ok, i'm back with some pics.........

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so here is what i need to work with. I was hoping not to have to get a 220v welder, since i dont have that power source readily available.I am working with 1/4" steel pipe as well as 1/4" steel plate.  Also, a 5/8" solid steel rod.  See pics for how its all welded together and tell me if I can get way with a 110-115v welder pumping out 100-125 amps.  As you can see on some of the welds, there is no penetration the the other side.  Will this kinda a work be able to be done via a 110-115v welder or should I just have a 220v outlet installed in my garage?Thanks again guys Attached Images
Reply:Originally Posted by standman4320so here is what i need to work with. I was hoping not to have to get a 220v welder, since i dont have that power source readily available.I am working with 1/4" steel pipe as well as 1/4" steel plate.  Also, a 5/8" solid steel rod.  See pics for how its all welded together and tell me if I can get way with a 110-115v welder pumping out 100-125 amps.  As you can see on some of the welds, there is no penetration the the other side.  Will this kinda a work be able to be done via a 110-115v welder or should I just have a 220v outlet installed in my garage?Thanks again guys
Reply:If you really need to weld that thickness with a 110 welder then beveling and multiple passes are the only way to go. And you won´t be able to grind the already made weld...That´s my .02 I agree those pics won´t help much ,have better pics?My Babies: HF Drill pressHF Pipe Bender3   4.5" Black and Decker angle grindersLincoln Electric PROMIG 175that´s it!
Reply:1/4 inch thick mild steel is do-able with a 110-120 V FCAW machine and 0.035 flux-core wire.Some pre-heat may help, also proper joint prep will be needed (beveling, etc).Changing the design and construction of the assembly may also help a bit.  For instance, instead of a butt weld of the pipe onto the plate, drill a hole through the plate and chamfer/bevel the 'back' ID of the hole.  Then bevel/chamfer the OD of the pipe and insert it into the hole and weld the bevels together.  Also weld a fillet around the pipe on the other side of the plate.  You now have more welded area and at least on the beveled joint you have thinned the section thickness from 1/4 inch down to 1/8 inch with the bevels.  That section thickness is much more in the capable range for a 110-120V machine, and may be doable with multi-pass GMAW/MIG instead of having to use FCAW.In your pic named IMG_0018, where the 5/8 dia solid shaft is inserted through a hole in the plate, do the ID/OD beveling and just weld the beveled area.  There is no need to run a weld in the center of the shaft, it isn't joining anything.
Reply:ok........here are some brighter pics.  Its mild steel that has been clean and polished, thats all.So let me get this straight.....if you heat the steel with a torch, it will help result in a better weld?  As opposed to welding the steel which is at room temperature? Attached Images
Reply:i used a 110v welder once but that was a bad experience.... lets move on!try heating your pieces to 350 f  and i'm sure you will notice a big difference use some scrap to fine tune the machine (nothing worse then wasting good material). Make you self a t-joint of the same thickness, weld it on one side. break it off with a hammer to check for penatration.
Reply:Originally Posted by standman4320ok........here are some brighter pics.  Its mild steel that has been clean and polished, thats all.So let me get this straight.....if you heat the steel with a torch, it will help result in a better weld?  As opposed to welding the steel which is at room temperature?
Reply:well from the dark to the light pics...looks like galvy to me...is this true?...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:i'm not sure what the coating is to be honest, i bought this device from a guy who sells something similar to me.  I just like his design better than mine, so I pretended to be a customer needing the part so I would not have to fabricate it myself.........sounds silly I know, but for $10, it saved me a lot of time and effort.  I just want to pick up a welder to play with 1/4' thick steel or smaller thickness to make prototypes that may go into full scale production by a properly equipped factory.Thanks guys !
Reply:oh by the way..........i have been talking about picking up a mig welder here and its usefullness in this situation of only having 120v power outlets avilable
Reply:Doesn't look bad to me, A/C stick I assume? 6011 would get you deeper penetration if that's your process, also multipass and bevelling like the fellas suggested. Does the part need to have full penetration is the question I didn't see asked, so I'll ask. Not knowing what the part is meant to do, if you are hanging a picture frame, probably not gonna need full penetration, but if the part is going to be subjected to a beating, then you will need it. Good luck!If you don't have the time to do it right, then you definitely don't have the time to do it over.
Reply:Are these "working" prototypes or just "mockups"?For mockups to test fitting then get some plexiglas plastic and play around with glue.  Or make the mockups held together with JBWELD.If you just want to get a welder and need an excuse for the wife tell her you need a welder to fix the muffler on the car. (Tell her after you pick up the welder, and only if she asks)
Reply:the device is meant to lift and then support the front forks of a motorcycle ( crotch rockets that weigh about 450lbs. )  There would be approximately 100lbs of weight on each set of these attachments.  One attachment for the right side fork and one for the left side fork.I have attached a pic for reference.  I assume I would want deep penetration into the steel........ Attached ImagesLast edited by standman4320; 11-30-2006 at 11:54 AM.
Reply:Then I would do a destructive test, basically put one in a vise and beat the crap out of it with a good size hammer. You will quickly know if the welds are strong enough. My opinion is that they are probably sufficient, this type of application is  different from a piece of machinery that will cycle through it's load repetitively. But beat one with a hammer anyway, it'll be fun, and you'll get to see how good your welds are.If you don't have the time to do it right, then you definitely don't have the time to do it over.
Reply:Ok, I have talked to a buddy of mine who is an electrician and he is gonna set me up with a 220volt outlet in my garage.  I have been looking at the Lincoln Electric Weld-Pak 175HD, 208/230-volt, 175amp Wire Feeder Welder, which it says can weld up to 1/2" mild steel.  I doubt I will ever go that thick, but even if I use 3/8" inch steel, it should be ok, correct?thanks again guys !!
Reply:more than enough...have fun!...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:I spent some years with nothing but a 110v Sears stick welder that was one of the early WAY underpowered ones. I found the trick was too find the thinnest rods available, like 1/32" because they heat up easier. Still welded like crap but at least I got my swiss cheese exaust pipe through inspection.