BEST way is to not weld, but to bolt plate through the wheel stud holes. This makes it easier to fabricate, paint, and move or modify later.I have welded them for anvil bases and such. Good quality 7018 dc, fair amount of preheat on the drum, it might not be absolutely necessary, but 20 years later, and three or four shop moves it's still in one piece.Just my  opinion, not from a book, just from the road.Howes Welding Inc.www.howesweldinginc.com
Reply:Thanks tessdad, I do not have a DC weiler. But I do have a miller 211 for my mig work and a HB 140 for flux work. I have 3 drums so I will use one as a test . I was told that the welds with a mig might crack. I will work with one and learn from it....
Reply:Now thats no way to spell, Hell I have to work on that now...
Reply:Originally Posted by Thats HotNow thats no way to spell, Hell I have to work on that now...
Reply:I have joined 2 big truck drums mouth to mouth and added a plate on the bottom and top and use the rig  as a waste pallet/scrap fed shop heater.  I used Er70-6, 75/25 on a MM 210 turned all the way to max on .035 wire and gas around 20-25 CFH.  The welds werent photo contest perfect, but filled the small chamfer in the gap between the drums nicely and sealed the top and bottom plates well enough to be smoke tight.  Structuraly I am sure it is not the strongest, but it has lasted 10+ years as a shop heater and never shown a crack or needed any form of repair.  I preheated the rig with a torch till it was just  dull cherry red and allowed it to air cool between passes to keep the cracking out of the equation.  Worked for me, even though technicaly incorrect according to the tables and materials calculator.  Hope this helps.BobI'm spending my Kids inheritance, I dont like him that much anyway!!!!!!Enuff tools to do the job, enough sense to use em.Anybody got a spare set of kidneys?  Trade?
Reply:used 6011 on a rotor from a chevy 15 passenger van worked great, i think the pipe i used was cast as well, didnt work perfect but once you get enough heat it works fantastic as a grinder standforney f100 220vmiller thunderbolt 225v a/ccampbell hausfield flux welder 115vcraftsman o/a rig(harris)collosal tech plasma cutter 50amp