Welding nuts?

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Welding nuts?Did that get your attention?My question is: Can you weld nuts from the hardware store?                                        Aren’t the shiny ones coated with _______ which makes the fumes toxic?What type of nut is safe to weld to mild steel? I want to use the nut and bolt technique to tighten a telescoping tube down so it does not slide.I also have looked for nuts with a shoulder on them to give me more area to weld but have been unsuccessful. What are these nuts called? They flare at the bottom almost like a washer.
Reply:Grind the shiney stuff off and weld away!The nuts with the flare on them are called.... you guessed it! flared nuts!
Reply:The nuts from the hardware stores can be coated with several different materials but zinc is by far the most common, even the shiny ones. Most of those are zinc plated by means other than hot dipping. Other popular coatings are cadmium and vanadium. All very weldable in my small world, others are more health conscious tho.
Reply:Soak in pool acid, then wash thoroughly, and they're clean !KRS***************************************Lincoln AC225 stick welderLincoln HD100 WeldPak flux core wire feed welderThree of the cheapest grinders money can buy
Reply:Sandy is right. It is just electroplated zinc. You can weld right through it, no issues. A tip: Before you weld it, put a dose of neverseize, or plumbers pipe dope paste on the threads of a bolt, and thread it into the nut before you weld. After you weld the nut, turn the bolt a bit while it cools. I have found distortion of the nut, especially on 1/4" or smaller. Other than that, easy stuff.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:I weld them quiet often, don't know if its safe or not. I just try not to take a breath of air until I step away. I have tried to weld some galvanized pipe when I first started welding, boy that was a mistake. I felt sick all night.grizz_____________________________________________Miller DVITD-39HF 4x6 BandsawHF Bender & Ring RollerCraftsman 12 inch Drill Press4.5 inch Grinders10 inch Metal shearAnd numerous other little goodies!!!
Reply:I usually just run the weld area of the nuts over the belt sander and weld away..If not (with tig anyway) you'll get this nasty yellow colored funk cloud on your piece that will have to be brushed away..I'm zap and I approve of this message.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:Just weld it, as long as it's just a few nuts you'll be fine.  You can get weld nuts at some places.DewayneDixieland WeldingMM350PLincoln 100Some torchesOther misc. tools
Reply:Yeah, plating on fasteners is pretty thin...doesn't take much to get rid of it. Non-plated fasteners are readily available too. We use these weld nuts quite often on sheet metal...http://www.spaenaur.com/view_pdf.asp?Page=C50They're neat, the shoulder goes right in the pilot hole so you never have to worry about the bolt rubbing on the side because the nut wasn't properly centered on the hole. To get around this problem when using regular hex nuts, ensure the hole is oversize and weld the nut with a flat headed bolt tightened into it. The taper on the underside of the bolt draws the nut to the center of the hole when it is tightened.
Reply:Originally Posted by TinbasherTo get around this problem when using regular hex nuts, ensure the hole is oversize and weld the nut with a flat headed bolt tightened into it. The taper on the underside of the bolt draws the nut to the center of the hole when it is tightened.
Reply:Thanks guysOnce again you are a big helpreber
Reply:as an alternative, you can weld a piece of half inch stock to your tube then drill and tap it.
Reply:Note that cadmium coatings are toxic.  It is commonly used on nuts and bolts that have a shiny finish.
Reply:I buy stainless nuts to weld on. That way I dont have to clean the finish off. But dont use a stainless bolt to hold it in place it will sieze. I use a grade 8 or grade 5 bolt with a little antisieze on it to hold the nut in place until welded.mm135HTP Invertig 201 With water cooler9" Southbend LatheLots of hand tools.
Reply:Originally Posted by lotechmanNote that cadmium coatings are toxic.  It is commonly used on nuts and bolts that have a shiny finish.
Reply:Listen to the answers, ROJO ( I call him ) no dis respect, this man speaks the truth. Also read the stainless thread. EDM is spendy way to extract a screw up. Don't put stainless in exhaust systems with the assumptions you can burn it out with a torch if need be. Common sense says (as long as you are not my neighborhood huffer) if its smokes, probably not safe to inhale. My experience says don't buy the cheap bolts or nuts to start with, I have always figured it should be against the law to produce and inferior fastner.
Reply:Hexavalent chromium from stainless welding (among other things) is also not good to breath.http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...alent+chromiumCity of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:Originally Posted by TSORGrind the shiney stuff off and weld away!The nuts with the flare on them are called.... you guessed it! flared nuts!
Reply:if you have a bunch to do you can also take th OA torch and heat each up red hot very fast , it will cook all the plating off fast. then just a wire brush will take the crap off before you weld, but for anything but TIG, I just go at it...Oh ya is is very bad to breath the crap, nerve agent, not good!Last edited by Me!; 01-08-2008 at 06:05 PM.Me!
Reply:I never thought about grade 8 nuts. Are they coated - plated or just expensive?reber
Reply:Graded fasteners are rated to withstand a certain amount of stress and elongation before failing.  The higher the grade number, the greater the amount of stress and strain the fastener can withstand.  Generally speaking, grade 5 or higher fasteners are better than what you'll typically find in the loose parts bins at the hardware store.  Some of those hardware store fasteners might be just as good, but there's no guarantee.  If you buy graded fasteners, from a reputable supplier(made in the USA or Europe) you can be assured that all the parts will perform the same.If you're not sure what's appropriate, and you're building something where someone could be hurt if the fastener failed, consult with a mechanical engineer before selecting a graded fastener.  Higher grade means the fastener will be stronger, but probably more brittle as well.  A grade 12 bolt won't stretch nearly as much as a grade 5, but it'll take a whole lot more force before it breaks.Last factoid, stainless steel fasteners are not as strong as those made from regular steel; even if the grade numbers are the same.  A grade 8 stainless steel bolt is significantly weaker than a grade 8 regular steel bolt. Originally Posted by ReebsI never thought about grade 8 nuts. Are they coated - plated or just expensive?reber
Reply:Originally Posted by ReebsI never thought about grade 8 nuts. Are they coated - plated or just expensive?reber
Reply:I need to watch the nerve toxins: 1. I'm not too sharp to begin with 2. I'm not wrapped to tight either.reber
Reply:Well reber, unfortunately good wide selections of plain old black nuts and bolts are hard to come by anymore. Especially when you get down to the smaller sizes. Check for the zinc plated and use sanding discs to remove as much of that as possible. If you ever find a place that has uncoated hardware grab a handfull of your favorite sizes just for this purpose.
Reply:Black nuts and bolts are given the Black Oxide treatment..No problem with welding.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.We use a hell of a lot of stainless "Nutserts" in M8 and M6 thread for 1.6mm wall stainless posts.They are like a large pop rivet and the strain they can take is equivalent to the strength of the parent material. A lot neater also.A good guess is better than a bad measurement
Reply:There is no need to make this more complicated than it is. Just weld them on and keep your head out of the smoke. I use 7018 in the field, Mig in the shop.A word of caution about welding grade 8 carbon nuts or bolts. The weld usually fails when it cools.